Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site decwrl.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!zehntel!dual!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-miles!chabot
From: chabot@miles.DEC (L. S. Chabot)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: birth control
Message-ID: <824@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 1-Mar-85 11:08:48 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.824
Posted: Fri Mar  1 11:08:48 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 3-Mar-85 03:05:04 EST
Sender: daemon@decwrl.UUCP
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 30

I am by no means blaming silence about birth control on religion, but I do list
it as an influence.  Religions may be opposed to adultery, casual sex, violence,
&tc, which we see on tv, but violence gets punished, and the criminals usually
confess on the witness stand or before.  Or, at least, violence by the bad guys
anyway.  Adultery and casual sex...well, it seems more like if you get caught
you get punished: if you're caught in bed, or a baby results, at least your
life gets messed up internally if not externally.  And you're right, this isn't
necessarily the message religions would want to give about sex--they'd be more
on the side of you always get caught and you always get punished for sins.

Mentioning birth control in a sex situation takes the recreation out of it.
If you have to think, gee, it can't be fun?  Fun means no responsibilities?
I think even more importantly, there is a pervading belief that sex is only for
procreation not recreation, and if we acknowledge its procreative possibilities
by taking actions to prevent them, then we are being bad, sinning, using sex
for fun instead of for what some deity created it.  Even those raised with
little no church training are not necessarily immune to this pervading opinion.

And it's a really idiotic attitude.  I'm pretty sure from the comments made
by teenagers and other naive people, that taking precautions equals you know
what you're doing and you're therefore guilty.  It would be much better to 
take the healthier attitude of understanding human sexual behavior and being
educated and responsible about it.  This is something in which parents can
be of great help, by talking honestly rather than refusing to talk about such
dirty and embarassing subjects.

L S Chabot
UUCP:	...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-amber!chabot
ARPA:	...chabot%amber.DEC@decwrl.ARPA
USFail:    DEC, LMO4/H4, 150 Locke Drive, Marlborough, MA  01752