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Showing posts with label contraceptives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contraceptives. Show all posts

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Why does the catholic church consider using contraceptives abortion?

This has been bugging me for quite sometime. I always ask myself why does the Catholic church oppose the proposed RH-Bill. According to Catholic church, the bill would promote abortion. From what I have gathered, the RH bill doesn't promote nor does it consider abortion legal.

I did my research and found an  article titled "Is contraception abortion?" written by Bishop Teodore Bacani. According to the article using birth control pills are considered abortion. Doesn't make any sense right? Reading the article has somehow enlighten me on what the church consider as abortion. This is what I know. Abortion is considered when there is a fetus or human embryo in a human womb. So if there is no conception, no abortion is done.

Birth control pills has three functions. First pills inhibit ovulation but there are cases where pills are not effective and ovulation still occurs. Second, birth pills prevents the sperm from fertilizing the ovum. This doesn't work 100% of the time as well. The third purpose is that it prevents fertilized ovum from nesting in the womb. When the fertilized ovum is dislodged the womb, they will not be considered as contraceptive but instead they will be considered as abortifacients. 


It makes sense. I know that some contraceptives are not 100% effective in preventing pregnancy but I know that birth control pills are. I didn't know about the three functions of the pill. I might need to find other studies regarding that. I have heard that using birth pills has side effects. But there are too many myths and too many misinformation about it.

But I still believe that this bill must be pass. I am anti-contraceptive but I am pro RH-bill. The main purpose of the bill is to educate people on family planning. Even if people are educated, it still comes down to the choice that they will make. 

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Famed tour guide insults church clergy

I took only one word for the tour guide Carlos Celdran to get a rise from the leaders of the Catholic Church. During a celebration mass, Celdran brought a white board and wrote “Damaso” referring to the fictional character in the Jose Rizal novel Noli me Tangere. Damaso or better known as Padre Damaso is described as a corrupt priest who was interfering with government policy.

Celdran made his protest regarding the Church’s opposition of the controversial Reproductive health. To make things more theatrical he dressed up as the national hero Jose Rizal and Shouted “Stop getting involved in politics”. He was arrested by the Manila Police for violating Article 133 which states that "the penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period shall be imposed upon anyone who, in a place devoted to religious worship or during the celebration of any religious ceremony, shall perform acts notoriously offensive to the feelings of the faithful."

To make things worse Celtran made his protest during an interfaith prayer service. When ask if he regrets his action, Celdran answered "Truth be told I did not think about the consequences, because if I thought about the consequences, I probably would not have done it”. Celdran was released on Friday after posting a P6000 bail.

Now he is faced with an idea of being excommunicated with his action. During earlier times, people who were murderers and who are considered heretics were excommunicated. Among those who were excommunicated were and Dictator Fidel Castro of Cuba, Saint Jehanne la Pucelle (aka, "Joan of Arc", Martin Luther, Napoleon I of France  and Dictator Fidel Castro of Cuba
 

Phillipine Reproductive health bill

I have mix feelings with the action of tour guide Carlos Celdran. I am in favor of the reproductive health bill because I think people should be informed of the options that they have in preventing unwanted pregnancy. The population problem won’t solve itself. But I wouldn’t consider doing what he did. His action was too much of an insult to the church.

Being a first time dad, I understand how hard it is to become a parent. Put the financial factors to the mix and it makes it harder. But being a parent is worth it. Nothing compares to the joy of being a parent. But if we don’t consider family planning and have a baby every year, I think it wouldn’t be as fun as it should be. Having a family needs planning. A lot of planning. You can’t rely on wishful thinking or hope that somehow you’ll get by. Do you think it is right to have five kids even if you’re not earning enough money? Other people might suggest that the solution is to earn more money. But I think everyone would agree that it is easier said than done.

I know that there natural methods of family planning but they are not as full proof as using contraceptives. I know that the biggest issue is the youth. Educating people on how to use and the benefits of contraceptives might encourage younger people to have sex. But kids are doing it nowadays anyway. There are some who gets pregnant as early as 13 years old. Wouldn’t it better if they are better informed? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t agree with kids having intercourse at a young age.

I still agree with the idea that intercourse should be done after marriage. But nowadays people don’t wait until getting married. So what should be done? I don’t agree with the idea of “go out and multiply” still applies. During those times it may be applicable when the population was less than a billion people. But now the population has increase enormously after World War II. Overpopulation breeds different problems. It affects not only the community but also the environment.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

When is the right time to teach sex education in schools?

The Department of Health (DOH) specifically health secretary Esperanza Cabral has been criticized by the Catholic Church and concern parents for the proposal of teaching sex education to High school students. Protests are based on the belief that high school students are too young to learn about sex education. But when is the right time? Since technology has evolve drastically over the years and access to the internet has been a lot easier, a child could easily learn about sex through various website with the acquiring the proper information about the responsibilities and effects of an early pregnancy. But Internet is not the only one to blame. There are shows on TV or magazine of sexually nature widely available.

Soap operas in the local TV networks are not helping either. There are a lot of shows that is about teenagers getting married because of an unwanted pregnancy. Most of the time, the young couple is either both from a well-off family or at least one them is. They don’t really show the reality that not all families are well off. It seems in the end that they will live happily ever after. But that is not always the case. They really don’t show the harsh reality of an early pregnancy.

Personally I have mixed feelings with the new directive of DOH but I think it would be better that a child is inform properly on all aspect of sex rather than learning it from the internet, a TV show or a magazine. I think it is better students learn in school rather having students to discover it through other means. You may argue that it comes down to regulating the access of child to this type of materials but most parents are too busy to watch their kids 24/7. 

I understand that church has to object in teaching high school students sex education. It's like saying that it's okay to teach sex education at a young age if they don't protest. A church official said that a lot of teenagers are now having sexual intercourse at a young age. The number will rise if they don't voice out their opposition.

  But let's look at the other side of the coin. Most people who usually have more children  than they could afford for are those who didn't have the chance to study.  Population is growing at a rapid speed that there might come a time that food, water and shelter might not  enough for the whole population. There are no benefits if a place is overpopulated. It brings stress to the natural resources. Jobs opportunity is slimmer . Carbon emission is higher because the need for transportation is higher as well.

Population is a big issue and shouldn't be taken lightly. A bigger population would mean more mouths to feed. More jobs are needed. More housing is needed. More people need to travel and more jobs are needed. I know that using contraceptives is against church doctrines. Sex education is also seen as immoral by the church. The church prefers natural means of family planning. But most people are not aware of this method. They don't have the necessary information about family planning. I think it is better to start young. Of course it doesn't mean that schools would teach students on how to have sex but they should teach students the responsibility and effects in having intercourse. If the won't learn it from schools they would learn it somewhere else.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Church protest Department of health's condom distribution campaign

In an effort to control growing HIV epidemic, the Department of Health (DOH) has been giving away contraceptives which made conservative groups and the church frown on their activities.  The church considers the use of contraceptives as act of immorality. The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has pushed to ban condom advertisement in television, radio, movies, newspaper, magazines, and public places. The CBCP believes that condom commercial weakens the moral fiber of the youth. Three bishops have requested the resignation of Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral calling her immoral for the distribution of Condoms last month.

Contraceptive may be a necessary measure to avoid the increase in number of HIV infected Filipinos and also it prevents unwanted teenage pregnancy. Condoms are not 100% effective to prevent pregnancy and disease transmission but on more occasions it would be. The Church has the moral responsibility to protest the DOH campaigns since they are a moral safeguard. They opposed the promotion of artificial family planning and believe that birth control should be done through natural means.

This is the problem. Teenager nowadays engaged in sexual activity as early as 13 years old and even younger. The internet does not have an effective means of prevent underage user in accessing websites with explicit content. It is the same with TV shows. Even though there is a “Parental Guidance” notice, it is ineffective if there is no adult around while they are watching. Video of sex scandals are easily transferred and viewed with Cellphone that has video capabilities. People are not that educated with the natural means of birth control. There are misconception on how many days is it safe to have intercourse after menstruation. People are confused whether it is 3 or 5 days after but most say that it is only safe until 3 days.

Personally I think they should educate people about contraceptive. The population and the number of people infected with sexually transmitted disease are increasing at an alarming rate. Condom commercial may prompt children to learn about sex at an earlier stage but I think it would be better if they learn the disadvantages of having premarital sex sooner rather than later. I remember when I was still in high school, they thought sex education in a day and that is only a 30 minute class. They have to change the way they teach sex education in schools. They should teach children the responsibility that comes with premarital sex and the outcome if they get pregnant at an early age. Times are changing. The way people are changing as well. I think there should be a different approach when it comes to this delicate topic which is considered by a lot of Filipinos taboo.


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