Those who have studied Scripture, whether Catholic or Protestant, usually have a good idea of God’s opinions. Most “pew Protestants” listen to, and heed, their professional “pulpit Protestants”. These “little ones” in the pews take their advice from the pulpit seriously. Those speaking from the pulpit are held to a higher standard. They know that nothing good happens to those who disobey Christ’s injunction and lead “a little one of Mine astray”.
Pulpit Protestants consider the Bible’s clear reading about not spilling one’s seed on the ground. They know what it means. Yet, the highest-ranking pulpit Protestants who run their hierarchies are on record: “Artificial birth control is acceptable.” Either the Bible is right, or the pulpit Protestants and their denominations are. Both cannot be.
Pulpit Protestants do know better. They are familiar with LK 12:34 and MT 6:21, “where your money is, there is your heart.” We know their money comes from their collections. Are their hearts in contravening the clear teaching of GN 38:9 where God kills Onan for spilling his seed on the ground? They would answer “No.” Still, we must ask: “Where are their hearts?”
In contrast to pulpit Protestants, The Catholic Church says “No.” to artificial birth control. The Catholic Church looks at the clear meaning of the passage
Disobeying God’s word can lead only to eternal pain. If a “pew Protestant” hears a professional “pulpit Protestant” say that something that’s wrong is right, and acts accordingly, what happens to the soul?
And, what of the Catholic who hears the Bible’s teaching on artificial birth control, realizes it is reinforced by Church doctrine and ignores both? Does the disobeying Catholic fall farther than the pulpit Protestant who teaches false doctrine or the pew Protestant who follows it?
Frankly, it’s not our department. We are better off to focus on getting our own souls into Heaven, rather than worrying about what happens to others’. Still, we may have a “duty to warn”,
