Are many couples having babies in order to be less zealous?

by trillaz 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  trillaz

  With some, you hear them say they don't want to raise children in this system... until they have children all of a sudden.

  I know of many couples who are not only on their first child but multiple ones. Or if they are newlywed, they soon

  have their first child. If they were really 'zealous' for fine forks, they would have considered all the stories about

  how familes have had to adjust and have less ministry time after having children....... Or maybe they did

  Does anyone else observe the same thing?

  When thinking about some newlyweds with new kids, I know these particular born-in sisters seemed ready to do more than just

  settle down with a mate, they want to settle down and, awwwwww, they have to take care of the babies this Saturday. Or go out

  in field service and are, awwwwwwww, only able to sit in the car with bambino.

  It's a cop out! Did they forget that armageddon was right around the corner?

  No, they were teen pioneers, went to Bethel, rejected all wordly things but were the most drawn to them. They

  seem to see marriage and kids as a small way out. Now they can finally rest... By being a full time parent and

  recycling it over again. God, I feel for the kids.
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  Broken Promises

  Either that, or the birth control didn't work.

  In either case, I don't think it's for us to judge. The maternal instinct can get very strong in women who previously didn't want kids.
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  meangirl

  Yes I do think alot do that. I know in fact one couple who invited us over for dinner. They had only been married a year and she was pregnant. We were all having a frank discussion about crap in the org and the husband basically said something like he told his wife when she had the baby it was her ticket to basically get out of having to sit through the meetings. It is a passive agressive technique. It is like "rebelling" but not in an outwardly way and a good excuse not to do "more" for the society.
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  trillaz

  Broken Promises, sorry if it came out as judgemental. Thats not the intent. Thats why I had the thumbs up. After all, if we play the standard cards dealt in the society "love for Jehovah should be more than a mothers maternal instinct". But these are ones who probably would never fade away, but this seems to be the least one can do to "rebell" as meangirl brought out. I also know of older couples whose children are beyond youth suddenly get another child.
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  Gayle

  Having my children is what helped me to start re-evaluating my JW life. One starts to reflect how they thenselves were raised and I found myself reviewing thousands of circumstances as a JW youth. When my children were so very little, I found I could not show the Armageddon pictures to my innocent children. I wanted them to love God and good not out of ugly fear. I found a conflict to teach them 'soon' they will ride and pet lions and tigers in the New World, as I was taught that but it did not happen. I realized I someday would have to answer to my children for their youth. I realized I had a lot of figuring out to do.

  In the full-time service, pioneering and Bethel, there was a spirit of leaving to have children was a cop out. If done right, or to our very best, it actually takes courage to have children and it takes sacrifice, 24/7, it is actually a full-time ministry, no less. However, there is full meaning with a full-circle experience. Now, I have grandchildren. Comments from my children like "how did you do it all?" and their comments about their youth, their fun, and their thankfulness that I got out of JWdom and that they all are grateful for their free minds and lives.
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  Finally-Free

  I knew a lot of pioneer™ couples who went 'off the list' to have kids. My ex said it's probably the only way for a pioneer™ to quit and still save face.

  W
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  mamalove

  I definitely loved having the excuse of the kids so I would not have to participate in things to the fullest extent. I admitted it freely too. Most people realized that but never said it, because they were doing it too!
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  james_woods

  I knew a lot of pioneer™ couples who went 'off the list' to have kids. My ex said it's probably the only way for a pioneer™ to quit and still save face.

  Not just to quit pioneering...also how to quit Bethel, how to quit being a Missionary, how to quit the Circuit Work, and so on...
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  Listener

  W 75 3/1

  At the same time, neither Jesus nor his apostles urged childlessness upon married Christians. What Jesus said at Matthew 24:19 was simply a prophetic statement of fact—not to urge first-century Christians to avoid having children, but for them not to delay flight from the doomed city when the sign of her destruction was seen. Much closer to the time of that destruction, the apostle Paul was still encouraging passionate “younger widows to marry, to bear children.”—1 Tim. 5:11-14.

  In view of these Scriptural points, it should be evident that the bearing of children has divine approval. Hence,itwouldbewrongforonetosubmittosterilizationorapproveofsterilizationofone’swifesimplybecauseonehasnoappreciationforGod’sgiftoftheprocreativepowers. What, however, of the situation where one’s wife has given birth to children but has had to do so through surgical operations, such as cesarean section? She may have had as many as three such operations and her physician may warn her that a further pregnancy could place her in serious danger of experiencing womb rupture, generally fatal to both the mother and the fetus. Would sterilization in such a case necessarily show disrespect for the divine gift of procreation?

  Are there articles that encourage married ones not to have children or is it unwritten and an idea that has been conjured up in order to get witnesses to do more field work?

  I am astounded at this way of thinking (not having children) and it wasn't around 30 plus years ago.

  Young children were always a good excuse for not attending meetings or going out in field service. The brother's lovingly permitted the sister's the use of a second room with a speaker connected in order for them to use when their children were rowdy.
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  trillaz

  Under the subheading "Single or Childless for a Noble Purpose"

  *** w08 4/15 pp. 19-20 par. 13 Marriage and Parenthood in This Time of the End ***
  13 In some parts of the world, yet another change in family life has occurred—numerous couples have decided to remain childless. Some do so for economic reasons; others do it because they want to be free to pursue a lucrative career. Among Christians, there are also couples who refrain from having children. However, they often do so to be freer to serve Jehovah. This does not mean that such couples do not enjoy a normal married life. They do. Still, they are willing to place Kingdom interests above some of the privileges that go with marriage. (1 Cor. 7:3-5) Some of those couples serve Jehovah and their brothers in the circuit and district work or at Bethel. Others serve as pioneers or as missionaries. Jehovah will not forget their work and the love they show for his name.—Heb. 6:10.

  That last sentence and scripture seem to sum up and imply that not having children to preach more means you love Jehovah because you made adjustments. If you have kids , ehh.