1/22/2012

Crisis=opportunity

Emily Stimpson on the HHS ruling:

Most people in the culture are all for religious freedom, but they simply don’t get how this ruling jeopardizes that. They don’t know or understand why Catholics have a problem with contraception. All they know is what the culture tells them—that birth control is a social good, a basic human right which allows people to have control over their bodies and their lives.

Catholics know better. We know that many forms of birth control are actually a danger to women’s health and a threat to human life in the first days of its existence. We know that all birth control has made it easier than ever for men to reduce women to objects. We know that it has obscured people’s understanding of physical intimacy as something sacred, a life-giving partnership with God. We know that it’s diminished the dimension of self-gift in the sexual act, while encouraging the dimension of selfish use. And we know that it’s fanned the flames of post-modern Manichaeism, encouraging people to think they can do whatever they want with their bodies, while their souls will remain untouched.

Contraception is responsible for all that and much, much more. As faithful Catholics we know that. We believe it. But we don’t often have the chance to share those beliefs. At least, not in a context where people are willing to listen, a context where they don’t see the conversation as a personal condemnation of their own behavior.

We do have that chance now though.

Catholics have a chance to make this moment of crisis a teachable moment. We have the chance to dispassionately explain to anyone who will listen—the media, co-workers, or family members—why this is such an important issue, why it’s a violation of our consciences, and why we think contraception is in no way a social good.

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