← Contraception
Genesis 38:8-10
Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also.
Catholic Perspective
Contraception, particularly in the form of coitus interruptus (the withdrawal method), is called onanism. The name comes from this Old Testament figure Onan, who spilled his seed on the ground to avoid contributing offspring for his deceased brother Er.
Because Er died without children, it was Onan’s duty, according to ancient Jewish custom, to marry his deceased brother’s widow and “raise up seed for the deceased brother that his name be not blotted out of Israel” (Deut. 25:5-10). Not wanting his deceased brother’s wife, Tamar, to conceive, Onan “wasted his seed on the ground” during sexual intercourse with her. And, the Bible tells us, “what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also.”
Common Objections
| + | GOD DIDN’T STRIKE ONAN DOWN FOR SPILLING HIS SEED. |
Next VerseRomans 2:14-15When Gentiles who have not the law do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or perhaps excuse them. |  |
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