An aggressive stand against contraception: Turkish President declares its use as treason

Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan takes a strong stand against contraception, stating efforts to promote it are \"treason.\"

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - During the wedding ceremony of the son of one of his close allies, Mustafa Kefeli, Erdogan stood up and addressed the bride and groom.

"One or two (children) is not enough. To make our nation stronger, we need a more dynamic and younger population. We need this to take Turkey above the level of modern civilizations," exclaimed Erdogan.

Change the world: Support a pro-life movement that works

Contraception risks causing a whole generation to dry up, according to Erdogan.

"Lineage is very important both economically and spiritually," he said in comments reported by the Dogan news agency. "I have faith in you."

Aside from lecturing on the dangers of contraception, Erdogan praised marriage saying, "Marriage is a long journey. There are good days and bad days. Good days become more frequent as we share them and bad days finally bring happiness if we are patient."

"Marriage is more than a civil contract; it is a lifelong covenant of love between a man and a woman," states the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops teachings on Married Love and the Gift of Life.

This love differs from any other kind in the world. Two people are joining together as one.

While couples share good and bad days, laughs and tears, "the power to create a new life with God is at the heart of what spouses share with each other."

Erdogan has previously been criticized for his proposals against abortions, the morning-after pill and Caesarian sections, but declaring contraceptive use as treason appears to be his strongest attack.

The Catholic church teaches "suppressing fertility by using contraception denies part of the inherent meaning of married sexuality and does harm to the couple's unity."

Although contraceptive use may not entirely be treason, the Catholic church teaches it is against God's will.

Many have found that living by this teaching contributes to a more intimate, open and honest marriage allowing for couples to feel truly fulfilled.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'