Question:
Given the information we now know about the relatively rare but real abortifacient effect of the birth control pill, do you believe it is a sin to use the pill for contraceptive purposes?
Response:
This question has, in recent times, become one of the most frequently asked of all the inquiries I receive. I must confess that, for some time, I have procrastinated in answering, at least in any public forum, this question. There are a couple of reasons for my hesitancy.
First, I did not feel qualified to be a definitive resource about this subject, since I have had no training or experience in the medical or pharmaceutical fields. Please understand, even now, as I tell you what I think about the use of the pill, that I may not use the exact terminology that a medical doctor would use. I answer in terms that I understand.
Second, I hesitated because there are two views that are poles apart in regard to this question, even among those who are recognized as leaders in the pro-life camp. Many accuse those who speak out in opposition to the use of the birth control pill of weakening the pro-life movement by causing division in the ranks. Please know that I have carefully examined this consideration before speaking or writing about the moral issue associated with the pill. I am a strong supporter of the pro-life movement and do not want to injure it. But I believe, in order to be truly pro-life, a person must consistently stand for the sanctity of every innocent life and that said life begins at conception. (For the purposes of this article, I will assume that my readers agree that human life begins at conception, the point at which all genetic material is present and at which only nutrition from the mother and time is needed to mature the baby for viability outside the womb.) I believe that making any exception– i.e. overlooking the destruction of any fertilized human egg—is what weakens the pro-life position. To be perfectly clear, I believe that, whenever an action is not obligatory (and taking the pill certainly is not required of anyone) and when said action can possibly destroy life (and it has been proven that the pill can do exactly that), then the action is wrong. I realize the position I am taking is strong. But I continue to ask myself, “If this is not true, why is it not true?” I’m at a loss as I try to answer that question.
Third and most disturbing to me, I procrastinated because I just often weary of controversy. I understand that this question remains unasked in many circles. Lots of women and their husbands are simply unaware that the pill has the capacity to make a woman’s womb reject a fertilized egg. In other circles, in which the question is being explored, the answers are always controversial. I have spoken with scientists, pharmacists, and doctors, who profess Christianity and yet they remain poles apart in their views of this issue. I do not want to avoid important and consequential issues just because talking about them might stir controversy. If the answer to the question involves life, then ignorance is not bliss and peace is not always practical. So, as I was given vastly different “opinions” by medical experts, I finally decided that I needed to come to the truth for myself about the effects of the pill and decide for myself if such an optional procedure as taking the pill could be morally right if it ever caused the destruction of human life.
So exactly what’s the big deal about the low dose birth control pill that is taken daily by millions of women? Here’s the gist of it:
- The first “job” of the birth control pill is to prevent ovulation. This is what the pill usually does. Of course, if ovulation is prevented then the egg(s) are not released for fertilization. No fertilization, no conception, no life.
- The second “job” of the pill is to thicken the cervical mucus so that sperm and egg have a difficult time uniting. Again if they are not united, there is no fertilization. Still no life.
- The third “job” of the pill is to alter the lining of the uterus, so that implantation of a fertilized egg is difficult and sometimes impossible. It is this “job” of the pill that has spawned so much controversy. Does “the pill” really do this?
- We do know for sure that, occasionally, there is a break-through ovulation. In these cases, the pill has failed to do its first job. The egg has been released and may be fertilized. We know that this occurs because we know that many women have become pregnant even while taking the pill.
- Should this break-through ovulation occur and should the egg be fertilized, then the egg, which now contains all genetic information, is ready to implant on the wall of the uterus. The thinning of the uterus lining, resultant from the birth control pill, in these relatively rare cases, causes the egg to be less likely to implant. Some have described this lining change as a hostile environment. Whatever we call it, we do know that this thinned lining of the womb is a happening thing. Of course, if and when this rejection of the egg occurs, the fertilized egg would be flushed from the body during menstruation.
Observations:
Those who profess Christianity and yet defend the use of the pill often use the “innocent intent” argument in their defense. That is, since the intent is to prevent pregnancy rather than terminate it, and, since the rejection of a fertilized egg would just be an accident, then the lack of deliberation excuses the undesirable result. We must remember, at this juncture, though, that taking the pill is completely optional. Its use is a matter of convenience rather than obligation. We must also remember that we are obviously discussing the decision of someone who is aware of risks. Knowledge is power. This knowledge of risk empowers one to make a rational decision that has significant implications.
- Others who defend the use of birth control pills do so because they believe the incidence of embryo rejection to be rare. But any loss of innocent human life caused by my choice is not rare enough. I choose protection of life over choosing a method of birth control that could destroy it.
- Others say that natural miscarriages happen more frequently than pill-related miscarriages. Natural miscarriages are not related to my decisions. I can live with unavoidable miscarriage. I cannot live with self –induced circumstances that may cause a chemical abortion.
- Since a casual inquiry among doctors reveals a polar disagreement about whether or not this lining change within the uterus can cause a fertilized egg to be rejected and thus destroyed, I researched brand names of birth control pills and investigated specific ingredients. The following results from NetDoctor were telling:
- I first researched the popular combination pill. These pills contain natural or synthetic forms of both estrogens and progestins, similar to the natural sex hormones of women: estrogen and progesterone. I looked at several different brands and at each different combination of ingredients that I could find. In each case I found this statement, or a very similar one, in the description of the pills’ effects:
“They also change the quality of the womb lining (endometrium), making it less likely that a fertilized egg can implant there.” - I then researched various mini pills. These are the progestin-only pills. The statement always included in the “how does it work” section of the description of the mini pill is even stronger:
(Name of particular brand)_________also changes the quality of the womb lining (endometrium). The changes prevent any eggs that have been fertilized from successfully implanting onto the wall of the womb.
Well, this research was the clincher for me. Since taking the pill is a matter of choice and since the possibility remains that the pill may cause a woman’s uterus to reject a fertilized egg, how could informed Christian women choose this form of birth control? My considered opinion is that we simply cannot. I am afraid that 20 years down the road as we become more informed as God’s women about this induced destruction of fertilized eggs (lives), while we will seek forgiveness and be granted God’s mercy, we may still suffer from deep regret and the great burden of guilt. Let’s think long and hard now and be sure we are opting in all optional matters to honor the God Who forms life in the womb (Isaiah 49:5).
Now, the question asked was “Given the information we now know about the relatively rare but real abortifacient effect of the birth control pill, do you believe it is a sin to use the pill for contraceptive purposes?”
Now, the short answer: If we could use the pill exclusively for contraceptive purposes that would be one thing. But both the combination pill and the mini-pill do have the potential to destroy fertilized eggs. Thus, when we use the pill for contraception, we run the risk of also allowing its abortifacient effect to reject implantation of a fertilized egg, thus aborting human life within the womb. Therefore, I cannot recommend or endorse any use of the birth control pill.
Originally published on Bless Your Heart, October 4, 2010
Cindy is a Christian homemaker, wife, mom and author. The home she “makes” is in Huntsville, AL where she lives with her husband (Glenn Colley), also an author, as well as minister and elder for the West Huntsville church of Christ. Her children, Caleb and Hannah, both collegiate, have published books as well. Cindy has authored five books for Christian women and co-authored several more. She keeps a blog, Bless Your Heart, which discusses many pertinent faith and culture issues.
Thank you so much. A touchy subject should never be taboo. Our young women and daughters need to learn from us, not the world. There are some things we Christian women didn’t talk about when I was young. Many of us were left making uninformed choices. The information is there, thanks for presenting it.
🙂 Awesome awesome awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do not ask these questions with any sort of sarcasm or negativity. This topic truly troubles me. That said, is there any form of birth control you would approve? I’m thinking diaphragm and condoms only would fit in this paradigm? I’ve heard women in my congregation espouse a kind of “catholic” attitude- leaving the # of children they had up to God and so use no birth control. Is that your belief after study?
Another option you may not be aware of is Natural Family Planning. I can understand a woman’s hesitancy in leaving the # of children she has up to God. Natural Family Planning is the only allowable form of Family Planning available for Catholics, but many non-Catholics are discovering this and finding it to be a great fit. Basically it involves charting signs and symptoms in the woman’s body to determine ovulation, then using these signs to either achieve pregnancy or avoid pregnancy. If they are avoiding pregnancy, the couple simply abstains from sexual contact during the time of ovulation. Absolutely no chemicals or cost are involved (after taking the class), simply just observing when the woman is ovulating and using that information the best way the couple sees fit. Do a search for “sympto-thermal method,” “Natural Family Planning,” or the “Creighton Method” to find out more information.
Amen amen amen!! THANK YOU for writing this!
I would like to “2nd” Mary’s comments/questions above… I, too, have heard many Christians state that they will let God decide the size of their family and strongly don’t believe in any form of birth control. Perhaps this is dealing with a separate issue? But in the thoughts of the pro-life movement and making informed decisions, condoms and diaphragm would be acceptable forms?
I truly learned things through your article that I didn’t know. Thanks for posting it… My own aversion to birth control pills stem from a different perspective.
What about things, such as the mirena? It is inserted in the uterine. Just curious.
Hi, Melissa! Great question. On the Mirena site, I found the following information:
“Mirena releases small amounts of the hormone levonorgestrel directly into your uterus.
There is no single explanation for how Mirena works. Mirena may:
Thicken cervical mucus to prevent sperm from entering your uterus
Inhibit sperm from reaching or fertilizing your egg
Make the lining of your uterus thin
Mirena may stop the release of your egg from your ovary, but this is not the way it works in most cases. Most likely the above actions work together to prevent pregnancy. Like other forms of birth control, Mirena is not 100% effective.”
(info found here)
That being the case, it would fall into the same category as other chemical methods of birth control (such as “the pill”)
Melissa, from what I’ve read, the main mechanism of action for IUDs is to prevent implantation by thinning the lining of the uterus. So in most cases you still ovulate and still have the potential for the egg to be fertilized, but the fertilized egg won’t have the ability to be implanted, therefore it can abort a fertilized egg.
Does that mean that an IUD’s *primary* purpose is to act as an abortifacient? They don’t prevent fertilization?
That is correct according to their own information. :o(
I just wanted to note, quickly, that I discussed this form of birth control with my doctor to see how effective it was. I asked because my sister got pregnant with Mirena in place. My doctor advised me that this has ALWAYS been a big problem with IUD’s…they are not as effective at preventing pregnancy. And, to complicate matters, if you do get pregnant with one in, you can cause a later miscarriage b/c of it (according to my doctor). In my sister’s case, the IUD had come out at some point (either before or after conception), but had it still been in place they would have suggested surgery (which could have lead to miscarriage) to remove it b/c of it’s potential damage to the fetus during her pregnancy. For this reason I am very vocal in speaking out against this form of birth control!
well, Erynn…You beat me to the punch. Yea for you. Here’s what I was about to repost from the Merina Website:
“Mirena may:
Thicken cervical mucus to prevent sperm from entering your uterus
Inhibit sperm from reaching or fertilizing your egg
Make the lining of your uterus thin
Mirena may stop the release of your egg from your ovary, but this is not the way it works in most cases. Most likely, these actions work together to prevent pregnancy. Like other forms of birth control, Mirena is not 100% effective.
Mirena does not protect against HIV or STDs.”
from cc: thus the thinning of the lining is part of the way Merina works as well. In fact, it seems that IUDs are more suspect than the pill because they generally do not prevent ovulation, but rather combine after-ovulation processes which may include after-fertilization rejection.
The above video is one that I found very informative when I first studied birth control pills. It gives a good visual step by step and explains very well. It basically re-states what was said in your article, Cindy, but people might like to see it also.
I think we as christian sisters should be able to discuss or ask a question about anything. How else are people going to learn. What did Jesus say was a taboo subject. Are we getting into the arena of binding people where Christ would not bind. I know the women in the old testatment had means for birth control, I do not know what they were, wish I did.
While my conclusions are not inerrant, I know for sure that the inerrant Word describes children as an heritage of the Lord in Psalm 127. We do not read of those who did not want to produce heirs except in a negative light (that I know of) in scripture. Thus, I give kudos to those parents in our society who want to bear many children and bring them up in and for the Lord. However, I would certainly stop short of saying that any form of birth control is sinful, since I believe the Bible stops short of saying that. I know there are young parents who sincerely struggle with situations that are, at this point in my life, foreign to me: issues like elderly parents who are needing round-the-clock care, indescribable financial burdens due to loss of income, or younger children who are disabled. Then there is another category of young parents who sincerely believe that it is their responsibility to nurture their marriages in this volatile culture of divorce before bringing children into the young home. Then, there’s yet another category of parents who are serving the Lord with all of their might on the salaries of missionaries and are already struggling to adequately provide for the children that they have. Who am I to tread where scripture has been silent and say that the use of non-abortive methods of birth control is sinful? I cannot. I cannot say that God will not, in providential mercy, provide for the little people He gives to Christian couples, either. I have never seen His seed begging bread. So, I think we are in a realm of judgement when we are deciding about non-abortive methods of birth control. And, in realms of judgment, we need to be really careful not to wound the consciences of those we love in the Lord (I Corinthians 8).
Thank you so much for answering this! I have been really struggling with wondering if we should even try to control at all.
You are wonderful. Thank you for your really considerate approach to such a touchy subject! I never want to see families condemned who haven’t been convicted by the Holy Spirit. I think our culture prevents many Christians from even understanding birth control in a Biblical way. Ignorance may not be an excuse, but it should be confronted lovingly, and you manage to do that. The kind of worldview change required to come around to complete rejection of birth control doesn’t happen in an instant, even for believers. Sometimes it never happens at all. I have to assume that God works His will in the lives of all believers, regardless of where they end up on this issue.
Thanks for a well written post, Cindy, on an important topic. We are one of those families who, after study and prayer, concluded that we would seek to see children as God does, and so we stopped using all forms of birth control, trusting God’s provision. He has provided abundantly.
We believe many Christians have unwittingly imbibed at the fountain of a worldly view of children as a burden rather than a blessing, and this has contributed toward the pro-abortion culture. We may not realize we view children as a burden rather than with God’s eyes (as blessings), but the stories we tell, the jokes we enjoy, our daily litany of complaints and vents, and the reasons we give for justifying birth control, even abortion inducing drugs, all reveal those unspoken negative assumptions about children.
Finally! Yes, Wendi…thank you for saying what I having been reading each reply in hopes to find! Believe me, leaving the number of our children to God is something that may seem scary and can require some of the greatest faith of our lives, BUT if God designed us for the purpose of recreating how can we determine the convenience of it??? If as believers we truly BELIEVE that God is ALL POWERFUL and in COMPLETE control of our lives, then we will trust that He has the power to allow us and NOT to allow us to conceive (according to His will). I finally got this revelation after using contraception on and off for years and having two daughters. Once I got the revelation and quit all forms of birth control (2006), I had two additional children. Yes, I had two miscarriages also, but since 2009 it has been God’s will for me NOT to be pregnant and conceive as well. We cannot just assume that leaving our bodies and conception in God’s hand will leave us in the boat of having 19 or more children like the Duggar’s family. That MAY NOT be God’s will for our particular family, and He has the POWER to make sure you would not conceive in that case. It is all about where we are TRULY putting our trust and faith as believers. And this will also be true in many other arenas of our lives: finances, marriage, and so on!
…and I do think some of the negativity with which our culture views children is due to the fact that we have failed our children as parents. When we fail to discipline and nurture and bring them up in the admonition of God, well, the results are not pleasant….I’m not saying it’s wrong to make a joke about unruly children. i’ve had my share of unruly moments and it’s okay to laugh about the time your 5 year old daughter ate the communion from the prep room now that she is an adult. BUT what is happening to our society because parents have not disciplined is a crying shame. It is an injustice to the innocent. We should welcome them, once we conceive them, but we should realize conception and birth are the easy parts. Making a family that will produce godly, productive people is a huge responsibility.
For those looking for an alternative to birth control pills that is reliable, may I suggest natural birth control via the Fertility Awareness Method? A book that is very informative, “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” by Toni Weschler, was so helpful to my husband and me. It is useful for those who are trying to avoid pregnancy and for those trying to conceive. Although it is not written from a “Christian” perspective, it does detail information that you probably did not learn from public school sex ed, your mother, or your gynecologist. I am so excited for this topic to be discussed, and wished that I had access to this information before I was on the pill for the first ~year of our marriage. God bless
FAM has been fantastic for me, but only because I don’t mind “failure”. ;0)
I have used two types of birth control in the past that after researching made me feel uncomfortable to use. The first was the pill, the second was the Mirena IUD – both which profess to thin the lining of the wall. After much prayer, consideration, studying, research, and talks with my husband, we decided to give it all up. I think this topic needs to be more widely discussed, just because there are so many women who do not know, and so many doctors who will not tell you. Thanks for sharing this!
Cindy, thank you so much for addressing this topic. Unfortunately, I had first hand experience in exactly what these pills can do. I did not do my research, and I regret that decision every day. I had been married for 5 months, when I experienced a loss due to my birth control pill. I made an appointment with my doctor after being late, then having what I thought was an abnormal period. My doctor did a thorough exam, and concluded that I had been pregnant and was experiencing a miscarriage. I was in shock, simply because I thought the pill should have prevented it… but, I had a wonderful Christian doctor, who told me the truth. He explained that there are some women who still can ovulate on the pill every month, because there are some women who may require more hormones than others. The rate of this is about 2%, according to him. So, the whole time I was taking the pill, I was also ovulating. This is why they have other methods in place, just in case ovulation happens. My baby was unable to implant into my uterine wall because of the birth control pill, and its ‘other methods’. My doctor told me this was rare. Some DO get pregnant on the pill, and go on to have healthy pregnancies, but some do not. I did nothing but go home, and do my research. A few years ago,I stood up for this belief to other Christian women, and immediately came under fire about it. I am so glad you have stood up about this topic, and addressed it. This is something that should be taught in every home! Christian women need to know the facts! I wish I had known. Thanks so much for posting this.
I’ll preface this by saying I can absolutely understand that some people would not want to use a form of birth control that while rare, could be abortive in nature. That said, the most common form of birth control used is the pill. Without an appropriate and just as effective alternative, I can’t bring myself to say that it is unchristian to use the pill. Women of many backgrounds may not be prepared or capable of handling the birth and subsequent raising of a child. Unfortunately the calendar based methods are subject to many more “accidents” than hormonal based birth control. Many women are subject to the pressures of men(husbands) not wanting to use condoms, which other than abstinence is the only other form of non-hormonal birth control that is truly effective.
I absolutely believe that children are a blessing, but we cannot be so naïve to think that all children will be wanted. I believe that any method at preventing unwanted pregnancies (sans true abortion in which the baby usually has a heartbeat at that time) is a good thing at this time. Unfortunately, there are millions of unwanted children in the world, most of which will never have the luxury of having parents, let alone parents who actually care about them. With the prevalence of child abuse and neglect occurring frequently in the US , many of those children will never experience a stable home life. I think more effort needs to be placed in why Christians are not open to receiving these children into their homes and giving a good life to children who have already been born, than to whether the pill should not be used due to a rare chance of early abortion. Once more people are willing to open their hearts and homes up to unwanted children, then maybe we can look at making sure that women who call themselves Christian are using other forms of birth control. Until then, it seems to me to be to be an elitist point of view as many people do not have the resources to deal with the chance of pregnancy that natural forms of birth control allow.
Odette, your concerns for children are relevant, and admirable. However, I do not see how God’s standard in life (or destroying it) is conditional upon the current culture or circumstances in which we find ourselves. The use of the pill doesn’t become more “Christian” because an “appropriate and affective alternative” is unavailable. God’s truth is either truth, or it is not, and while we have the freedom to choose what we will do about it, we do not have the freedom to choose it’s “christian-ness” – based on the lack of similar products.
Odette, I live in Tanzania, Africa were there are many, many unwanted and abandoned children. The poverty and child neglect is overwhelming at times. It is truly heartbreaking. Even through there is so much pain and suffering with some of these little ones, I still can’t bring myself to say that it would be better for them to have been aborted then to have the life that they have now. Life is truly difficult and unfair at times, but we just have to remember that God is in control of it all. We just have to make sure that we are doing everything we can to make sure we are doing what is right in His eyes, now our own.
God Bless.
Bonnie
The thing is…children become abused and unwanted when in the other areas of our lives WE are NOT living as Kingdom believers. If we TRULY followed and adhered to God’s word as the truth and the gospel for our lives when it comes to marriage, finances, raising our children, relating with others, etc…then allowing God to also have His will with our wombs would also lead to nothing less than prosperity, peace, and wholeness. But because we are often unbalanced in adhering to His word whole-heartedly in other areas of our families, unfortunately children could be brought into this world and left uncared for. And this is unfortunate. But as Christians and true believers, we could make a stand in our own lives and change all of this…one family at a time!~ in love <3, Teri
Aborting a baby early in it’s development via the pill is NO DIFFERENT than aborting a baby via surgical instruments a month or two later. Life begins at conception. Christ came to earth as a lowly zygote. He implanted in Mary’s womb. Through the life of Christ we see that EACH stage of human development is precious in God’s eyes. God could have placed Jesus as a newborn in Mary’s arms but He didn’t. He had Christ experience every single phase of human existence. If Christ’s life shows us the redemption of each stage of human existence then why are we condoning destroying that life at a certain stage and defending our actions because of some arbitrary thing such as a heart beat? God is the Creator of life and if we really believe we will give an account of our lives some day then we better start erring on the side of life and not on the side of our own unbelief or selfish desires. You can’t condemn the women who have aborted 53 million children surgically since 1973 when countless Christian women are aborting children just as precious and irreplaceable by ingesting a dangerous pill that they know can kill their newly conceived children. Btw, if you don’t care about the baby killing feature of the pill, then care about your own health. The pill is a class 1 carcinogen according to the World Health Organization. It is deadly to women. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. You might do better to light up a cigarette than to take the pill. It is deadly to women and children!
Thank you so much, Cindy for a well-written article on a very important subject. I have never felt good about the Pill and its method of prevention. I have seen some very sad and unexpected results from the use of the Pill. Your article was very informative and cleared up some questions I still had. Our God is a loving God and He will always take care of us. I believe the best frame of mind a woman should have before she even marries, is to be 100% sure what God intended for married couples. As Christians we need to know what God will allow in our life as a Christian woman. He expects us to make careful decisions and not be His robots. I, like you, would never say it is a sin to use birth control, for God’s Word remains silent on that subject. A Christian woman needs to pray and seek wisdom from God. There are other methods of birth control and it would be best for Christian women to step out of the “comfort and ease of use” zone that the Pill and the IUD’s offer. Thank you for sharing with us!
I must say I never looked at the pill in this light before. I can see where one could come to the conclusions that you have but can’t say that I agree. I appreciate your efforts to inform others about the actual workings of the pill and other chemical forms of birth control but beyond that I don’t feel that it’s any of my business what form of birth control others are using nor would it be my place to label their choice of birth control as sinful. Each couple must come to their own conclusion on if they feel the use of the pill constitutes a sinful act for them, or not. I can honestly say that in my understanding of it all my conscience would be and is, clear.
I also wonder if the point to children being a blessing has much to do with how many children we have as much as how we treat and feel about the ones we have been blessed with. I do not believe the Bible demands in any way that simply because a coupe is married requires them to have child upon child with little regard to their ability to care for and maintain a family. I have no problem with saying that there’s nothing wrong with a couple choosing not to have children, or choosing to stop at only two….. that is their choice.
I think you are missing the point that killing the fetus is the sin, not preventing pregnancy. She clearly stated that if it were only PREVENTING pregnancy, it wouldn’t be an issue. It’s the disposing of an already conceived child that is wrong.
I was put on birth control at the young age of 15 because my doctor and my parents decided it would be best for me to take these pills to help in my horrible menstruation cycles. I was on the pill for 8 years on and off as we began our family. Because of the hidden issues I had health wise, at just 23 years old with two children ages 4 and 6 months I suffered from an aneurism which caused bleeding and swelling of my brain, this even almost killed me, but somehow, agains all odds, I survived. The main culprit was the years of birth control use. The hormones from the pill narrowed my already narrow veins in my head, and an aneurism formed. The pill has so many dangerous side effects…separate from the possible abortion aspect. Women, we must become more educated, and discuss these facts with our girls, friends, and sisters in Christ. Thanks Cindy!
I’m thankful for the discussion this post has caused here, and on facebook, and I’m sure other places. This NEEDS to be talked about so badly. Ignorance is so dangerous and sometimes it’s easy to just do what we’re told by our society without even thinking to question it. The abortifacient nature of the pill is more than enough of a reason to stay away from it. But even if it didn’t cause abortions, there are so many health concerns because of the pill. Ignorance is dangerous. As a young woman I am incredibly thankful to be able to read this from an older Christian woman and to see the discussion follow.
As a side note, I think this article was written to give out information, not to judge people on the pill. It’s stating facts to prevent ignorance on this issue, and I appreciate it.
I don’t think this moral logic that if an activity has a minute chance of something wrong occurring you shouldn’t participate it in it holds much weight. If such logic was applied to our lives as a whole, none of us would even be born since pregnancy itself can be dangerous. Certainly, a woman is not obligatory to have children, but we take the risk anyway.
From what I have learned and researched for myself, the chances of a miscarriage are more common by pregnancy (1 out of every 5 early pregnancies) than the miscarriages due to the pill even after long term use. “A large 2008 study examined a registry of 92,719 women and found no evidence of increased risk of fetal death in babies exposed to artificial hormones during pregnancy.” (Farrow, Alexandra, Human Reproduction 2002.) However, there are studies that say differently depending on who you research and quote. in what I have researched, In either case of taking the pill and not taking the pill, many times women aren’t even aware that they were pregnant and end up thinking that their period was heavier than usual.
However, I do agree women should investigate for themselves the use of the pill due to the mass cases of women having health problems because of the side effects birth control can have. Not every woman has problems, but I have found that having hormonal problems on the pill isn’t an isolated event. One can find over hundreds of cases of women having problems on the internet, and rightly so because the pill itself is a synthetic hormone; it’s unnatural, but unnatural doesn’t inherently mean it’s bad. (toothpaste is unnatural, but it keeps our teeth from rotting.)
I used to be on the pill to help regulate my cycle, but while the actual periods became “normal”, I was suffering from nausea for over six months, weight gain, and an intensified case of PMS. I have read so many cases of women who have gone through what I have gone through and worse.
I think it’s possible that a woman can just rely on condoms as a preventative birth control method. I know a woman who did that and only got pregnant when she and her husband decided to start having children. She shared with me that it’s all about both partners being active in making sure the male is wearing the condom before sexual intercourse.
I am certainly not against not using birth control, but like Odetta, I’m not ready to call a female Christian who is on the pill in the wrong especially since I have found there are conflicting studies out there that both speaks against and supports the use of birth control. You can find research that supports Cindy Colley’s argument and research that refutes it. Until there is absolute sound evidence for either stance, I believe the choice to be on birth control or not ultimately becomes a matter of the heart and what each woman is convicted on doing.
I forgot to mention I know several women on birth control that have never experienced side effects.
Daniela, if you read the package insert with the pill (I used to take it early in my marriage because I did not know how deadly it is) the package insert says that it thins the lining of the uterus to prevent implantation. Now doctors who are not pro-life will tell you that it does not cause an abortion. That is because abortion is the termination of a pregnancy. Pregnancy does not begin until the baby implants. But human life begins at conception, not at implantation. If someone drinks and drives they may make it home in one piece without hitting any innocent people along the way. But why should they take that chance? The argument against the pill follows the same lines. You may not abort your precious child, but why would you want to take that chance? I was on Yaz and conceived my son. When I look at him and think that I could have lost him it chills my blood. I wonder how many other precious babies I have lost? I will answer to God someday for that. I think if women could look into heaven and see the babies they have lost they would not continue to defend this poison. God is the Creator of life and only He can take it. We have no right to destroy innocent human life created in the image of God, life that Christ hung on the cross for, and justify it that we thought the chances of it really happening were rare.
Cindy, Thank you so much for you article! I was so touched by your very apparent love that went into this and determination to research in order to give information that was true and accurate. I know how hard it is to sort through all of the information that is out there. And I also know that you have been doing research for a long time on this. I have been also personally been researching this issue for many years. I applaud your bravery on this issue.
Daniela, I know that this is a very sensitve issue and there are a lot of confusing writings out on the web. I thought that it might be interesting to know that, sadly enough, Planned Parenthood of Colorado happens to agree with Cindy.
“How Do Birth Control Pills Work?
It’s pretty common for people to be confused about how birth control pills work.The hormones in the pill work by keeping a woman’s ovaries from releasing eggs — ovulation. Pregnancy cannot happen if there is no egg to join with sperm…
The hormones in the pill also prevent pregnancy by thickening a woman’s cervical mucus. The mucus blocks sperm and keeps it from joining with an egg…
The hormones also thin the lining of the uterus. In theory, this could prevent pregnancy by keeping a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus.”
This piece of information is not meant for the eyes of teens, it is meant for educators. But, please note the last part of that quote!! They realize that in some cases a fertilized egg (baby) could not attach to the uterus.
Thanks again Cindy!!
(note:the rest of the following site is pretty nasty, just be forewarned)
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-pill-4228.htm?__utma=1.1145911455.1316478529.1316478529.1316478529.1&__utmb=1.22.9.1316478898082&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1316478529.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=planned%20parenthood%20denver%20birth%20control%20pill%20information&__utmv=-&__utmk=154769080
That should have taken you right there, so that you do NOT have to search through this awful sight, scroll down and click the option, “How Do Birth Control Pills Work”
I would NOT recommend reading through the rest of this sight. Planned Parenthood is a terribly immoral sight advocating the killing of unborn children! Just had to remind everyone.
Thank you, Cindy. After being on the “shot” for five years and being unable to conceive for many years after, I attended Bear Valley with a Pharmacist who had your view of hormonal birth control. I had never heard the information before and did the research for myself. I also concluded what you concluded. In the end, we need to be informed for ourselves because we will answer to God for our own actions. However, people can’t make those informed decisions without us telling them the truth.
If I followed the same logic– I should avoid any type of medication that MAY cause myself to become confused which POSSIBLY would lead me to commit a sin…? I am not sure if you are aware, but the FDA MUST publish any info that COULD be related to any type of medication. I have spoken to the FDA about this in regards to other warnings listed on medications- it is the law that is in place. I agree with what Daniela said about the conflicting sources of scientific information regarding this topic. Some medications run the risk of stroke, labored breathing, blood clots– do we abstain form those as well since there is a possibility of bodily harm? What about in regards to administering such medications to loved ones…?
I think it may be best said that this is an opinion to consider and study, however- I do NOT understand how we can call this a sin without also labeling other POSSIBILITIES as sin.
Emily, becoming confused is not a sin. Having a stroke, or blood clots, or any other condition is not a sin. 🙂 That said, most medications are taken not TO HAVE a stroke, or blood clot, and not created for that purpose alone. Birth control pills are MADE to prevent pregnancy, in the ways the FDA and researchers have concluded. Having an early, unknown miscarriage because you took chemotherapy for cancer would be considered a side effect. Having an early miscarriage because you are on the pill would be part and parcel of the decision.
How can we call a ‘possibility’ like this a sin? Imagine, I suppose, shooting at a target… If you know very well that there is a “possibility” of someone standing there between you and the target (but you won’t know if they are, ahead of time), do you still shoot at that target? Is shooting at that target, taking that very real risk, is it a sin? Does it cross the line, or is it ok, because there’s a good chance that no one will be standing there (and it’s really important you hit that target)?
I only wish I had been better informed & had a better understanding of this when I took the pill. I have prayed for forgiveness if I have caused an unknown abortion of a baby due to this lack of knowledge. Had I known this prior to, I wouldn’t have used this form of contraception. I had a tubal performed after the birth of our 2nd child, any thoughts on this procedure?
A tubal ligation works to prevent pregnancy by blocking the fallopian tubes and thus blocking ovum and sperm from uniting, thus preventing conception. With this method, no change to the uterine walls occurs; it is exclusively a contraception (not an abortifacient).
“I don’t think this moral logic that if an activity has a minute chance of something wrong occurring you shouldn’t participate it in it holds much weight.”
Fortunately, that was not Cindy’s logic. Birth control pills do not have a ‘minute chance of something wrong occurring.’ They have a statistically significant chance of something very specifically and biblical wrong occurring- killing a human being who has been conceived and knit together in the womb by God. That word chance in this context is medically significant. It is not based on emotional arguments- the measurable chance that babies are killed by the birth control pill is both scientifically and mathematically significant. There are no reliable or accurate studies showing otherwise. There is also a huge difference between accidental miscarriages which happen on their own, and those caused because that is what a birth control pill is designed to do- operate a back up system so that babies conceived will be killed and unable to implant. Please, please consider Cindy’s careful research dispassionately and prayerfully, with an open mind.
I think the problem that women have with this message is not its accuracy, but that it is so disturbing to contemplate. So many of us accepted what our doctors told us without asking any questions, accepted our culture’s assessment about the ‘responsible’ thing to do, that we cannot bear to accept the message.
There are also at least two issues here- the most important one is the birth control pill and how it works. This is not really an issue that can be judged based on how we feel about it or whether or not we’ve used it successfully, and what we think about whether or not people should have large families. The issue is it moral to continue using a drug you now know has been designed with a back up system deliberately calculated to kill any conceived babies?
The use of any other birth control is a completely separate issue (although IUD’s only operate with the secondary method- killing the conceived baby is their function).
Incidentally, I only mentioned our own conclusions because somebody asked a question that indicated to me that they were curious if there were Christians who didn’t use birth control at all. I toss it out there as a point I think is interesting, and by way of a suggestion that people rethink the default position of our culture, that’s all. I never said anything about the number of children that anybody ought to have- while we have what some consider a large family, we only conceived three of them in the 24 years we have gone without using any birth control at all.
We accept children as a blessing however God brings them to us. Two of our children He brought to us through adoption. We have also accepted children as blessings when only brought into our lives temporarily- as unofficial foster children, as the children of a single mother that we babysat for a time (one of whom grew up to marry one of our daughters), as the children of psychotic parents who oh-so-briefly-but traumatically lived with our family.
But these issues are more what I would call interesting philosophical discussions (which I love)- We can discuss two (or a hundred) things at once, but probably should be clear about the difference. Whether or not we are right for shunning all birth control has nothing really to do with whether or not Cindy’s done her homework on the abortificant effects of birth control pills.
I would be curious to see any medical or scientific documentation presented that indicates she is mistaken about how birth control pills work. I’ve researched the topic myself and have never seen any.
According to the FDA, the statistical likelihood that a woman will become pregnant using birth control pills is as high as five women in every 100 (click here for reference). This fact alone tells us that as many as five in 100 women ovulate while using the pill. This number does not, however, reflect the total number of ovulations; it only reflects the number of children who survive the abortifacient functions of the drugs long enough to trigger a positive on a pregnancy test. Rates of ovulation are much higher:
So let’s simplify this for a moment and play the scenario out with a bag of M&Ms. If I have 100 M&Ms and I know that anywhere from two to 10 of them are poison and will probably kill any child who eats them, would I be acting as a responsible, loving Christian mother to feed even one of them to my sons? Of course not; the risk is too high. Yet this is exactly what the birth control pill does. The major difference is that my M&M scenario is played out only once. With birth control pills, the scenario is played out month after month in a Russian-Roulette fashion.
Let’s examine some of the proposed arguments:
I see two problems with these arguments. First, these arguments imply that since we cannot avoid all medical risks, we shouldn’t concern ourselves with trying to avoid any risks. Yet, there is a middle ground between the two extremes of avoiding all risks and avoiding none: doing our best and trusting in God for the rest.
Second, these arguments are invalid because they do not acknowledge that a line must be drawn somewhere. Certainly, it is not acceptable to take a risk that is likely to cause harm to yourself or another, and those giving these arguments would agree. The real question, then, is where do we draw this line?
Again, let’s simplify by applying this logic to a topic we’ve often considered here on CFYC: modesty. We have often cited a desire to keep our brothers from stumbling as a reason for making modesty a priority, yet we know that men will still lust. Some would lust even if we went so far as to adopt Muslim-style hijab, covered head-to-toe in flowing dark fabric. We cannot prevent their lust no matter what we do. So do we throw off all attempts at modesty? No; rather, we do our best and let God take care of the rest.
Since we cannot keep our children from all harm, do we stop trying to keep them safe? No; we do our best and let God take care of the rest. If I knew that driving my car would more than likely result in the death of a child two out of 100 times, I would stay home. But it does not. The risks we take in daily life are much smaller than the risks hormonal birth control presents not only to our children but to ourselves as well. The risks with birth control are neither minute or rare.
Can we truly say that knowingly using hormonal birth control and knowingly taking a 2-10+% risk that a child of ours will be killed is doing our best? I don’t think so.
Thank you so much for writing this. I have been researching this for the past couple of years and cannot believe that the medical community does not acknowledge these possible effects of the birth control pill. I am in the medical field and if I do not give my patient the possible effects of a treatment, I could be in big trouble. The key is that doctors need to be practicing informed consent. Giving individuals all possible side effects. I love this article in the Archives of Family Medicine. It is a review of several research papers on the pill which is really important. Also, the IUD is more likely to cause postfertilization effects.
http://archfami.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/9/2/126
Here is another alarming article on the pill now being considered a carcinogen. Right up their with Nicotine.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/surgeon-birth-control-pill-a-molotov-cocktail-for-breast-cancer/
We are being deceived by the medical world. It is time we fight back and continue to educate one another. I tell every young girl I can to make an informed decision if she chooses to use birth control.
Also, I have found the church divided on this topic which is alarming to me. I have heard all of the excuses you listed above. We all agree that there is no excuse for ignorant sin. But, this is an ignorant sin that can be overlooked.
There are couples all across America who have been artificially inseminated to try and have a baby, knowing and being informed bytheir doctors that notall those eggs will attach. Some will be lost. In my mind, following the logic of the article, that’s no different, they are knowingly doing something that will/could terminate that fertilized egg. I can’t say that they are “aborting” a baby by that act. Neither can I say that about someone on the pill. I just don’t see it the same way.
I guess the disinction I make is between a fertilized egg and an implanted, fertilized egg… if that makes any sense.
I think you hit the nail on the head there, Margot. Part of the discussion is with regards to when life begins. By your definition, life does not begin until implantation. By Cindy’s (and mine), life begins at conception. This is a debate that rages in society as a whole. We will have an upcoming article on this, but in the meantime, consider this excerpt of an article entitled “The Value of Early Human Life” by Trevor Major on Apologetics Press:
Erynn-
Your comment was:
” we do our best and let God take care of the rest”
If this type of comment implies that we make a choice and let chance happen? I thought we were talking about informed choices here- not waiting and seeing, which is what your statement implies in this context. Also, you failed to quote the remaining part of my logic within your reply which is:
“I think it may be best said that this is an opinion to consider and study, however- I do NOT understand how we can call this a sin without also labeling other POSSIBILITIES as sin.”
You said that if driving in your car had a measurable chance of you putting your children at risk by way of an auto accident then you would stay home. However, simply existing in this world runs risks- driving, eating, consuming over the counter medications, all of these are scenarios that we place our children in daily.
SO- I ask… Are we labeling birth control consumption as sin because it happens to run a higher risk (according to only certain sources), and if so– then why are WE measuring God’s word if the rule of thumb here is a binding sin????
We CANNOT measure sin. Yet, this seems to be the case in this argument because you stated the risk runs higher with birth control as opposed to driving in a car. Does that validate you calling one thing a sin and not the other??
Emily,
Whether or not I get in a car wreck is generally out of my control; I do my best to avoid them by safe driving practices. Taking the Pill, however, is within my control and is entirely optional. As many have already mentioned, birth control itself is optional. If my husband and I choose to avoid pregnancy, there are other far less risky options we can choose. I would refer you back to the original article:
Those who profess Christianity and yet defend the use of the pill often use the “innocent intent” argument in their defense. That is, since the intent is to prevent pregnancy rather than terminate it, and, since the rejection of a fertilized egg would just be an accident, then the lack of deliberation excuses the undesirable result. We must remember, at this juncture, though, that taking the pill is completely optional. Its use is a matter of convenience rather than obligation. We must also remember that we are obviously discussing the decision of someone who is aware of risks. Knowledge is power. This knowledge of risk empowers one to make a rational decision that has significant implications.
Again, consider the M&M illustration: would you knowingly give the candy to your child? If you saw another mother giving them to her child, would you stand by?
I pose the same question again: where do we draw the line?
For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
-Psalm 139 13-16
“being yet unformed”….
My husband took Greek at the Memphis School of Preaching, and he looked up that phrase for me. The word unperfect, or unformed, depending on which version you are using, comes from the greek word golem. In Greek, this word means “a wrapped and unformed mass”. A fertilized cell IS a wrapped and unformed mass, whether it has implanted in the uterus, or not.
1) The original language of the OT is Hebrew, so this study could only have come from the Septuagint, a translation of the original text. Therefore giving this definition lends no more weight than citing a definition from Merriam-Webster.
2) This is poetic. Unless you are ready to say that we are all “skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth,” we cannot derive our arguments wholly from this passage.
Thanks Erin for your response. I think there is so much division on when “life” begins, whether it be fertilization or implantation, because we simply haven’t been told exactly when it occurs. I agree that God values human life and that we have no right to take it. I just can’t see a fertilized egg as a baby without the act of implantation. It cannot grow and become anything else than a fertilized egg without that act of implanting. That’s my hang-up. i recently read an article, she was pro-choice so I agreed with nothing except this one analogy…. she compared the fertilized egg to a plant seed. It has the potential of becoming a beautiful plant with the proper nutrients, but is just the genetic material, a seed otherwise.
I think the real problem I see is when we look at others who don’t see things the same as we do and label something as sin that is really simply our opinion. There are so many things that fall into this category and I think we need to be careful not to become so “pharosaical” ourselves that we are pushing people away from God because of our opinions. (although most of your followers are Christians and I realize the purpose of this blog is not necessarily to reach new converts but to help strengthen and mature women who have already made that choice in their lives).
I think it’s important to share our beliefs, to share information and let our beliefs be known, I so love this site for that very reason, even if I don’t necessarily agree with every little thing. I think its’ just as important that we not bind others where the Bible has not definitively said they should be bound. I see this as one of those categories. I believe the Bible clearly portrays life as starting in the womb, I define that as implantation, you define that as conception…. I have no problem with our differing on that, my problem is when I label you as wrong and you label me as wrong, when neither one of us can absolutely, 100% declare ourselves to be correct. Somebody mentioned a slippery slope, to me, that is the slippery slope. Does that make any sense?
Combined Pill:
How effective are they?
If the combined pill is used properly, it is 99.7% effective (3 in 1000 women will get pregnant per year)
Mini Pill:
How effective are they?
If the progestin-pill is used properly, it is 99.7% effective (3 in 1000 women will get pregnant per year)
IUS:
How effective is it?
The IUS is 99.8% effective (2 in 1000 women will get pregnant per year)
One month injectable:
How effective is it?
The one-month combined injection is 99.95% effective (5 women in 10.000 will get pregnant per year)
Three-month injectable:
How effective is it?
The three-month injection is 99.7% effective (3 women in 1000 will get pregnant per year)
Implant:
How effective is it?
The implant is 99.95% effective (5 women in every 10.000 will get pregnant per year)
The Patch:
How effective is it?
The patch is 99.7% effective when used properly (3 women in every 1000 will get pregnant per year)
Vaginal Ring:
How effective is it?
The vaginal ring is 99.7% effective when used properly (3 women in every 1000 will get pregnant per year
How do we measure the percentage of these pregnancies that will not survive? How is that measured for sure since the said fertilized egg will pass with the cycle? If we apply this rule then we must also consider the same when consuming any substance or engaging in any acts which could potentially lead to harm. One rule of measure cannot just apply to one area of discussion.
Emily, do keep in mind that these ‘pregnancies’ are likely the rare survivors.
Do keep in mind that “When used properly” is a BIG part of this (Probably only 3 women in 1000 will even BE “using properly”). :]
Do keep in mind that the ACOG redefined ‘conception’ to mean ‘when the fertilized egg implants’ – this is why they can advertise ‘morning after’-type pills and say, “It’s not an abortion! Yay!”
Either it’s life, or it’s not, and taking a pill with the defined purpose of destroying any life that happens — well, that’s a choice that seems pretty easy, if indeed one is pro-life.
Emily,
Like EllaJac said, these are the survivors… those babies who survive to detection. The kind of pregnancies we are talking about are primarily those which are aborted before implantation. Not even a blood test can detect that a woman is pregnant until two to three days after implantation. We can, however discuss the number of possible pregnancies by looking at the ovulation rate.
It’s a valid question to ask how many will not survive. So, time to get out calculators. We know that the ovulation rate while on birth control pills (here called “combined pill,” which are far more common than these other methods, in use by an estimated 100,000,000+ women world wide) is 2-10+% or 20-100 in 1,000. So we take the number of pregnancies that survive to detection (3 in 1,000, as you cited), subtract those from the ovulation rate (20-100 in 1,000) and we discover that the possible number of aborted children is 17-97 in 1,000. Granted, this is the possible number of aborted children. Not all ovum meet with sperm to become a new person. That is a number which, as I mentioned, is unobtainable. Is this an acceptable number? 17-97 children in every 1,000 possibly aborted?
Something else to consider is, like EllaJac mentioned, that the numbers you cited here are reflective of the Pill’s efficacy under perfect usage. These numbers are only theoretical. According to the FDA, about 5 in 100 women (5%) will become pregnant on the Pill in its practical application (as I cited earlier). This leaves the ovulation rate– and thus the number of aborted children– significantly higher under actual usage.
Let’s explore this with a hypothetical woman we’ll call Jane. Jane is a Christian and she was not sexually active before marriage, so she did not get on the Pill until she was married at age 21. They’re hoping to wait about five years before they start a family. In those five years, she will ovulate at least once and as much as six times (according to the most conservative estimates). Translation: by choosing the Pill as her birth control, Jane has the potential of killing between one and six of her children in the first five years of her marriage. Is this an acceptable number? If so, what number of children killed is unacceptable? How much collateral damage is okay?
Remember also, that (again, as EllaJac said) this killing is not a mere side effect. It is the design of the drug, the intention of the manufacturer.
It comes down to this: if life begins at conception (we will discuss this further soon), the Pill and other hormonal “contraceptives” kill children and by choosing one of these methods as your birth control, you allow this to occur… and if you’ve read this article, you knowingly allow this to occur. Would you knowingly allow your child to be killed under other circumstances? Would you feed them those M&Ms?
Like so many young Christians, I got on the pill when I got married. It’s pretty routine for girls going to the gynecologist for the first time and you are moved through and have your prescription before you even think twice.
After hearing how the pill works, I did research on my own to get answers. I eventually asked my gynecologist who broke it down for my very similarly to what the above article states. I was fortunate to have a religious doctor who understood my moral/religious concerns and was helpful in giving me information about other options (btw, GREAT recommendation above for “Taking Charge of Your Fertility”). After I was educated, I then knew I had a choice and for me it was a no-brainer. Pro-life advocacy is a very large part of my life and I could not, in good conscience, continue taking anything that could possibly risk the life of an unborn child. No matter how likely that possibility was, it wasn’t a risk I had any intention of taking.
BUT…that was something I learned after two years of marriage. The information in this article is something that I had never heard before. Neither had many of my friends who are similar ages. I’m noticing many of my Christian friends getting off the pill because they’ve been educated, either by myself or another person. I think we should do everything in our power to EDUCATE people (particularly girls because they’re the ones taking the pill, but guys as well) but being very careful not to condemn those who have not yet received this information. As Christian, it is very easy to fall into the mindset of assuming everyone else is at the same spiritual “level” as we believe ourselves to be and if/when they are not, if not outright judging them, we at least having a tainted view of other Christians. I just want to encourage others to study things out on your own and then do your best to inform, educate, and encourage others to live a life as far away from sin as possible.
Finally, as mentioned several times…there seem to be several arguments at place here. It seems that the topic of using any form of birth control is something that several are questioning. I think it is a valid and interesting conversation to explore. However, it does seem to be one that is very clearly a judgment/conscience issue and I would strongly caution anyone against binding their view on others. I certainly don’t believe that anyone HAS done that, but again, making judgments for ourselves can easily turn into (at least internal) judgments on others.
Anyways, appreciate the conversation. It appears that it is one that many feel strongly about and possibly (probably) has not been discussed enough in a Christian environment.
For a great article on when life begins check out: http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=7&article=159 “The Inherent Value of Human Life” written by Brad Harrub, on Apologetics Press. Here is an excerp from it :
“As Christians, we cannot afford to remain indifferent when it comes to resolving the question of when life begins! Our actions (or lack therefore) will stand in judgment one day. The Word of God is crystal clear on such matters. James wrote: “To him therefore who knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Human life undoubtedly begins at conception. Beginning even as early as Genesis 4:1, we read: “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, ‘I have gotten a man from the Lord.’ ” Some forty times the Scriptures make reference to women conceiving. It certainly is no accident that the inspired writers mention this extraordinary moment in which the sperm and egg come together—for it is at that very instant that their chromosomes join to form the full complement of chromosomes that is capable of producing human life. James wrote: “The body apart from the spirit (pneuma) is dead” (2:26).
But the opposite of that statement also must be true; if the body is living, then the spirit must be present. Thus, upon conception—when that full complement of chromosomes is actively metabolizing and living—God already has placed a soul within the embryo. Consider also the fact that the prophet Jeremiah stated that the word of the Lord came unto him, saying: “Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (1:5). The prophet Isaiah confirmed it this way:
Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken ye peoples, from afar; Jehovah hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name…. And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant (49:1,5).
Jehovah not only viewed Isaiah as a person prior to his birth, but also called him by name. It is obvious from the text that God does not consider life as beginning at birth, but rather at conception.”
EXCELLENT article! Thanks so much for sharing this!!
Here’s a question I have (and I’m sorry if this is a repeat… I didn’t have time to read all the replies): hormonal birth control is obviously a very bad choice for birth control. But what about the non-contraceptive uses of the pill, such as endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, PCOS, and adenomyosis? In those cases, the use of hormones is much less of a “choice”, right? Would you put it in a similar category as, say pregnancy category X drugs? Basically, only use it if nothing else works? Or would you say that it’s *never* right to use the pill if you might get pregnant?
BTW, we don’t use birth control at all for reasons stated above. And even though it appears I will be diagnosed with one of the above conditions, my husband and I are obviously considering other treatment options first. But if those don’t work, should I just suffer the disease? Or are there any circumstances where the pill is the right choice?
please leave this decision to you, your husband and your dr. Your reasons to take the pill or not especially in this case of a disorder ,not as birth control (but even then I think), are your own. I hate to think of you living with the pain of the disorders you expect to be diagnosed with just because of this discussion. The Pill is the right choice if you and your dr. believe it will relieve your suffering.
I don’t want to tell others what they aught to do, but I will tell you what I and my dh chose to do. I have endo and PCOS and if it comes to the point that I would consider using the pill as a treatment for endo we would either abstain or use condoms during my possible ovulation times (assuming I had somewhat regular cycles while on the pill). As it is, I’ve never taken the pill for my issues, as we have been trying to get pregnant the entire 12 years of our marriage, aside from when I was already pregnant with the 3 we have managed to have so far. We’d like more, so I am still not taking the pill. I did chose to have surgery to remove the endo and it did help for a time, also finally achieving pregnancy also helped for a few years.
Harmony, I think if I were in a situation where I had a medical need where *only* hormonal birth control pills could be used to treat it (and I’d do tons of research to be sure), then I could only use it if I also used a more effective barrier method of prevention so as to be sure I was not inadvertently murdering any of my unborn children. Condoms plus the pill, for example.
Wendi, that was my thought as well. I told my husband that if it came down to needing to be on the pill for the rest of my reproductive life, we might want to consider permanent forms of birth control and adopt the rest of our family.
Of course, the pill isn’t the only option for any of these conditions. However, sometimes it’s the only thing that works. Lord willing, that won’t have to be my choice.
Hi Harmony
It seems like birth control pills are the “default” treatment for some women’s health problems, but there are some doctors who specialize in alternatives that treat women’s problems in a moral and dignified way.
You may check these out as you do your research:
popepaulvi.com (it’s an institute for natural procreative technology, and they know a lot about treating women’s issues morally)
drhilgers.com (the site of the founder of above)
It takes a lot of courage to express your thoughts on this subject. When I questioned my OB/GYN, after she counseled me to be on the pill following the birth of my 2nd son, she said that the pill doesn’t not abort fertilized eggs. Well, if you have even a basic idea of how the pill works you know that can’t be true. Thank you for your work and research on the subject.
These issues are also important to me, a non-Christian, but for similar reasons. Life is precious, and I never knew that taking the pill was abortifacient, it’s a good thing (IMHO) that I don’t take it.
It makes me sad that so many people want to stop pregnancy when it is so difficult for me to become pregnant in the first place. It just seems sort of unfair. But to each her own, and this information was truly enlightening; thank you.
Sarah – I’m sorry you’ve struggled with becoming pregnant. That must be such a challenge!
Are you interested in learning about Christianity? I’m sure that one of us lives in your area & would be happy to share the message of Jesus…
Well, I really do appreciate this article andmy sisters in Christ. Like some of the others, I have a problem with labeling taking something as a “sin” just because it is optional. For a woman of childbearing age who consumes caffeine in any form (chocolate, coffee, tea, etc.), it is possible for that caffeine to cause an ectopic pregnancy, in other words killing the baby. Caffeine is optional right? So should we stop consuming it all together? If that’s the case, then we should probably rename this website “Come fill your decaffinated cup.” (ha! I’m just kidding Eryn!) Also, ibuprofen can interfere with implantation of a fertilized egg (a child with a soul) as well. So, again, ibuprofen is optional. Should all women who could possibly conceive stop taking it altogether? So if we know that these things could possibly, even in a rare case, kill a baby, then is it a sin to consume caffeine or take ibuprofen? And it’s not just these substances, but I am postive that there are countless other medications and other things that could do the same. My problem with the birth control pill, at this point, is that it was actually designed to irritate the uterine lining and women are not informed about it. I know I wasn’t until about a year or so ago that I had a clue about this.
Also, Cindy, you said something about couples in the Bible who didn’t want children and that was seen in a negative light? Can you clarify who you are talking about? Thank you sister.
Also, addressing the “Catholic” belief of no birth control under any circumstances, so what about abstaining during ovulation. That’s birth control. So am I sinning for not having sex sometimes. I just feel like you would have to take it that far in order to back up that argument.
I agree what the lady said about the “children are a blessing from the Lord” passage. It is there to tell people that their children are a blessing. It’s not a commandment in any way. Alot of things are blessings and rewards, but are not commandments. Marriage is a blessing, but Paul actually talks in regard to it not necessarily being the best option for the Christian life in 1 Corinthians 7. So, if marriage can interfere with someones servitude how much more would adding children to that marriage also do the same?
Also, I think its important to address one of the main reasons for marriage: companionship and sexual fulfillment. (1 Cor. 7:2,9; Gen. 2:9-24;) We are never commanded to have unlimited children or any at all for that matter, but we are commanded not to say what the Bible has not. (Rev. 22:18).
I believe all of these things are very personal and we need to be very careful.
Haven’t had the time to read all comments so forgive me if this has already been mentioned.
I recommend;
Couple to Couple League for NFP
& to understand Catholic stance on sex, marriage etc… google;
Theology of the Body.
Amen
Also, addressing the “Catholic” belief of no birth control under any circumstances, so what about abstaining during ovulation. That’s birth control. So am I sinning for not having sex sometimes. I just feel like you would have to take it that far in order to back up that argument.
In response to the quote above from Rebecca Shanahan, I have to offer a friendly correction….
The Catholic Church has no problem with occasional abstinence, for serious reasons, in order to space children. The problem with artificial birth control is that it comes between the couple in an emotional and spiritual way during the marital act. It prevents the two from completely donating themselves to the other, because they withhold their fertility, or reject the other’s fertility. This is opposed to how Christ completely gives himself to us, totally and without reservation.
So, the [Catholic] Church’s rejection of artificial birth control is not necessarily because it prevents or postpones pregnancy; it’s because it leads to an abuse of sexual intercourse, turning intercourse into a merely pleasurable act, rather than a life-giving relationship, as is our relationship with Christ.
In the peace of Christ,
Irene
oh, forgot two other links. This will help with understanding the term birth CONTROL.
http://www.youtube.com/jasonevert & http://www.youtube.com/jasonevert#g/c/087780EA846416BA
Thanks for such a well written post on this topic. I used the pill (like so many young christian couples) for 2 years and had never known about this. After our first daughter was born we looked into it more, and decided we didn’t want hormones in my body like that and as we researched we found this information and came to the same conclusion.
I no use a charting/ovualtion tracking method I learned called Billings.
http://www.billings-centre.ab.ca/
It has been used in Africa to help women with family planning. It just helps you to be aware of ovulation and track fertile and infertile days. My husband i either avoid sex on the fertile days (if wanting to avoid pregnancy) or use a condom. We feel fine before the Lord in the method.
I am shocked that so many christians rush to the Pill but totally avoid condoms as a good option. We obviously prefer not using them, but we do use them often.
I am thrilled that I am pregnant with my 4th child currently.
I also appreciate the info on IUDs. I find that even many who view the Pill as an abortafacient still view IUDs as an option. I would love to know how to engage friends on these topics (the use of the pill and IUDs) How do you bring it up in a loving but concerned way?
I agree 100%, and wish more women would look at this more closely.
First I want to say that I am completely and utterly against BC. NFP is a much better, natural, and bonding way to go!
now with that said I want to state that although you have a choice in your medications that some diseases the “only” medicine the dr’s give you to prevent is BC. One such disease would be Endometriosis. I have a relative with this disease and since the pill will keep her uterus from building up and also keeps the endometriun cells from growing and building up as well. Other than a full-hysterectomy this was her only option for treatment.
Also, I have a genetic blood disorder VWD. It causes my blood to not clot like it should causing me to hemorrhage a lot with monthly cycles. The pre-treatment to prevent such hemorrhaging is to take BC everyday. I refuse treatment, but that’s my choice…it’s hard to TTC when on BC, besides where I stand on the matter.
so yes, everyone does have a “choice” as to whether they take BC, not everyone’s choice can be made so simply. I put my life on the line because I do not want to take BC, not everyone is willing to do that.
Thank you for this post!!! I AGREE 100% with everything you said, and you did such an amazing job putting it into words.
My husband and I were convicted on this about a year ago (we were using the pill). I was just a young naive girl when I got married, and I got on the pill thinking it was “safe.” We now do Natural Family Planning, and I know that I am not self-inducing a misscarriage.
I now make it my goal to make girls informed on how the pill works. I wrote a series on NFP… http://momanswerswithbrit.com/?cat=49
As to when life begins….
Well, Dr Seuss said it best in my opinion. “A person’s a person, no matter how small”.
The Bible is clear that life begins “before we are formed”, i.e., at conception. If we *deliberately* choose to do something that could cause that fertilized egg (a life) to die, then we are saying that our desire to not become a mother again is more important than protecting our child’s life. What a sad sad state of affairs. To deliberately, with the facts, choose to risk our child’s life (when it could be avoided!) is sin. And doing so is, sadly, talked about in the bible. It’s in the 10 commandments. “Thou shalt not kill”.
Mrs P
I was raised Protestant and my whole family recently joined the Catholic Church. I’m so thankful to see that Protestants are just now coming to realize this important truth that the Church has taught all along. Thank you for writing this, and my prayers are with everyone who reads it and acts accordingly!
The conditions of sin require that the person give consent to their action. The conditions of grace are the same.
I do not believe God’s plans can be hindered by any action of ours. His will be done. Our choices can effect us and others, but God is ultimate.
I drive a car, it is possible through mechanical error that I will kill a person. However, I still drive the car. I am not consenting to possibly murdering a pedestrian if my tire blows out, but it is a risk I take. I try to mitigate the chances of it happening by making good choices, but accidents happen.
I give no consent to the consequence.
This relates to this discussion in that the intent of birth control is to prevent conception, the intent is not murder or abortion, defined as the willful destruction of human life. If through chemical failure that malfunctions, I have given no consent to the consequence. This is not to say I don’t feel badly that somethng goes wrong in life.It is however not a realistic expectation to fully anticipate all the consequences of every action,
God does that because He is omnipotent.
Marriage includes sexual relations. Sex is good, it is enjoyable, strengthening to marriage and babies or the possibility of babies, do not have to result from every encounter to make sex legitimate in marriage.
So I’m off to drive to church, have a BBQ lunch that could clog my arteries, and pray for God’s will to be done in my life.
I agree with you in that I don’t think we are living in sin by taking a pill that is abortifacient while we don’t know. However we need to seriously pray about the issue once it’s been brought to our attention. And, it’s not a chemical failure that leads to the abortifacient aspect of the pill. Thining the uterine lining is what it is SUPPOSED to do. It’s not a side effect of the other things the pill does. You don’t have to stop having sex with your husband to prevent a pregnancy…and you don’t have to use the pill either. There are other (just as effective) methods of birth control. Believe it or not, natural family planning is just as effective as the pill and is barely more difficult than taking a pill every day. Plus, having a baby isn’t the end of life (of course the media makes it seem that way).
I am on the fence deciding if I believe that life begins when the sperm and egg meet or when implantation occurs. Ultimately God knows and we never will. We can have opinions and beliefs but we will not truly know until we meet our Lord and are able to ask. Of course by then it will be a moot point. I find it interesting that my mother vehemently argues against IUD’s of ANY type with anyone asking about or discussing pregnancy controlling options, because she had a miscarriage caused by an IUD over 30 years ago. But has no strong feelings on pills or hormones.
I am currently off of hormones because of the multitude of other side affects. I personally believe in when I was using pills just like with the use of anything God was still in control, he just let me have the illusion of control. My favorite example is my mom getting pregnant after having her tubes tied, and my cousin having a baby with just one tube, and that one twisted out of position behind her back.
Of course we should protect innocent life, and to remember we are called to live within the world but apart from it, that is sooo difficult at times. Thank you for presenting this information in easy to understand language, I will remember to present this information to my daughters as they grow so that they can make completely informed decisions.
One thing I think you ought to take into consideration is that the use of the pill has only been around, prevalently, since around the 60’s. People didn’t just have hundreds of babies before…even when married. Yes, God will work in our lives regardless of what we do, but he will also allow us to live without blessing if we are living outside of His will. There are other ways to prevent pregnancy without use of the pill and without even not having sex.
Also, the definition of “conception” is when sperm and egg meet and form one full set of genetic material. That has been the scientific explanation for decades. Implantation is just the next step in this process.
. If through chemical failure that malfunctions, I have given no consent to the consequence. This is not to say I don’t feel badly that somethng goes wrong in life.It is however not a realistic expectation to fully anticipate all the consequences of every action,
Except this is not like driving a car, because it is not a malfunction, not a bug. It’s a planned feature. It’s a failsafe *deliberately* designed to make sure a conceived human being finds the womb too hostile too survive.
A better and more accurate analogy would be leaving a loaded gun around your child. It is not your intention that something go wrong. You do not give your consent to something going wrong. So if your child or a visiting child pick up the gun and accidentally shoots himself, well, you just feel bad about it, but it wasn’t realistic to fully anticipate all the consequences. Or those M and Ms. Or maybe we can say a drug company has made a drug that will treat some condition your children have and thus make your lives ten times better, only there was an accident at the plant and they find that five out of every 100 pills has a statistically significant chance of killing one of your children. Do you give your children those pills, every day, for *years?* Or do you say, “That’s not good enough. That can’t be God’s best,” and find another way?
You don’t have to fully anticipate all the consequences of every action, that is a broad, sweeping generalization that is not logically associated with the information presented here. You just have to anticipate the natural consequences of some known facts- that if you take a drug which is deliberated designed to make your womb hostile to any fertilized egg- that is a conceived human being with all the uniquely precious DNA that human being will ever have- then you are pretty much mathematically certain to kill at least one of your own offspring and that is a lowball figure. That’s not an accidental side effect like burping after too much coke. It’s a death of your own child because you took a drug that was *designed to cause that child’s death* as a back up plan if the drug fails to prevent conception.
The death of your unborn child is a deliberate design of the pill- a secondary design, but it is not an accidental bug, it’s considered a feature.
As for not calling something a sin that the Bible doesn’t- the Bible is pretty clear that murder is a sin. In fact, the Bible is *really* clear on that. This is a drug that kills unborn children on purpose. I understand that most of us first did this in ignorance. I really do not understand defending it once ignorance is no longer our condition.
I am so heavy hearted to read this. I have taken birth control pills for almost half my life- believing there to be no risk to an unborn child. I weep over what I may have done. Thankyou for this article…though painful to learn, I do not want to continue to threaten a life- no matter how low the risk. God forgive me.
I’m not sure how to say all of this, so I’m just going to start and hope that God sends words through me. First off, we need to be talking “as christians”, and not talking about how others may live their lives without Christ. For those, using bc that do not know Christ, that should be our main objective,sharing Christ with them, not trying to convince them they are sinning because they are killing potentinial children. This conversation and choice should be made among christian women (and wives). Second, I think it is important to reinterate that we want to follow God’s complete plan by being married before we consider such ideas. Now, with both of those being the obvious, we need to try and fathom how great and holy our God really is! Are we really doubting his ability to take care of us??!?! Yes, go ahead and assume where I’m going with this. I’m a believer of letting him take complete charge of our lives and live by faith. I truly believe that God hears my pleas and grants the desires of my heart. Has he not taken care of us thus far if we ask? How many of us have went weeks without food or without some kind of shelter. It may not be exactly what we all dream of, but he takes care of the sparrow, he will surely take care of us. Yes, by allowing him to bless us with a bunch of children, we may not drive fancy cars or live in huge houses(though we may need one if we have 12 or more children.) But we have to carfully examine what “desires of the heart” are. If we are really living in him, the desires of our hearts will be a whole lot different than those of a non-christian. And then lastly, did God not open and close Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, Rachael, Hannah, and many, many more women’s wombs? Are you quite possibly saying that he is not capable of doing the same here in 2011?
I’ll close by sharing a little about myself. I was diagnosed with endomentriosis at 15, and started the pill shortly after. At age 18, I married and just prayed that I could have a baby. By 19, I was pregnant with my first. which by the way, I have a tilted uterus, which is supposed ot make it extra hard to get pregnant. I had a miscarriage at 6 months after my first, a son, was born after going back on the pill. At 21, I was pregnant again and had a beautiful baby girl. I again, not realizing what I was doing went on a different kind of pill and was pregnant again when my 2nd was 4 months old. Hannah, my 3rd, however, was born with Turner’s and died when she was 3 1/2 months old. While she was in the hospital, we decided to try the mirena, which ended horribly!!!!! I had to have surgery to remove it because it went through my uterine wall into my abdomen. After loosing Hannah, and my world crashing down around me, I decided to do my own research. I read alot about the Quiverful movement, if that’s what you want to call it, and prayed and prayed and my husband and I decided that’s exactly what we were doing, was putting limits on our God. The desire of my heart was to have another baby, which God blessed us with 18 months ago. Now, I am very, very scared because I’ve had all 4 of my children via c-section. But is my God not big enough to take care of me? And if he decides to take me home, is he not big enough to take care of my husband and children? I know these are extreme ideas, they would have been extreme ideas to me 3 years ago! But through constant prayer and a desire to open my eyes to his will, I truly believe God never intended for us to dictate how many children he blesses us with!!!!
Amen, Amanda! You’ve spoken my heart as well! Let’s pray that others will also get the revelation of how CAPABLE our God IS!
I stumbled upon this info 12 years ago when I was first married. My fiance and I were undecided on the bc issue, but we weren’t opposed to the idea of having babies soon after marriage. I didn’t want to put chemical/hormonal drugs in my body and condoms just didn’t seem right to us, so we decided we would leave it to the Lord. We ended up facing infertility and it took us 2 years to finally get pregnant with our first son. I have things wrong with my body- endometriosis, polycystic ovaries, anonvulation, tilted uterus, and have had 3 miscarriages. We have a dd and another son, who took over 3 years to conceive. I had to have surgery to remove endo and take fertility drugs.
You can’t imagine how upsetting it is to have had fellow Christians tell me that taking fertility drugs is playing God- and yet these same people have and do use birth control pills!!!??? I just don’t get it! How can they not see how clear this is? I have to take medication to make my body work properly and they judge me for this while they take a medication to make their body NOT work the way God intended!? It hurts me and makes me angry. My children are gifts from God Himself, despite the fact that He had us use medicine and some wonderful fertility specialists to help us out. But God still created them. 🙂
I’ve also heard pro pill Christians say that if God wants to give someone a baby while they are on the pill, He still can. The logic on that one still kind of baffles me…
I would just like to say that I believe we should speak where the Bible speaks and remain silent where it does. Children are clearly described as a blessing from the Lord in the Bible and this should be celebrated! Husbands are also blessings, but choosing to be single and dedicate your heart to the Lord in mission work or another field is by no means a sin. We need to be careful not to try and bind where the Bible hasn’t. Children ARE a blessing, but you do not have to have them. If this was the case, one would HAVE to be married, be commanded to have x amount of children, etc. It is a choice and a blessing, but not something that should be forced upon anyone. One should take this decision seriously and realize that factors such as stewardship and timing should be taken into account. I have known people who drove their families into the ground in financial ruin because they simply did not stop having children and could no longer afford this. Or, they were put in a situation where the mother had to work just to make ends meet and the children missed out on having a loving, nurturing mother at home. And these were not greedy people, but just those living simply yet struggling. Being young myself, I know the external pressure from people who mean well can be overwhelming in trying to force you to have children before you are ready. At this point, I am just trying to pay my bills on time and not fall into financial ruin. If and when my husband and I are ready, then we will make the choice to bring a child into our life when we are able to financially have stability and I am able to stay home to nurture our little one full time.
I truly believe we must use good judgment and discretion in all things. This would include this topic. If there is even a CHANCE we could take innocent life, we should avoid this method at all costs. If we are looking for a line, we are not looking for God’s will. A condom is a great method with no serious side effects like the pill. Our commitment to Christ should be greater than our comfort in sex.
In response to this last post. It doesn’t have a name, it just says Guest. Thank you! This is exactly what I think! Amen!
Rebecca Shanahan
Very well said, thank you!
Thank you for a beautiful post on an important subject. I have been unwilling to blog about it for fear of creating a firestorm. I wonder if not trying to determine whether it’s a sin for others would help.
Years ago a woman in my Bible study questioned permanent birth control using Scripture. I already had four children and I was angry about what she had said. But I went home and studied it and soon learned this very information about the pill. As a result of being informed, my husband and I are blessed with two additional children. I think, rather than telling women what is sin or not, we ought to share information and Scripture with one another and let the Holy Spirit do His work. If a woman honestly feels that the pill or other forms of contraception is okay, we ought to just pray for them if we feel differently and leave it at that. Most likely we make choices that our sisters disagree with, too. Choose for ourselves, exhort one another, and then trust the Lord to manage consciences. That is my approach.