Religious/Personal

Psychology Today Trips the Dumb Meter

Like saying the earth is flat (courtesy Wikimedia)

"Rhythm?" — what's dat?

For at least forty years, it’s been making NFP users utter a weary cry - hearing the word “rhythm” used by a major media outlet when talking about Natural Family Planning (NFP). But this time, when the popular Psychology Today uttered the “R” word, it caused such an clamor among its readers that the magazine issued a retraction in its online version.

Within 24 hours of its publication of “The Real Reason Why the Rhythm Method Doesn’t Work?” the article drew the fire of a slew of angry readers, with such headlines as “How outdated and disingenuous to lump NFP in with RM!” and “Please correct major inaccuracies.”

Should NFP Methods Be Included in Obama’s Mandated Birth Control Plan?

NFP is a legitimate form of child spacing.

(Aug. 24, 2011) If the federal government requires health insurance plans to cover contraceptives, shouldn’t it also require coverage for learning NFP?

Dr. Denise Hunnell, writing in HLI America, suggests, “In addition to conscience protection I would also propose that coverage for training in Natural Family Planning be included in the mandated coverage.”
She also reviews the U.S. Bishops’ opposition to this elective type of health coverage as a violation of conscience.

Superficial Mention of NFP to Young Couples Is Not Enough, Says North Dakota Bishop

A passing mention of NFP is not enough

(Aug. 24, 2011) A passing mention of Natural Family Planning in marriage preparation classes does not help much, says Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo, ND. The bishop says that Natural Family Planning is such a good thing that he requires engaged couples to not just be told about it, but to take a series in it.

In a recent story in Catholic World Report, he says that “…if it was only superficially mentioned in marriage preparation classes, couples would tend to bypass it. So I asked them to take a full course, studying whatever method of NFP they wished.”

The website of the Fargo diocese shows 27 instructors in NFP, representing the Couple to Couple League and other organizations.