EXERCISE ?SELF-DISCIPLINE and self-control? in the bedroom, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales told married couples during a prayer rally on Friday.

In his message to the Catholic flock during a gathering marking the 40th anniversary of Pope Paul VI?s Encyclical on the Regulation of Birth or Humanae Vitae, Rosales said the lack of discipline in the marital bed would rebound on other aspects of life.

Because life should be valued and its creation is a serious matter, ?there should be discipline and self-control? among couples, the prelate said in Filipino.

Couples who have the discipline to practice the Church-sanctioned natural family planning methods are ?in possession of true values of life? and tend to pass it on to their children. They also tend to be good citizens, he said.

?If there is discipline in the marital bed, then there is discipline in the streets, there is discipline in schools, there is discipline in the government,? Rosales added.

Humanae Vitae

The Catholic community, on Friday, held a massive gathering at the University of Santo Tomas parade grounds to reaffirm their commitment to Humanae Vitae, which prohibits artificial contraceptives on the grounds that it deliberately stops life, and to denounce a proposal in the House of Representatives that would create a national reproductive health policy.

The Catholic Church only approves of natural family planning methods, which entail close observation of the woman?s temperature and discharges to determine her fertile days. Couples who practice natural contraception methods avoid having sex when the woman is fertile.

In his message, the Manila archbishop said the Catholic Church would fight for the ?defenseless? fetus.

According to Rosales, anyone who halts the life of an unborn child can be likened to Herod, the king who ordered the massacre of infants after Christ was born.

?Wherever this happens, in the clinics, health centers, or hospitals, ending the life of a child inside a mother?s womb is a repeat of Herod?s massacre of the innocents ? and a Herod could be your neighbor,? he said.

Alarming growth

In opposition to the Catholic Church?s hard-line stance against contraceptives, an evangelical group yesterday said they would support artificial birth control methods because of the ?alarming growth of our population.?

?While the Bible tells mankind to multiply, it also has specific instructions for humanity to care and protect all of creation,? the board of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) said in a statement.

?About 5,800 babies are born daily ? One doesn?t have to be an economist to tally how much more food, water, shelter, medicine and other resources will be needed for their support. At the [present] growth rate, there will be 100 million Filipinos by 2013,? the group said.

To ignore this problem, would be a ?totally irresponsible? decision, the group said, given the high cost of living in the country.

?The present uncontrolled population growth over these many years have undeniably contributed to, and accelerated the poor getting poorer, and have led to thousands of abortions, unnecessary maternal deaths, thousands of abandoned children, increase of street dwellers, among other ills of society,? the PCEC said.

Scare tactics

The PCEC position on population is the exact opposite of the Catholic Church?s stance.

According to Church officials, the idea of a burgeoning population is a myth used to scare the public into supporting artificial contraceptives.

The PCEC stressed that ?it does not support abortion,? a crime in the Philippines, because it is tantamount to murder and against the teachings of the Bible.

However, the PCEC said it would support various birth control methods to prevent conception. Such action, according to the group, is not a sin, because no life has been harmed or has been created yet.

?Unborn babies, at whatever stage of pregnancy should be preserved and protected. Termination of this life is sinful and offensive to God,? the PCEC said.

Couples should decide

?Preventing pregnancy or conception is not abortion for no life has yet been conceived and there is nothing to be terminated,? the group stressed.

As such, the PCEC said they would support policies that ?will help control the population growth.?

Instead of banning artificial, nonabortive birth control methods from public health centers, the group said couples should be given comprehensive instructions, along with information on natural family methods.

The PCEC said couples should be given a wide array of birth control methods and the right to decide what is best for them.