If reality TV had a cutest couple contest, Jinger Duggar Vuolo and her husband Jeremy Vuolo would win it. The newest duet from "Counting On" discussed family planning and for all their charm, they have baffling ideas on kids. It sounded like Pastor Jeremy said they would use birth control because they plan to delay pregnancy awhile. Then son-in-law of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar further confused afterwards by saying they were letting God lead. Can you put God in charge and put off kids? Isn't birth control not only to limit children but also to have as many kids as possible?
Who plans the family, God or Jeremy and Jinger?
Both Jinger and Jeremy agreed that they weren't ready to have children yet. They have a lot of work to do getting settled in Texas where Vuolo is a minister. But then, the "Counting On" stars claimed that they were being open to the Lord on kids. So who's doing the family planning? Duggar and Vuolo know how babies are made. Do they plan to avoid pregnancy-causing behavior? Vuolo doesn't seem to plan to with his honeymoon jokes about an aphrodisiac. They probably won't, given the Duggar parents' teaching, and use of artificial contraceptives. They may use Natural Family Planning to delay getting pregnant.
Duggar family practices birth control?
Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar raised their reality television family of "19 Kids and Counting" on the quiverfull principle.
As Christians, the Duggars proclaim to let God decide how many children they will have. They eschew birth control as in contraceptives like the pill, condoms, IUD, etc. But by choosing to make children, are they controlling their family size or is God? Is the goal to have as many babies as possible as it seems to be in "Counting On?" Is pushing conception playing God doing just as much as preventing it?
Bible teaching on faith-based family planning?
Family planning in Christian and especially Catholic Christian circles, has a negative image. Birth control is often equated with abortion as some forms are abortifacients (causing an implanted embryo to abort). Both birth control and family planning connote disobeying the Bible, doing things your own way and ignoring God.
But every time a couple engages in intercourse, they plan their family their own way. Every sex act could potentially lead to pregnancy. So choosing to refrain from or engage in sex--even without using artifical contraception-- is effectively controlling birth.
