For too long the pro-life movement has been reluctant to face the issue of contraception head-on. Most pro-lifers know in their guts there's something wrong with contraception, and that flooding our society with condoms, pills, patches and injections ultimately leads to more abortion, not less.
Contraception severs the link between sexual intimacy and the creation of new human life, a link which is right at the center of God's plan for humanity, created "male and female" in his image, an interpersonal communion which in its capacity to give life echoes the inner mystery of God Himself, the Author of Life. Once separated from this essential mytsery, sexual intimacy becomes and end in itself. The conception of new human life becomes a "mistake," and the answer is abortion.
By fostering a distorted understanding of the meaning of sex, contraception radically alters human behavior, with devastating results: not only abortion but skyrocketing divorce, epidemic illegitimacy, widespread cohabitation, and even social acceptance of homosexuality. It is time for our society to squarely address these realities.
That is precisely what we will do at "Contraception Is Not the Answer" a national pro-life conference to be held in Chicago September 22-23, 2006. We invite all in the pro-life movement, even those who do not share the analysis of contraception offered here, as well as all those who are open to considering the possibility that we have not yet taken stock of all that contraception has done to influence our marriages, our famlies and our culture.
Speakers at "Contraception Is Not the Answer" include Janet Smith on how contraceptives impact intimate relationships in unexpected ways, Jennifer Roback-Morse on the cultural contradictions of contraceptives for women, Rutgers University sociologist Lionel Tiger on how men are marginalized by the commonplace use of contraceptives, and Damon Clarke Owens on the impact of contraceptives on the American family.
The complete conference program and profiles of all eight speakers, as well as information on registration is available here.
(Cross-posted at Generations for Life.)
