[Apologetics] Nothing Between

[Stuart D. Gathman]

An old Protestant hymn (Charles A Tindley 1851-1933):

Nothing between my soul and the Saviour,
Naught of this world's delusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure,
Jesus is min; there's nothing between.

Chorus:
Nothing between my soul and the Saviour,
So that His blessed face may be seen:
Nothing preventing the least of His favor,
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

Nothing between like worldly pleasure;
Habits of life, though harmless they seem,
Must not my heart from Him ever sever,
He is my all, there's nothing between.

[Chorus]

Nothing between, like pride or station;
Self or friend shall not intervene;
Tho' it may cost me much tribulation,
I am resolved, there's nothing between.

[Chorus]

Nothing between, e'en many hard trials,
Tho' the whole world against me convene;
Watching with prayer and much self denial,
I'll triumph at last, with nothing between.

The Protestant argument for Natural Family Planning emphasizes the
aspect of "Children are a blessing from the Lord".  I think the
above hymn, applied to marriage as a picture of our relationship
with Christ, expresses the Catholic emphasis when defending NFP. 

I also note that beyond the physical barriers decried by NFP, there are
emotional barriers that need to be removed as well.  Just as we put up physical
barriers out of fear of children with the vulnerability to pain and
responsibility that they bring, we also put up emotional barriers out of fear
of the vulnerability to pain and responsibility that intimacy may bring.

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
    Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis" - background song for
a Microsoft sponsored "Where do you want to go from here?" commercial.