Does God approve of family planning?

All his life, Lawrence Chisambi, 36, has believed that Genesis 1:28 mandates him and other men to bear as many children as they can.

Coming from a poor family in Loti Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) M’mbelwa in Mzimba, Chisambi does not care how he will feed or clothe his children as long as he answers the creator’s call to “multiply and fill the world.”

“The Bible says we should multiply and conquer the world. As such, I need not worry about where my next food or that of my children will come because the rest is God’s business,” he argues.

Chisambi has been married to Maria Banda for five years now and the couple has three children.

They may have five children in the next 10 years if the two do not consider contraceptives.

Chisambi said the pastor at his local Chipangano Church does not approve of family planning methods, arguing they are satanic machinations to frustrate God’s plans.

“Our pastor encourages us to bear as many children as we can so that the church grows. I believe him because we haven’t conquered the world yet as the Bible demands.

“We are also told God will ask us about the number of children we had while on earth and that the more the children the more the likelihood of being forgiven of your sins,” he said.

But Benson Nkhoma Somba, projects manager for Galaxy Media Consultants, counters, saying in a world where resources are becoming scarce and the cost of living is rising at a scaring rate, it is advisable for families to consider contraceptives to avoid putting God into disrepute when parents fail their responsibilities on the children.

Nkhoma Somba, a sexual reproductive health communications expert and devout Christian, said planning needs to be at the core of every family to ensure there is a balance between resources and children.

“While God mandates us to multiply, we also need to look at our capacity to provide for children because the duty to bear them comes with a responsibility for us to care for them,” he said.

Nkhoma Somba said in most cases, childbearing exposes women to many risks such as birth complications that may lead to death. He said that is why families need to seriously consider spacing their children to save mothers from untimely deaths.

“Family planning reduces the risk of maternal death and disability by reducing a woman’s exposure to pregnancy, particularly unintended pregnancy.

“While every pregnancy poses some health risks, the risks are higher for women who are under the age of 18 or over 35, those that have babies too close together and have had many births,” he said.

Nkhoma Somba blamed the misinterpretation of the verse on a lack of understanding of the Bible.

He asked pastors and the media to work together in giving the correct interpretation of the Bible.

Pastor Gabriel Gondwe of Living Waters Church said it is imperative for clerics to consider the tone, context and timing of every verse in the Bible before interpreting it for believers to avoid confusing their members.

Gondwe argued that what is written on Genesis 1:28 does not apply to today’s generation.

“God was talking to two people who were his first human creation: man and a woman. In essence, what he was trying to say is: ‘with this couple, I have planted a seed, which I would want to multiply and conquer the world,’” he said.

Gondwe said he supports contraceptives that aim to control overpopulation.

“I always tell my congregants that God has given us the spirit of wisdom with which we can discern what is good and bad for us. We need the spirit of wisdom to guide us to do the right thing at the right time,” he said.