Be Fruitful and Multiply

Rating:
Summary: Advancing the cause of legalism
Review: I must say that this book did a very poor job at proving it's point. Nancy Campbell, in Be Fruitful and Multiply, utterly fails to show that God condemns the use of birth control in His law. She often resorts to rhetoric and makes unnecessarily extreme statements that simply are not in the passages she cites in support. At one point, she describes speaking at a conference. She asked the group of women there if any were pregnant at the time and not a single woman raised her hand. She implies that such shouldn't have been. This is absurd. After all, does not God control the womb?
As far as her specific proofs go, almost all of them are non sequitur. Her arguments are not logically conclusive. For example, the classic, "But children are blessings" argument that is so often heard is simply taking scripture beyond what it says. Yes, children are blessings, but why do we then conclude that we have to have as many as we can? Why doesn't this follow with other things that are clearly blessings from God, such as wine, grain, clothing, money, etc.? This is inconsistent.
Furthermore, the argument from which she gets the title of her book is another good example. Yes, we are commanded to be fruitful and multiply, but does this mean every single coupl must have as many children as possible? The command does not only imply unrestrained childbearing, but it is also a general command to mankind as a whole, not every single couple.
Doug Phillips, head of Vision Forum (www.visionforum.com) does the same in his foreword, which is a good summary of the popular arguments against birth control. His arguments here are all very poor logically and assume too much in developing his conclusion that birth control is sinful. He also even attempts to shift the burden of proof onto those who would say that birth control is not necessarily sinful.
By condeming an action as sinful without the appropriate scriptural backing, Nancy Campbell has added to the law of God. She has condemned something God has not condemned. This ethical issues should always be approached with much caution and thought, much more than is displayed in this book. Though I definitely support the fact that she is attempting to discern scriptural teachings on the family, as I am also a conservative in regards to familial issues, I do not support her condemnation of birth control. She has unfairly condemned the actions of countless Christians.

Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking
Review: I thought this book was wonderful. It clearly and methodically shows how unscriptural our thinking has become on the subject of birth control. I grew up Southern Baptist and I never realized that birth control was condemned throughout the history of the church ... It has only been accepted by the Protestant church since the 1930's! Yet I had been led to believe that I had complete "liberty" in this area. How is it that for 1900 years Christians knew birth control was a sin and all of a sudden our generation discovers it to be ok?

"Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature" Romans 1:24-26

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward." Psalm 127:3

Rating:
Summary: Thought provoking
Review: Ms. Campbell's book slams the childfree and the childless, using Bible verses--many incorrectly--in an attempt to prove her point. She is affiliated with a fundamentalist Christian ministry that is anti-women's rights and militantly pro-choice. The author even includes a quote in the book that states that those who have no children are "useless" to society. The list of "101 Reasons Why Mothers Love Having Children" paints a picture of parenting as always being worthwhile and rosy, instead of being realistic about what parenting really entails. Avoid this book!

Rating:
Summary: Insulting!
Review: Ms. Campbell's book slams the childfree and the childless, using Bible verses--many incorrectly--in an attempt to prove her point. She is affiliated with a fundamentalist Christian ministry that is anti-women's rights and militantly pro-choice. The author even includes a quote in the book that states that those who have no children are "useless" to society. The list of "101 Reasons Why Mothers Love Having Children" paints a picture of parenting as always being worthwhile and rosy, instead of being realistic about what parenting really entails. Avoid this book!