What you call the "rhythm method" aka Billings method aka natural fertility planning, is acceptable because it's natural, not artificial. It's quite effective as long as you work within the woman's natural cycles, and abstain during the fertile periods. It requires close cooperation between the man and the woman, and the man must accept that there are times when he can't just do what he wants, when he wants.
God gave us infertile periods, so there's nothing wrong with using them. Similar infertile periods occur during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and after menopause. It's not immoral for naturally infertile people to have sex.
The main problem isn't really the contraception, it's treating the sex partner as a sex object. Objectification of women is a terrible problem for women in a patriarchal society. Kudos to the Catholics for recognizing this and decrying it.
My guess is that for priests, the most important woman in their lives remains always their mother, and to a lesser extent, Mary, and they don't like other men treating their mothers like sex objects. They do without sex, and for most it's actually a great sacrifice. So, going without sex for a week or two doesn't garner much sympathy. |
