Oct 23 2008
is birth control ‘murder’?
[KVUE]
A Southern Baptist leader and teacher has a message for women: Taking birth control pills is “murder” and a “sin.”
The opinion of Dr. Thomas White is reverberating around Baptist circles, and causing at least one Tarrant County pastor to publicly disagree.
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth shapes the Baptist pastors of tomorrow, determining the future of the church. That’s why Dr. White’s sermon earlier this month is getting so much attention. Dr. White is a mentor at the seminary, charged with helping future pastors make the right decisions. But earlier this month, a repentant Dr. White addressed those students. He confessed that he and his wife had employed birth control pill years earlier.
“The reason that we did it was my own selfishness,” he said. “I wanted kids, but I wanted kids — not in God’s timing, but in my timing.”
Dr. White now condemns the use of birth control pills, saying, “It’s murder of a life.” Dr. White declined a request for an on-camera interview Tuesday, citing a busy schedule. In an e-mail message, he said he’s not against all forms of birth control.
In his sermon, however, that point was not made. Instead, he went further, speaking against the attempt to control conception.
“Some of you are involved in that exact same sin,” Dr. White said.
“This is fundamentalism run amok, and I’m concerned that once was the world’s largest theological seminary is degenerating into a Baptist fundamentalist indoctrination camp,” said Dwight McKissic, Senior Pastor at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington and a former trustee of the seminary.
Read more here.
From Web MD
[From me]
According to Web MD the pill doesn’t kill anything. It prevents the egg from being released in the woman. Now I’m not a doctor but I do trust those who are. No where in Web MD did I read anything about something being killed but just preventing.
Now I know there are others who subscribe to different views about having children but to call someone a murderer without the facts seems rather harsh. How can you kill something that was never created?
What do you think?
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21 responses so far
First of all, I’m proud once again NOT to be an alum of SWBTS…
Secondly, I want to see or hear the scriptural justification for this sermon. I want to know what “Thus saith the Lord” and not “Thus saith Dr. White.”
I think Dr. White has some ‘plaining to do! Maybe his busy schedule will allow it…
M. Steve Heartsill’s last blog post..I Understand Mark Twain So Much Better Now!
Kevin,
Some forms of birth control prevent eggs from being released, hence preventing fertilization and conception.
Other forms of birth control act more as abortifacients… preventing fertilized eggs from implantation in the uterus.
While I haven’t watched his message personally (which can be seen here), my understanding is that Dr. White struggles with the latter form of birth control, a wholly consistent view for those that believe life begins at at the point of conception (when sperm and egg join to form a fertilized egg).
John,
Good points. I’d have trouble with the 2nd.
When we got married, my wife and I had a long talk with our doctor to make sure that we had the right kind of birth control. We wanted one that kept her from releasing an egg, not to keep it from implanting in the uterus. There are both types and there are some that do both, just to be completely sure. It just depends on the type of birth control you use. There are many different types. It is my opinion (and an accurate one) that any type of birth control that allows the egg to be fertilized, but don’t allow it to survive is killing the baby. I’ve never been to swbts, or any seminary for that matter (not yet anyway).
Matt Horne’s last blog post..Trunk Monkey
I don’t buy his argument. I’m Southern Baptist, so I guess I’m suppose to listen to this guy, but I have never heard this from anyone except Catholics.
I could understand how he could claim it was a sin under certain circumstances. If I felt that God wanted my wife and I to have a child now, but we decided to continue using birth control in order to prevent it, I could see the sin in that. But generally speaking, I don’t see using most types of birth control as sinful (this obviously includes only those forms that don’t actually kill anything).
Michael’s last blog post..Fireproof: My Thoughts
Kevin — Isn’t part of the problem, we as professing Christians, refuse to give God controll of everything in our lives. That includes the bedroom and our desisions to have children or not. If we truly are dying to ourselves and living for Christ, then we should stop trying to contoll whether we have children and allow God to work.
We all say children are a gift, but only on ‘my’ terms. We limit the number of children we have, because it will impact our social status, or we won’t be able to but that boat, car, house…we think we need. However, I beleive God has a better plan for our lives if we only let Him be incharge.
This story is currently being played out on the radio here in Texas. After I dropped off my 3rd monkey at school, I changed the radio station to talk radio and Dr. White’s chapel message was being aired. Most of the folks that called in all felt the same way. “We Christians are so backwards”
We must stand up for the truth of God’s word, but we must first realize we are slaves to Christ and He must be allowed to rule EVERY aspect of our lives.
Bro G,
Your point is valid. But murder?
Kevin — I’m not smart enought to say that preventing fertilation is murder. If so, then my wife and I have committed murder. Having a fertilized egg expelled from a womans body is definately murder.
I only desire to speak truths from God’s word. Nowhere do I find that we should attmpt to take controll of the repoductive process. We are to be fruitfull and multiply. We think to much about our ‘rights’ and what is ‘fair’, not on what does God want to give us. For some of us that might be many children. For others none at all. But I should not get to deside.
Did Dr. White say too much? Maybe. Do I beleive everything I’m being taught at SouthWestern? No. But, I strongly beleive that these types of converstaions are valid for us and should be had. We often fail to understanding that God is in control.
Here’s the key, if God is sovereign and wants a couple to have children RIGHT NOW, the woman will become pregnant, birth control or not. There are millions of birth control “accidents” running around schools this very day.
In all honesty, many couples are making responsible family decisions to delay parenting so they can work on their relationships or financial issues. I don’t have children but I know how expensive they are. We can’t have it both ways. We want parents to be responsible and be able to pay for the children they have but we don’t want them using birth control?
Arguing that we need to let God be God and, therefore, we shouldn’t interfere in His natural processes with regard to reproduction sounds good.
However, hasn’t God, in his great wisdom allowed us freedom to discern and make good decisions based on scripture and His leading through the Holy Spirit?
If ALL natural processes are to be left alone, then we have MANY other problem areas besides baby-making (or lack thereof!)….
We PREVENT fertilization and it’s wrong? What about preventing allergens from causing me to sneeze and cough? What about preventing certain diaseases? What about preventing me from drinking contaminates in water or eating them in food? All these things involve humans manipulating our environment to our benefit (in some way or another). Is it all bad? I don’t think so; I believe God has allowed us a mind and free will for a reason…To use it, to the best of our understanding, for HIS glory.
Charles Brazeale
Neosho, MO
Kevin,
Most forms of pharmaceutical birth control work in more than one manner… not just preventing fertilization by restricting the ovulation process, but by also creating conditions in the womb unfavorable to implantation.
It’s a horrifying thought, but it’s quite likely that many well-meaning Christian couples (including my wife and I) have unknowingly experienced a pharmaceutical abortion through the use of birth control prescribed by their physician simply because they did not understand the manner in which it works.
Kevin, Charles made a good argument or point. If Christians do anything to alter life, then are we sinning? If a person takes medicine for an illness, does that mean that the person doesn’t trust God for ultimate healing? If we have surgery, aren’t we limiting our faith in God to heal the problem?
I find it interesting that Dr. White’s sermon was on birth control and never mentioned these other issues. Could it be that the heart of the message was more about controlling women rather than “murder”? If that is not the case, then let’s discuss the items Charles has brought to the tape.
M. Steve Heartsill’s last blog post..I Understand Mark Twain So Much Better Now!
I’m sure the Archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas will be glad to offer Dr White a job….
Phil Hoover’s last blog post..Constantly amazed.
John: With all due respect, I did listen to the message and I got that birth control was sin period. I do believe Christians should be careful with what kind of birth control they use, but Dr. White made no distinctions.
Debbie Kaufman’s last blog post..Want Some Free Biblical Training? Have I Got A Site For You?And Yes It’s Free!
Debbie,
The guys at SBC Today have posted Dr. White’s clarification. Sure looks to me that my understanding was spot on.
Unfortunately, this whole thing is yet another example of Baptists making a mountain out of a molehill. The world watches, laughing as we stand, bickering over our mini Mt. Everests, oblivious to the fact that we’re blanketed by the shadows of the real thing.
I’m tired of watching both sides fight when there are real battles that need fighting… ones for which we NEED each other to win. As I recall, some famous teacher once said, “a house divided against itself cannot stand.”
Is that really where we want to be?
This is as crazy as that Muthee character who believed that a woman was supernaturally causing car crashes.
Again John. I listened to the sermon and I heard no distinctions made. If after listening someone can point them out I will be glad to retract.
Debbie Kaufman’s last blog post..Want Some Free Biblical Training? Have I Got A Site For You?And Yes It’s Free!
John: In answer to your question, I agree a house divided falls. I also agree that the fighting is difficult. I think if you were a woman you may feel differently, and I do not think that nothing should be said in order to maintain peace. That’s just peace at any price and who is the one who is truly at peace? The ones whom we refuse to fight.
Debbie Kaufman’s last blog post..Want Some Free Biblical Training? Have I Got A Site For You?And Yes It’s Free!
Debbie,
So Dr. White’s clarification isn’t good enough for you? If I wrote or said something that apparently wasn’t clear, and I got people worked up, I would hope Christians, of ALL people, would be the first who are willing to forgive and forget any perceived offense once I issued clarification.
It’s called grace, last I checked. Sadly, we Baptists aren’t known for exhibiting it much anymore.
If you see the issue differently, so be it. I’m not going to fight with you over it… this molehill just isn’t going to become a mountain for me.
John: I didn’t realize we were fighting, I was discussing. Something I am so glad to be able to do as some of these things have never been up for discussion. It feels good to be able to discuss those things formerly taboo.
The clarification is something that is and isn’t good enough. All I know is that one should listen to the sermon and decide for themselves. As for me, I did not hear anything in Dr. White’s sermon that would match his clarification. I also heard Psalm 127 taken completely out of context and turned into a proof text for not using contraception which this passage is not speaking of. Christ was replaced with a do better sermon. That should concern everyone who believes in grace.
Debbie Kaufman’s last blog post..Want Some Free Biblical Training? Have I Got A Site For You?And Yes It’s Free!
Debbie,
Just to clarify, I didn’t say we were fighting… I said I wasn’t going to fight with you.
Apparently I need to listen to the sermon myself. My expectation though, based on your pastor’s transcript of the portion of the message that seems to have everyone’s undergarments in a twist, would be that I’d hear a pastor sharing an intensely personal lesson he has learned in regard to listening, trusting, and following God’s direction in all things. While the birth control issue seems to be the main thing in the message for most, I think the overarching point is simply one of really listening to God and obeying His direction in all things.
The practical way in which this plays out? If a Christian couple chooses to use birth control (types without abortive facets, that is), fine… so long as the couple is at peace that God is directing them in that manner. If they don’t have such peace in God’s direction, or worse… feel God’s direction that they should not… then going forward anyway is surely disobedience and thus sin.
Put a bit differently to try to clarify further… the sin is not in the use of birth control that functions through non-abortive methods. The sin is in disobeying God’s distinct personal direction as to whether it should be used or not by a Christian couple. After all, God does speak differently to different people, as you well know.
Anyway, you may not see things in that same light. And maybe I wouldn’t either were I to find time to devote 40 minutes of my day to listen.
That probably won’t happen, though… I’ve already wasted WAY too much time weighing in on the latest Baptist brouhaha to blow any more time on the issue.