Rifat's Refreshing Reflections

This is a continuation of my previous post about the controversy on contraception. Now, the second development that helped me to realize the critical issue of contraception.

Philanthropist Melinda Gates, wife of Bill Gates and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, recently found herself to be under diatribes for supporting a contraceptive plan. Melinda Gates–someone I have immense reverence for–supports a plan that will make birth control available to 120 million women worldwide, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Why is this a problem? Because Melinda is a practicing Catholic, and the Catholic church denounces birth control. The church is completely against any forms of birth control whatsoever. Interesting fact: according to a May article in The Denver Post, up to 98% of Catholic women have ignored the church’s stance on contraception.

Melinda continues to be criticized by the Catholic world for doing such a “horrendous” thing. After visiting areas where contraception is not readily available and doing decades-long study in Bangladesh which started in the 1970s, Melinda decided to focus on family planning as a part of her work. She says, “(In) the community that had access to contraceptives, the women chose to use them, the families grew up wealthier, fewer women died in childbirth.”

I truly respect religious freedom, and everyone has the right to believe in the religion of their choice, or not to believe in a religion at all. I am perfectly fine with that. What I fail to understand is why some Catholics are “hating on” ^*** Melinda for helping impoverished women plan their families. Also, the focus of this initiative will be in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, places where maternal and infant mortality rates are high and contraception use is low. The overwhelming majority of these people are not Catholic, so it technically shouldn’t even concern the church.

Religious views on birth control were quite interesting to read about. Let’s start with Christianity. Prior to 20th Century, contraception was condemned by all of the major branches of Christianity. The Catholic church is completely opposed to any form of contraception. In general, liberal Protestants and Anglicans accept use of contraception, while debate is ongoing among conservative Evangelicals.

There is no ban on birth control in Hinduism. Because India has such a large and dense population, the discussion of birth control is focused on the issue of overpopulation rather than ethics or religion.

In Islam, the Qur’an does not make any explicit statements prohibiting contraception. It should be noted that coitus interruptus, or the withdrawal method, a primitive form of birth control was a prominent practice at the time of Muhammad, and his companions practiced it. It was never prohibited, and the Rashidun caliphs actually defended the practice. Muslim scholars explained that birth control should be used with the consent of both the husband and the wife as offsprings are the right of both. Just a personal note, but I find it exceedingly ironic that Islam is the religion rebuked by the western world to be infringing upon women’s rights. And yet, it gives women more right to decide what to do with their bodies than the Catholic church.

In Judaism, the view on birth control varies between the branches of Judaism. Among Orthodox Judaism, use of birth control has been considered acceptable in “some” instances. Conservative Judaism has been rather lenient and more willing to allow exceptions to fit better within modern society. Reform Judaism allows followers to use birth control according to their own judgment.

According to the Gates Foundation, increasing access to contraception for more women could reduce newborn deaths by nearly 50 percent. There is no controversy in saving newborn lives. If all women had access to contraceptives, 100,000 maternal deaths would be avoided each year. There is no controversy in protecting mothers. Will you take the pledge?

Every woman and girl deserves the freedom to determine her own future. Let’s remove the controversy from contraception.

This video explains a lot of things!

This post is in no way a criticism of Catholicism (that rhymes!). Rather, I wanted to see how religion could have the possibility to hinder us from helping someone who we could certainly help. I consider myself to be religious, although I wouldn’t say devoutly.

What if our religion or faith prohibited us from helping others or doing something “good” for others? What’s more important: religion or humanity?

I wonder…

*** Hating on is defined on Urban Dictionary as falsely accusing someone of doing something wrong when in fact that person did nothing wrong.

Tags: Africa, Bangladesh, birth control, Catholic, Christianity, contraception, feminism, freedom, Gates, Hinduism, India, Islam, Judaism, social issues, South Asia