Contraception has been deemed as a way to enjoy sex, but a lot of regressive radicals still believe that sex should be used only for procreation and not for pleasure.
Leading this list of orthodox thinkers is Turkey’s President Recep Tuyyip Erdogan, who in his speech, in Istanbul, said that no Muslim family should engage in birth control or family planning.
If that wasn’t enough to cement his counterrevolutionary stance, he put the responsibility on the “well-educated future mothers” to ensure the growth of Turkey’s population.
But, his statement is uncalled for and is wrong on so many levels.
EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG WITH HIS STATEMENT
- It is not backed up by Quran
The humankind has been known to interpret religious texts in their own selfish ways (of course, religion above all), which have mostly been unfair and backward.
Erdogan’s warning is not only anti-choice, but it also does not have any evidence in the Quran.
Though Quran does not directly mention contraception as a permissible method, but a lot of hadith (read: reports) indicate that only permanent methods are not allowed to be exercised, as Islam is strongly pro-family and regard children as a gift of god (and there goes his preaching).
- Regressive Approach
“We will multiply our descendants. They talk about population planning, birth control. No Muslim family can have such an approach. Nobody can interfere in God’s work. The first duty here belongs to mothers,” he said.
Needless to say, Erdogan’s AK party has roots in Islamism and many of his supporters are conservative Muslims.
Conservative Muslims are rooted in the old age belief that it is a woman’s duty to bear as many children as God gives her (yes, that’s right).
Erdogan, a conservative himself, satisfies his supporters (and aiming for more, clearly) by thinking on the same lines instead of thinking about the progress of the nation.
- What about the consequences?
First of all, being the President, Erdogan is an influential figure and thus, his comments should be measured and well thought of, which is evidently not the case. It’s pretty much like the foot-in-the-mouth technique.
When the whole world is concerned about the rising population level, he is preaching to suit his selfish motives.
What about the parents who aren’t that financially secure and cannot afford the expenses of an addition to the family? Does he promise jobs which will have to be created to accommodate a large number of people?
Of course the President has no assurance, he might not even be thinking about it.
- How will the “well-educated future mothers” reap the benefit of that education?
Erdogan is basically saying that a woman should disrupt her career for one baby, then another. If he recognises these women to be well-educated, could he not take their help in the betterment of the economy by availing their services in the workplace, rather than breed-ways?
But, no, for him breeding like a rabbit is the way to go.
P.S. He is the same man who in November 2014 said, “You cannot put women and men on an equal footing. It is against nature.” (Now everything makes sense!).
The choice of using contraceptives is, at the end of the day, an individual’s choice. I hope he does not influence a lot of people, because women’s health is at stake.
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