The Tyranny of Childless Men

by r51785 12 Replies latest jw friends

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  r51785

  I came late to fatherhood. My daughter was born when I was 43 and my son when I was 47. Becoming a father has been the most profound experience of my life. Nothing has taught me more about the love of God than having children. It has turned an intellectual concept into reality.

  What do the leaders of the Catholic Church and the leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses have in common? They are childless men. How many on the governing body have had children? I am only aware of Mr. Schroeder. How many circut overseers and district overseers have children? In the last congregation I attended five out of six elders were childless. What of the members of the Bethel family? What of the historic leaders of the WT movement such as Russell and Rutherford? I understand that while Rutherford had a son, they were estranged.

  As one who was a childless man for a large portion of my adult life I feel that I can comment on the problem of leadership by childless men. Many childless men have little or no understanding about raising children. Perhaps that's why pedophilia is only a concern when it results in bad publicity. Maybe that is why the life of the child is expendable in the face a religion's traditional view of medical care.

  I believe that the man who remains childless throughout his life becomes self-centered. I believe that he has no true concept of the future because the future can only be realized through children. I believe that the childless man loses the opportunity to display kindness, patience and love on a daily basis.

  I believe that the man who remains childless never fully knows the kind of love that would cause a man to lay down his life for his children. In another words the childless man does not understand the love of God.

  Happy fathers day
  June 16, 2002
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  teenyuck

  Wow, very interesting......

  Gosh darn it, now I am going to have to think about having some.

  You do bring up excellent points!
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  Kep

  Very thought provoking.
  I too have started what I feel is late in having a family.
  But as a result I feel I have changed for the good.
  We've had c/o's who have been family men, and they were more appealing and had qualities that were endearing, others who were childress were indeed hardliners.
  Kep
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  Valis

  Maybe you should send that suggestion to the Governing Body...new cure for sickness pedophilia...encourage them to have kids! Your observations ignore the FACT that most pedophile/child abuse happens in families, not among those who are celibate. Being a pedophile has little to do with the things around him or her when they molest, but instead I maintain it is a mental defect and should be treated as such. Not ameliorated with the concept of repentance or the encouragement to be around children.

  Sincerely,

  District Overbeer
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  r51785

  Perhaps that's why pedophilia is only a concern when it results in bad publicity.

  Valis, I am not suggesting that childlessness is the cause of pedophilia but I am suggesting that childlessness could be the cause of a lack of concern/sensitivity to the problem.
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  ballistic

  You must not base your understanding of all "childless men" on your own personal experience. This is very flawed reasoning which is the same logic behind racism and sexism, etc.
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  ThiChi

  “In another words the childless man does not understand the love of God.”

  Very bold hypotheses. Jesus was childless and it is my current viewpoint he understood the “love of God.”

  Also, growing up without a Father (my "bio dad" had three kids with mom), my mentor was a childless man who does not fit your viewpoints and was more of a Father than my "Bio dad" ever was.

  Happy Fathers Day (non biological Fathers notwithstanding)
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  Francois

  r51785 - I couldn't agree with you more. I knew nothing about the love of a father until I became one; I couldn't conceive of a loving heavenly father because my biological father was a drunken, raving, self-centered asshole.

  But the instant my daughter was placed in my arms, I understood.

  And while Jesus may have himself been childless, I suspect he raised his orphaned brothers and sisters, gaining for himself the experience of fatherhood. Of course, since he was a perfect spirit creature prior to coming here, likely he knew all about the perfect love of God via direct experience. This requires more than superficial thought.

  Ever notice that the people who know MOST about how to raise children are always the people who don't have any?

  Francois
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  ballistic

  Francois, r51 was saying "I believe that the man who remains childless throughout his life becomes self-centered"
  where as you said "I couldn't agree with you more. I knew nothing about the love of a father until I became one;"
  Are you really agreeing with him or have you missed his point?

  In fact, r51's comment, "In another words the childless man does not understand the love of God." shows that having children has not given him any kind of true understanding, insight or wisdom whatsoever.
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  Marilyn

  I think you have hit upon a very interesting aspect of what is wrong with the WTS. Their lack of appreciation for the harm they are doing to thousands of people via shunning can be better understood by their childlessness. I agree that having children developes a kind of sensitivity that is almost unattainable without the process. I have often wondered how they could be so cruel, and today you have shed some light on that question for me.

  Marilhn