Moral difference: contraceptive sex and natural family planning

Many well-meaning people find it so difficult to understand why contraception is evil and why natural family planning is not, when both use sex without having babies. Not understanding the difference has led to a moral downward slide in many people, leading them to fall into using contraception as a matter of course, and with it, into other moral evils such as abortion. Modern ethical analysis throws light into the difference. Here is a summary.

Moral aspect	Contraceptive sex	Sex within natural family planning
1.      Purpose of sex: use of reproductive organs is intrinsically linked to human beings (greatest earthly value: an immortal spirit)	Anti-procreative: a deliberate action attacking a great good, the beginning of new humans. Treats fertility as bad. Pregnancy (bearing human beings) is a disease to be protected against.	Non-procreative: no deliberate action against any good. Treats fertility as good. Pregnancy (bearing human beings) is good.
2.      Purpose of sex: self-giving communication and unification	A lie in the innate body language of total self-giving: I say with my body that I give myself totally but I don’t give my fertility and possible progeny.	Sincere self-giving love: I give myself to the other person as I am, fertile or infertile, based on a mastery of myself.
3.      Bodily functioning	Stops proper functioning of the body. Chemicals undermine the body. The condom mechanically stops the flow of vital particles into their proper place.	Respects proper functioning of the body. The body is better known through fertility awareness, is admired for its beauty, and is respected.
4.      Dignity of sex: human life has sacred dignity.	Trivializes the sacred origins of human life. Opens to danger of sex for sole purpose of getting cheap thrills, like drug-taking or gorging food just for pleasure.	Shows reverence for the sacred origins of human life, and the real purpose of sex. Does not use sex for sole purpose of getting cheap thrills.
5.      Self-mastery (discipline is needed for all human achievement and maturity)	Treats human beings as machines without voluntary control, freedom and sense of morality.	Treats human beings as responsible beings, capable of moral self-control and free self-giving; and teamwork with spouse.
6.       Treatment of other person	Partner is a sex object, used for pleasure. One becomes a user of persons	Partner is spouse, treated with committed love. Persons are loved and served as they deserve.
By Dr. Raul Nidoy, Science and Reason for Human Beings