Theoretical
Puritan Board Professor
From the last birth-control/child limit thread I realized there's another issue that seems to be at stake here, and that is surrounding operations that aren't used to make the person infertile (because they are far too aggressive) but in fact leave the person sterile. So just to make it clear, this thread is NOT about tubal ligation or vasectomies - as those fall in a very different category that has been well-discussed on numerous occasions.
I speak of hysterectomies and both testes being removed due to cancer in particular. Testicular removal seems comparatively rare, but there's lots of good reasons for hysterectomies to happen (fibroid tumors and abnormal bleeding). Again, it's extreme overkill for birth control.
The anti-birth control position would seem to argue that health-improving (and I'm not talking idly here, because anemia and staggering abdominal pain are serious problems) surgeries anywhere but those involving the sex organs are ok, but if it involves the sex organs, then too bad for you.
Furthermore, I'm troubled by the issues of God's sovereignty being brought into this discussion. I've had two restorative laser surgeries on my right retina following detatchments in 1998 and 2000. If I hadn't had them, I would now probably be blind in my right eye. If the Lord wishes me to be blind, there are numerous ways He could sovereignly make that happen despite my desire to see and doctors' skilled care. What makes an anti-anemia hyersterectomy in a woman still of childbearing age somehow different from the standpoint of God's sovereignty. My retina has 250 laser burn marks that were most assuredly not there naturally, but for which I'm extremely grateful. If I had to have my eye removed to save my life, I'd do it - how are the sex organs so profoundly different?
I speak of hysterectomies and both testes being removed due to cancer in particular. Testicular removal seems comparatively rare, but there's lots of good reasons for hysterectomies to happen (fibroid tumors and abnormal bleeding). Again, it's extreme overkill for birth control.
The anti-birth control position would seem to argue that health-improving (and I'm not talking idly here, because anemia and staggering abdominal pain are serious problems) surgeries anywhere but those involving the sex organs are ok, but if it involves the sex organs, then too bad for you.
Furthermore, I'm troubled by the issues of God's sovereignty being brought into this discussion. I've had two restorative laser surgeries on my right retina following detatchments in 1998 and 2000. If I hadn't had them, I would now probably be blind in my right eye. If the Lord wishes me to be blind, there are numerous ways He could sovereignly make that happen despite my desire to see and doctors' skilled care. What makes an anti-anemia hyersterectomy in a woman still of childbearing age somehow different from the standpoint of God's sovereignty. My retina has 250 laser burn marks that were most assuredly not there naturally, but for which I'm extremely grateful. If I had to have my eye removed to save my life, I'd do it - how are the sex organs so profoundly different?