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WHAT do you think? Is it wrong for married people to use contraception? Your answer may well depend on your religious convictions. The Catholic Church teaches that every action designed to impede procreation “is intrinsically evil.” Catholic dogma promotes the idea that each act of sexual intercourse between marriage mates must remain open to pregnancy. For the Catholic Church, then, contraception is “morally unacceptable.”

Many people find this point of view difficult to accept. A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article on the subject noted that “more than three-quarters of Catholics in the United States say the church should allow the use of artificial birth control. . . . And millions ignore the ban every day.” One of them, Linda, a mother of three, freely admits to using contraceptives but says: “I don’t really believe in my conscience that I’m sinning.”

What does God’s Word have to say on this issue?

Life Is Precious

God

IT IS the seventh day of the Jewish month Nisan in the year 33 C.E. Imagine that you are observing events in the Roman province of Judea. Leaving Jericho and its lush foliage, Jesus Christ and his disciples are trudging up a dusty, twisting road. Many other travelers are also on their way up to Jerusalem for the annual Passover celebration. However, more than this tiring climb is on the minds of Christ’s disciples.The Jews have been yearning for a Messiah who can bring relief from the Roman yoke. Many believe Jesus of Nazareth to be that long-awaited Savior. For three and a half years, he has been speaking about God’s Kingdom. He has cured the sick and fed the hungry. Yes, he has brought comfort to the people. But the religious leaders are chafing under Jesus’ burning denunciation of them and

“Your Word Is Truth”

AS “Holy Week” approaches in El Salvador, persons of all ages talk about it. To some, these eight days of “Cuaresma” or Lent, which in Central American countries fall in the months of March and April, are by far the most sacred days of the year. They therefore instill in many religious persons a temporary feeling of piety. To others, however, this is merely a time to indulge in recreation that often leads to loose conduct.

During this week it is noteworthy that morals run low, and lawlessness and disorder are commonplace. For example, a leading journal, La Prensa Gráfica, in its issue of March 27, 1967, reported: “70 DEAD, 986 WOUNDED ON HOLY WEEK.” These are staggering statistics for such a small country as El Salvador, especially since this was the toll during only a four-day period.

The religious custom of abstaining from meat is observed by many

FOR centuries Catholics abstained from eating meat on Fridays. It was a Church law. Many sincerely believed it was a law of Almighty God. But now this has changed.

The fact is that the meatless-Friday rule was made an obligation only some 1,100 years ago. Pope Nicholas I (858-867) was the one who put it into effect. And how vital was it considered that Catholics abide by this rule?

A publication that bears the Catholic imprimatur, indicating approval, states: “The Catholic Church says that it is a mortal sin for a Catholic to eat meat on Friday knowingly and wilfully, without a sufficiently grave and excusing reason.” It adds: The “Church says that if a man dies in unrepented mortal sin, he will go to hell.”—Radio Replies, Rumble and Carty (1938).

Thus the devout carefully avoided eating meat on Fridays. They sincerely believed that failure to obey could lead to their eternal punishment

“Being shy, I can go into a chat room online and talk with people I normally would not talk to. They have no idea who I am.”—Peter.*“In a chat room, you have the feeling that you can say whatever you want.”—Abigail.

CHAT ROOMS are “areas” on the Internet where users can have live, two-way conversations via text messages. Chat rooms can accommodate large numbers of people, who can read and respond to each other’s messages.

Some chat rooms are particularly appealing to youthful Internet users. Millions of young people from a variety of cultures exchange opinions daily on almost any subject. Some schools now tap this global resource. For example, with their teacher’s supervision, students in the United States might discuss social issues with fellow students in Spain, England, or elsewhere. Students may even chat about their class project with a qualified engineer, chemist, or another expert.

Many people who visit

Guidance for Success and Happiness

FINDING HAPPINESS

“Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.”—MATTHEW 5:3.

“There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”—ACTS 20:35.

“Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!”—LUKE 11:28.

BUILDING TRUST

“Speak truth each one of you with his neighbor.”—EPHESIANS 4:25.

“Let the stealer steal no more.”—EPHESIANS 4:28.

“Let marriage be honorable among all, and the marriage bed be without defilement.”—HEBREWS 13:4.

FORGING GOOD RELATIONSHIPS

“All things . . . that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them.”—MATTHEW 7:12.

“Let [a husband] so love his wife as he does himself; . . . the wife should have deep respect for her husband.”—EPHESIANS 5:33.

“Continue . . . forgiving one another freely.”—COLOSSIANS 3:13.

AVOIDING AND RESOLVING CONFLICT

“Return evil for evil to no one.”—ROMANS 12:17.

“Love is long-suffering and kind. . . . It does not keep account of the injury.”—1 CORINTHIANS 13:4, 5.

“Let the sun not set with you in a provoked state.”—EPHESIANS 4:26.

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