To the editor:

I don’t think contraceptives are the answer. I don’t think a legislative bill is the answer. I don’t think preaching is the answer.

I think fertility is a gift from God. First an awareness of this fertility and an understanding of the purpose of sexual intercourse is necessary. When I began to understand God’s purpose of the marital act to be procreative and unitive, then I could appreciate it.

Sexual intimacy can’t be just procreative, because people will feel used or forced. It can’t be just unitive because people will feel unloved: How many divorces are there? How many STDs are there? How many “unwanted pregnancies” are there? For true happiness, it must be both procreative and unitive. Then people will feel loved and not used. After you can appreciate that, discerning and then acting come next.

Donna Roush,

Lawrence