by ThomasCovenant 29 Replies latest jw friends
Hi
Many years ago a childless Witness couple said to me that they didn't want any children.
We discussed some of the pros and cons of having them and then they said that they could only think of selfish reasons for having them.
I found it hard to argue against that. Not selfish in a nasty way of course but for the benefit of the parents nonetheless.
They now have two children.
What are the unselfish reasons for wanting children?
Thanks
Thomas Covenant
Well the implication of what you are suggesting is that God put into us that selfishness. That His telling us to go forth and fill the earth was an extention of that selfishness he put into us. Having said that, it brought such great joy to me to have children and they were planned and brought forth with love.
Good thing we are selfish then, or as a race we would die off pretty quickly.
No children=no human race in a few decades. I am doing all of you a favor by keeping my genes in the pool. Be grateful.
heck no!........it is purely an ACCIDENTAL ACT!.....twice for me.......oompa
My mother and I have this conversation all the time but the other way round - Is not having children a selfish act. My brother and SIL do not want human children (their three beagles are their children) which my mother believes is totally selfish. I'm of the mind that if one does not want children, don't have them.
Josie
I think a lot more bad than good can come from having children for all concerned, especially the child. I agree with this book on the subject:
As for BTS:
I am doing all of you a favor by keeping my genes in the pool.
Seldom has a more moot point been make on the forum.
I have personally found it to be the most self-LESS thing I've ever done.
Yeah, I could be wealthier by not having my four but there would be a lot less joy. My kids drive me crazy but they make up for it by the laughter and joy they bring.
Josie
If your child is relatively healthy, suffers no great harm or abuse, does not grow up in a war zone and so on it might turn out okay.
But what if your child suffers intolerable pain? I don't know how I could ever say sorry for that.
By not coming into existence all that is certainly avoided. To deprive a potential person of the certainty of avoiding pain by bringing them into existence is selfish.
If we all agreed not to have children there would be none of us left in a hundred years or so. This would solve the problem of human suffering where God has failed.
