Birth Control

[Martain]

What are the doctrines of the LDS Church in regards to birth control?

(I'm only putting quotes here on this one so if you have something you'd like me to add here, please provide the text and citation. New questions can be added if there is a quote brought forward that touches on the subject)

Are we to have children?

“The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.” (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)

“The first commandment given to man was to multiply and replenish the earth with children. That commandment has never been altered, modified, or canceled.” (Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, April 1969, p. 12)

“God has laid upon men and women very sacred obligations with respect to motherhood, and they are obligations that cannot be disregarded without invoking divine displeasure. ... Can she be saved without child-bearing? She indeed takes an awful risk if she willfully disregards what is a pronounced requirement of God” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 288-89)

“We are under divine commandment to multiply and replenish the earth and to bring up our children and grandchildren in light and truth.” (Howard W. Hunter, Nov 1994 Ensign)

How many children?

“Such decisions are between the two of you and the Lord.” (True to the Faith – A Gospel Reference, p. 26)

“The Lord did not say to multiply and replenish the earth if it is convenient, or if you are wealthy, or after you have gotten your schooling, or when there is peace on earth, or until you have four children.

The Bible says, ‘Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: ... Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. ...’ (Ps. 127:3, 5.) We believe God is glorified by having numerous children and a program of perfection for them. So also will God glorify that husband and wife who have a large posterity and who have tried to raise them up in righteousness” (Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, April 1969, p. 12)

“The Lord has told us to multiply and replenish the earth that we might have joy in our posterity, and there is no greater joy than the joy that comes of happy children in good families. But he did not designate the number, nor has the Church. That is a sacred matter left to the couple and the Lord.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Cornerstones of a Happy Home, p. 6)

“How many children should a couple have? All they can care for! Of course, to care for children means more than simply giving them life. Children must be loved, nurtured, taught, fed, clothed, housed, and well started in their capacities to be good parents themselves. Exercising faith in God’s promises to bless them when they are keeping his commandments, many LDS parents have large families. Others seek but are not blessed with children or with the number of children they desire. In a matter as intimate as this, we should not judge one another” (Dallin H. Oaks, in Conference Report, Oct. 1993, 101; or Ensign, Nov. 1993, 75)

Children how often? What factors are we to consider? What factors are we to not consider?

“In all this, however, the mother’s health should be guarded.” (David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, p. 469).

“We seriously regret that there should exist a sentiment or feeling among any members of the Church to curtail the birth of their children. We have been commanded to multiply and replenish the earth that we may have joy and rejoining in our posterity.

Where husband and wife enjoy health and vigor and are free from impurities that would be entailed upon their posterity, it is contrary to the teachings of the church artificially to curtail or prevent the birth of children. We believe that those who practice birth control will reap disappointment by and by.

However we feel that men must be considerate of their wives who bear the greater responsibility not only of bearing children, but of caring for them through childhood.

To this end the mothers health and strength should be conserved and the husband's consideration for his wife is his first duty.” (First Presidency: David O. McKay, Hugh B. Brown, N. Eldon Tanner, Letter to Bishops and Stake Presidents, April 14, 1969) (June 1971 Ensign & May 1971 Ensign)

Husband and wife are encouraged to pray and counsel together as they plan their families. Issues to consider include the physical and mental health of the mother and father and their capacity to provide the basic necessities of life for their children.

Decisions about birth control and the consequences of those decisions rest solely with each married couple. Elective abortion as a method of birth control, however, is contrary to the commandments of God. (LDS.Org, Birth Control)

“The Lord did not say to multiply and replenish the earth if it is convenient, or if you are wealthy, or after you have gotten your schooling, or when there is peace on earth, or until you have four children.

The Bible says, ‘Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: ... Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. ...’ (Ps. 127:3, 5.) We believe God is glorified by having numerous children and a program of perfection for them. So also will God glorify that husband and wife who have a large posterity and who have tried to raise them up in righteousness” (Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, April 1969, p. 12)

Additional quotes I want to add

"I recall a President of the Church, now deceased, who visited his daughter in the hospital following a miscarriage.

She was the mother of eight children and was in her early forties. She asked, “Father, may I quit now?” His response was, “Don’t ask me. That decision is between you, your husband, and your Father in Heaven. If you two can face him with a good conscience and can say you have done the best you could, that you have really tried, then you may quit. But, that is between you and him. I have enough problems of my own to talk over with him when we meet!” So it is clear to me that the decisions regarding our children, when to have them, their number, and all related matters and questions can only be made after real discussion between the marriage partners and after prayer." (Eternal Marriage Student Manuel, Birth Control)

Edited July 29, 2011 by Martain

[andypg]

Just wanted to say I'm glad you posted this. I never heard any official statements from the LDS leaders on this subject. Good to know what they have to say and what the LDS Church teaches. All I know is what I've heard from my spiritual tradition (Catholicism).

In the late 1960's Pope Paul IV wrote an encyclical (letter to the faithful) on birth control. It was entitled "Humanae Vitae", Latin for "On Human Life". It was short, but in it he condemned birth control saying that by allowing birth control society will begin to fall. How prophetic that was. Ever since the family is in decline, moral relativism and promiscuity is on the rise. Don't get me started on abortion! He also has some wonderful things to say about marriage and the family in the encyclical.

^Just wanted to give you some background as to where I am coming from.

Thank you for this. I am glad I read this and know the view of the LDS Church.

Just wanted to ask, what does the LDS Church say on Natural Family Planning?

[Guest]

I don't believe that the LDS church advocates for any specific form of birth control. It's between the couple and God. There isn't a great deal of counsel in regards to fertility treatment, either. We sought counsel with our bishop on that one and got pretty much the same answer: pray about it together.

I do know that my husband's sisters practice NFP, and they each have 7 children (not all were expected). :)

[andypg]

So birth control use depends on the couple and prayer?

[Guest]

So birth control use depends on the couple and prayer?

Yes, barring abortion and "Plan B", I believe. A strong part of our belief system is personal revelation, so we believe that we can ask Heavenly Father and receive help and answers through the Holy Spirit.

[Martain]

Thank you for this. I am glad I read this and know the view of the LDS Church.

Yay!!! Thank you for your compliment =). It felt nice to have someone appreciate something I put together. Thank you!

I had to do a little research on natural family planning as I wasn't familiar with the term.

I'm not aware that the brethren have any official viewpoint in regards to the method. A method of increasing or decreasing fertility by natural means does however sound like useful information to be aware of.

As a guy I'll admit... I wasn't ever taught about a woman's fertility cycle and I doubt I will be unless I specifically seek out such information.

[andypg]

Yay!!! Thank you for your compliment =). It felt nice to have someone appreciate something I put together. Thank you!

I had to do a little research on natural family planning as I wasn't familiar with the term.

I'm not aware that the brethren have any official viewpoint in regards to the method. A method of increasing or decreasing fertility by natural means does however sound like useful information to be aware of.

As a guy I'll admit... I wasn't ever taught about a woman's fertility cycle and I doubt I will be unless I specifically seek out such information.

I don't know much about FNP (Family Natural Planning). I just hear it a lot because I'm part of a Catholic forum also and that's the only method of BC the RCC (Roman Catholic Church) allows.

I am thankful because I never really thought, "Oh, what does the LDS Church teach on birth control." But now I know and feel more informed.

In fact, before posting I looked up what the Pope said about it in "Humanae Vitae" because I never read it, but now I read parts and liked it...I was tempted to post a couple excerpts. But now I know more exactly what MY Church teaches even if this thread was originally about a different Church.

[Guest]

I'd be interested to know, Andy.

[andypg]

I'd be interested to know, Andy.

Here are excerpts from Pope John VI's Humanae Vitae.

He begins by talking about love and the marriage bond:

"The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator. It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships.

The fulfillment of this duty has always posed problems to the conscience of married people, but the recent course of human society and the concomitant changes have provoked new questions. The Church cannot ignore these questions, for they concern matters intimately connected with the life and happiness of human beings."

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"But the most remarkable development of all is to be seen in man's stupendous progress in the domination and rational organization of the forces of nature to the point that he is endeavoring to extend this control over every aspect of his own life—over his body, over his mind and emotions, over his social life, and even over the laws that regulate the transmission of life."

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"Married love particularly reveals its true nature and nobility when we realize that it takes its origin from God, who "is love," the Father "from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named."

Marriage, then, is far from being the effect of chance or the result of the blind evolution of natural forces. It is in reality the wise and provident institution of God the Creator, whose purpose was to effect in man His loving design. As a consequence, husband and wife, through that mutual gift of themselves, which is specific and exclusive to them alone, develop that union of two persons in which they perfect one another, cooperating with God in the generation and rearing of new lives."

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"Finally, this love (between husband and wife) is fecund. It is not confined wholly to the loving interchange of husband and wife; it also contrives to go beyond this to bring new life into being. "Marriage and conjugal love are by their nature ordained toward the procreation and education of children. Children are really the supreme gift of marriage and contribute in the highest degree to their parents' welfare." "

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"The reason is that the fundamental nature of the marriage act, while uniting husband and wife in the closest intimacy, also renders them capable of generating new life—and this as a result of laws written into the actual nature of man and of woman. And if each of these essential qualities, the unitive and the procreative, is preserved, the use of marriage fully retains its sense of true mutual love and its ordination to the supreme responsibility of parenthood to which man is called. We believe that our contemporaries are particularly capable of seeing that this teaching is in harmony with human reason."

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Here he is talking about why a Catholic is not to use artificial birth control:

"Therefore We base Our words on the first principles of a human and Christian doctrine of marriage when We are obliged once more to declare that the direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, all direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of regulating the number of children. (14) Equally to be condemned, as the magisterium of the Church has affirmed on many occasions, is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or temporary.

Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation—whether as an end or as a means.

Neither is it valid to argue, as a justification for sexual intercourse which is deliberately contraceptive, that a lesser evil is to be preferred to a greater one, or that such intercourse would merge with procreative acts of past and future to form a single entity, and so be qualified by exactly the same moral goodness as these. Though it is true that sometimes it is lawful to tolerate a lesser moral evil in order to avoid a greater evil or in order to promote a greater good," it is never lawful, even for the gravest reasons, to do evil that good may come of it —in other words, to intend directly something which of its very nature contradicts the moral order, and which must therefore be judged unworthy of man, even though the intention is to protect or promote the welfare of an individual, of a family or of society in general. Consequently, it is a serious error to think that a whole married life of otherwise normal relations can justify sexual intercourse which is deliberately contraceptive and so intrinsically wrong."

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Here the Pope talks about the effects of artificial birth control on society:

"Let them first consider how easily this course of action could open wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards. Not much experience is needed to be fully aware of human weakness and to understand that human beings—and especially the young, who are so exposed to temptation—need incentives to keep the moral law, and it is an evil thing to make it easy for them to break that law. Another effect that gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed to the use of contraceptive methods may forget the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom he should surround with care and affection.

Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger of this power passing into the hands of those public authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral law. Who will blame a government which in its attempt to resolve the problems affecting an entire country resorts to the same measures as are regarded as lawful by married people in the solution of a particular family difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring those contraceptive methods which they consider more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, they may even impose their use on everyone. It could well happen, therefore, that when people, either individually or in family or social life, experience the inherent difficulties of the divine law and are determined to avoid them, they may give into the hands of public authorities the power to intervene in the most personal and intimate responsibility of husband and wife."

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All these quotes come from the Pope's letter to the faithful. The full letter could be found here: Humanae Vitae - Encyclical Letter of His Holiness Paul VI on the regulation of birth, 25 July 1968 Believe it or not, this is considered a short encyclical.

Hopefully this helps you understand where I'm coming from on this issue.

God bless!

[LittleWyvern]

Another good quote for the OP is from the new Handbook of Instructions, which has it's own section on birth control:

Birth Control

It is the privilege of married couples who are able to bear children to provide mortal bodies for the spirit children of God, whom they are then responsible to nurture and rear. The decision as to how many children to have and when to have them is extremely intimate and private and should be left between the couple and the Lord. Church members should not judge one another in this matter.

[Guest gopecon]

This is one of those issues that can have so many variables it would be almost impossible for the Church to spell out every "right" and "wrong" decision. We are given the correct principles and left to govern ourselves. I think it comes down to have the number of children you can care for, and don't be too stingy about what that means. Given the huge burden (physical and emotional) that child-bearing is on some women, finances are not the only issue to consider. Lastly, don't judge others as you never know what issues they are having (infertility, family problems, etc.).

[Guest gopecon]

I would add that permanent solutions for birth control (i.e. surgical or chemical sterilization) are generally discouraged. The exception being when additional pregnancies would be an undue hardship for health reasons.