The March

Just got back from the March for Life this morning. I always find it hard to summarize the March by saying anything other than:

Huge.

As for further commentary, I'd simply be duplicating the efforts of (or failing to do as good of a job as) many, many others — two of whom being Thomas Peters, a.k.a. The American Papist, whom I met yesterday at the Blogs for Life conference (his extensive coverage of the March is centered here), and Jill Stanek.

Jill notes on her blog today that she, Bryan Kemper, Ruben Obregon, Eric Scheidler, Matt Yonke, and I had a "healthy debate on NFP" last night at the Dubliner.

Healthy, indeed. In the comments section, Jill clarified, "I do believe contraception is wrong, based on Scripture. But I think NFP is often used as a nonhormonal contraceptive. That's what we were discussing last night."

I told her we'll have her brought around in no time, and threw in a link to this post from this here weblog in which I wrote at length on contraception in the context of an online debate.

I know where she's coming from, as I once had a perspective on natural family planning that was not entirely unlike hers (i.e., what is often called providentialism). I'll also have to give her a few other recommendations for cogent reading on why NFP and contraception are not. The. Same. Thing.

As I say in the "About Me" section of this blog, "I enjoy a good discussion almost as much as I enjoy a good beer." Last night I had both — and at the same time, no less!

That's one of my favorite things about the March for Life — not only is it a shot in the arm for the pro-life movement, but it's also a great opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones, and, in the process, have some truly great conversations.