Sperm banks & Religion

[Scotracer]

Not that I am an expert on such places (that outta sound like a convincing qualifier - I dodged that bullet...) but what is the general religious opinion of Sperm Banks? Apart from the issue of masturbation what else would make someone of faith be against them?

[Miles]

From the Florida Baptist Witness
by Don Walton*
Time for Truth Ministries

• If it doesn’t bother you to:
  
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  • To live in a country where children are not the product of their parents’ love, but of artificial insemination and vials of semen stored in sperm banks;
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  then feel free to vote “no� on Amendment 2.
  
  On the other hand, if you find all of the above as appalling as I do, then you better vote “yes� on Amendment 2 and get as many other voters to the polls to do likewise as you possibly can.
  
  
  *Don Walton is founder of Time for Truth Ministries and a full-time evangelist and conference speaker.
  
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And from the other side of the asile we have the Catholic view.

• . . . artificial insemination is not permitted with anonymous sperm, nor with sperm from near relatives _ consanguinity, nor from those related by marriage _ affinity. The next obvious choice would be from a known non-relative. This again is a union outside of Marriage and as stated above whether natural or artificial is forbidden by God.
  
  Last there may be an argument of artificial insemination between a husband and wife. This would not be an adulterous union and appears acceptable as long as no other moral laws are broken in the process. It is permissible for a couple to use the developments of human science and technology to assist them in the fulfilling of God's laws. For example the use of the "Rhythm method" is permissible when used for the intention of having children (not for preventing them _ unless there is a serious reason and one has the permission of his/her confessor.). "Therefore artificial insemination (in a wide sense) is not forbidden if by it we mean the use of artificial means either to facilitate the natural act, or enable the natural act, performed in a normal manner, to effect conception." ("Moral Theology" Jone 749)
  
  
  . . . there is a problem with artificial insemination (in the strict sense) that applies to this situation and all the others above. The problem is in how the sperm is to be collected. As far as is known pollution is the only feasible way of collecting sperm for artificial insemination. This is treated in Moral Theology under the category of "Pollution." Pollution is self-abuse or masturbation, and "direct voluntary pollution is always gravely sinful." "To promote a pollution intentionally is always gravely sinful even though it is done for other ends than sexual pleasure." ("Moral Theology" Jone 228) And if the only feasible way of obtaining sperm is immoral all that follows in the process becomes immoral. Remember that the end does not justify the means. Even though the end (the desire for children) is something good, it does not justify the means (the immoral procuring of sperm).
  
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