46.
mac,

I'm doing good. Checked in, but can't stay, got some aunts/uncles from Phillippines coming in today to visit and I've got to get cooking ;)

(fun fact, the McD's Big Mac is my fave)

At first glance of your q, I had a big chuckle and thought, this guy just left himself wide open.

But, alas, perhaps, it's just my Irish-Italian Strict Catholic red-headed sense of humor!

The short answer is : WTHK???

The longer answer: gotta get back to ya on that, if you're okay with that.

Thanks,
Mary Irene (Did you hear @ Bernie Mac? +)
God rest his comedic and handsome soul.....

MI at 1:24PM on Aug 9th 2008

47. I originally wanted a large family (17 kids) but after having two pregnancies with a lot of problems I decided to stop at two. I am also catholic so I've been taught natural family planing. for birth control I went with the IUD because truthfully why on earth should I have to go through all that effort to avoid getting pregnant when I can just set it and forget it. Same thing with the pill, as long as you remember to take it there is no more time and effort. In the end they all accomplish the same thing pleasure with out the consequences.

sleigher at 1:37PM on Aug 9th 2008

48. The LAST thing this world needs is more babies. Overpopulation is the biggest threat to humanity, and yet these idiot rightwingers keep insisting that women become brood mares.

My husband and I have chosen, based on my medical history and other factors, not to have children. That's our business and nobody else's.

40,000 children die every day from preventable causes. For some reason, these rightwing cretins don't care about the children who are already here. It's not about children at all, it's about their sick need to control women's bodies.

Tatiana at 3:36PM on Aug 9th 2008

49.

Personally, my vote's going for the male birth control implanted chip. With the added feature of controlling their urges. Fully loaded (no pun intended!)with timer, V-chip and a mute button.

I just looove playing with "clickers".

Domee natricks at 6:35PM on Aug 9th 2008

50. I just wanted to share with you that there is such a thing as NFP (natural family planning) which uses no pills, condoms etc. and it not the rhythm method.
It allows sexual intercourse up to 21 days a cycle, depending on the woman. Nina



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Yeah, that worked real well for my catholic parents - twins before the first anniversary of their marriage does not a happy family make.

TJ at 9:32PM on Aug 9th 2008

51. I hate all ads for prescription medicines. However it is odd that ads for bc pills aren't more specific as to preventing pregnancies.

I took the pill before I was married, while I was married and didn't want to get pregnant and after having 3 children to control my period and not have anymore kids. I took it until menopause at age 51.

Women have the right to birth control. Anyone who disagrees is an idiot. Too many unwanted children out there in foster homes. Let all the pro lifers adopt instead of having children.

lucy at 9:56PM on Aug 9th 2008

52. Yeah, that worked real well for my catholic parents - twins before the first anniversary of their marriage does not a happy family make.


TJ at 9:32PM on Aug 9th 2008


TJ, are you one of those twins? Did your parents say that having the twins at that time made them unhappy?
I can't help but hear bitterness in your voice.
But, just because it didn't work out for them doesn't mean you can scrap the whole method.
That would be similar to throwing the baby out with the bath water.

The NFP method does not guaruntee happiness in and of itself. The individuals engaging it need to cooperate with God's Graces, and with true, unselfish Love.

My husband and I've been happily married for over 17 years and we have 6 children and we feel that the NFP method has not only worked well for us, but that it has enriched our marriage in many ways.

Good luck to you!

Nina at 11:01PM on Aug 9th 2008

53.
It still surprises me how so many people find it necessary to poke their noses into other peoples asses and genitals. Is it so important to turn every woman into a puppy mill?

JefFlyingV at 11:03PM on Aug 9th 2008

54. I think the whole issue is about women's rights and women's thoughts about the matter. Unfortunately, men make up most of our Congress. And well, it's not like they're going to have babies or periods, right? Now I don't have a clear stance on abortion, it is a fickle issue to be sure, but I sure am all for the pills. I like to have options and I like my rights, and I am in strong agreement with Somber. Men aren't regarded as whores when they sleep with a woman, or multiple, but if a woman pursues sexual pleasure, she is suddenly an ananthema. It is hard for a woman to find her bearings, sometimes, when there are so many views about what she should or should not do with her life, her sexual activities, her babies. I take advice as it comes, but I like to have the final decision in my own hands, and learn from life as I go through it. And it is different for each woman, which is why we should have options. It's also a serious matter, too, and that is why I have such disregard for most of the commericials. They just don't seem to be...convincing, real. Some of them feel like reality TV shows or strange comedies.

Irial at 12:51AM on Aug 10th 2008

55. 35. Oh, and one more thing - I'm so tired of hearing that "women do have a right to choose." I see 16 year-olds having their 3rd baby, all of who were fathered by an older relative or other grown man, young girls who have been raped, and married women whose husbands refuse to use birth control and control their women by keeping them barefoot and pregnant. Some women do not have the right to choose - some women's rights have been taken away from them. Yes, there are those who are promiscuous, and I see those too, but some women (and girls) are in very bad situations where they have no choices and no one to turn to. Happens every day all over the world.
I am a Christian, and I know Jesus doesn't want his girls to be treated this way. Do something about that, Nina!

Sarah at 12:05AM on Aug 9th 2008
--------------------------------------------------

If Jesus doesn't want "his girls" treated that way, why oh why does He allow a baby to be brought into the mix? Is He (or God)in charge or not? Why do they allow it at all? And another thing, the problem in all your examples is not birth control, which is what this article was about, but rather the criminal acts committed. Hopefully this country will soon allow birth control pills to be OTC, like some European countries, so that girls and women who are "not allowed" can get them anyway and have some control over their bodies. But not if you have your way about it, because it doesn't really matter if its an incestuous relative, an abusive husband or God Himself who tells women what to do, it's all about the power trip in the end.

Annabelle at 12:57AM on Aug 10th 2008

56.
Hey, mac,

A quickie, if I may as a follow-up to your q.
I don't doubt that abortion happened back in biblical times. I don't believe that it was okayed by God. I know that in the OT there's atleast one Scripture verse discussing it.
Just can't check it out; got relatives in from out of town.

PreteristV, Renzo, oneblood, MIW, janesophie,
please feel free to weigh-in on this. Thanks!

Ah, Celtic Thunder's on the tele.
A wonderful way to end the day ;)
G'nite,
Mary Irene

MI at 12:59AM on Aug 10th 2008

57.
PS, JetFlyingV,

Agreed.

No one should be made to feel that they're being made into a puppy mill. That is not pro-life. Pro-Life says that one is open to life, respects the dignity of life and also understands and acknowledges that everyone's situation is different. Physically, Financially, Emotionally, Mentally, etc.

PPS To all the men out there:
I apologize for the rude poster who posted the comment about 'clicker'.
I think women who seriously think that way about men is marginal. (Good Lord, I sure hope so, anyway)


PPS My hubby and I have been using the NFP method now for about 13 years. I'm not pushing it, I'm not glorifying it. I just want to put in my 2c about it. It's worked very well for us and we believe that our marriage is stronger and way better as a result. We have 3 beautiful sons. I had 3 c-sec and on the third one, ruptured before procedure. As a result a 4th cut 6 mo's later for a hyster. For 6 mo's I cried lots and lots about this.
(It's a motherly thing). Of course, my health status warranted the hyster and the Catholic church understands these types of situations. And allows exemptions.

And, as for pro-lifers adopting needy children:

As a pro-lifer, I encourage any of you to help support an easier, less expensive adoption process. The adoptive families are out there, promise!

MI at 1:13AM on Aug 10th 2008

58. MIW,

I applaud your efforts and you have done a wonderful job. These are the times when we agree. And I like these times.

Everyone Else:

Jesus Christ taught Spiritual Freedom. There were never supposed to be denominations. All it takes is a smarter than average person to get average people to buy into things. Imagine how easy that was probably to do 2000 years ago.

Jesus said that he brought a sword. He showed us that we need to bring our swords and carve out what hampers and damages us....Ourselves

We are our own worst enemy. And we always will be. We're gullible, needy, selfish, cynical, competitive, and for the most part materialistic.

Jesus taught us how to get past this and overcome it. The Christian Church founded by Christ was never meant for the followers to show everyone else that their dick was bigger than theirs. It was supposed to be the opposite. Teach spiritual freedom and simply Love. With Love as the guiding force, it takes all those bad traits that we possess and gets rid of them.

We have lost our way. But I for one feel that in this day in age when those bad traits come out easier, we have the ability to do the opposite easier too.

Botts at 2:09AM on Aug 10th 2008

59. I think that these ads for the pill don't mention pregnancy prevention because after 40 years that's obvious and a given- instead they try to get women to ask their doctor for a specific brand based on what else it can do, like easier or fewer periods. It's marketing, that's all.

Nina, you glossed over the fact that the "other" part of a woman's cycle occurs during those 21 days when couples are "allowed" to have sex. I don't know about you, but when I'm bloated, crampy and have PMS, I wouldn't want to do the deed even if George Clooney showed up on my doorstep with a dozen roses. So that takes it down to about 16 days, or half the month when you can't even shag your own spouse? That's not my idea of a marriage.

Melissa at 4:31AM on Aug 10th 2008

60. So if (as you are saying), taking the pill is equal to abortion because it keeps the egg from getting fertilized, does that mean that every time I get my period and the eggs are being flushed down the toilet, that is abortion too?

crystal at 11:28AM on Aug 10th 2008