YOUNG Brisbane Catholics were told to speak up against the pill, condoms and other artificial contraceptives at last Monday’s Faith on Tap.
More than 80 young people heard an expert panel on a new movement encouraging “green sex”, or, natural and Church-approved alternatives to artificial birth controls. The guest panel included pharmacist Megan Sneddon, and FertilityCare practitioners Keiran Hobbs and Danielle Schroeders.
Mr Hobbs is a practitioner for New Life FertilityCare in Brisbane with “general interest in families and well-being”. Having worked in cattle research in his early twenties, Mr Hobbs said working with animals gave him a great appreciation for the “natural scheme of things”.
“Certainly in our desire to a complex-free life that is ugly, we’re missing out on a complex life that is beautiful,” he said.
Mr Hobbs shared many scientific studies highlighting the negative effects of artificial contraception. One study in 1972 by Dr Lionel Tiger monitored the effects the chemical contraceptive Depo-Provera had on the sexual relations of monkeys. Scientists injected five female monkeys with Depo-Provera and observed the responsive behaviour of the males in the enclosure.
The study showed that male monkeys were less attracted to females who were contracepting, despite having had normal sexual patterns with them prior. Once all the female monkeys were injected with Depo-Provera, the male monkeys behaved “in a turbulent and confused manner” and began having sexual relations with other male monkeys.
Mr Hobbs said speaking on the truth of contraception and natural methods at Faith on Tap was “exhilarating”.
“Hopefully people will start to consider the poor outcomes regarding contraception,” he said.
Ms Sneddon disclosed many negative side effects of contraceptives that were not often publicised. She said many of these facts were readily available on the Internet.
FertilityCare practitioner Danielle Schroeders said that if natural, green foods and products was trending, “green sex” should also be endorsed. Mrs Shroeders said couples choosing “green sex” options, such as Creighton Model FertilityCare and other forms of natural family planning, were less likely to divorce.
“NFP has a 0.04 per cent divorce rate, as opposed to contraceptives, which leads to 50 per cent worldwide,” Mrs Shroeders said.
However, there are only two Brisbane doctors who specialise in the medical aspect of FertilityCare, NaPro Technology. Mrs Shroeders said there was no shortage of FertilityCare practitioners in Brisbane.
Brisbane mother of two, Caitlyn Bennett, is studying the Creighton Model FertilityCare system to become a local practitioner.
“I have lots of family and friends of family who were turning to IVF and contraception, and I wanted to give them another option,” Mrs Bennett said. “I love getting to learn the medical side briefly, and seeing how Catholic it is, and grounded in Catholic teaching.”
Mrs Bennett’s husband initially encouraged her to become a practitioner.
“First I thought he was a bit crazy, but God just opened the doors from there,” she said.
Mrs Bennett said any married woman charting with the Creighton model should have her husband’s full support.
“I think one of the big things is that it’s a shared system,” she said. “It can be taxing if it’s just a woman’s responsibility. Obviously the woman has a bigger role in it when it comes to the actual biological aspects of the system, but it’s vital that the man is supportive, involved, and understands the system.”
For more information about FertilityCare in Aust-ralia, visit http://www.fertilitycare.com.au
