Should We Still "Be Fruitful and Multiply"?

[other one]

I was wondering if and when you were going to enter into this topic, other one! I knew you had planned on observing for a bit, before posting on it... What took you so long? LOL

---snip--

 

Shalom

David/BeauJangles

 

Beau,   I have not had the time to get too involved here lately.  A friend and I started a quest researching some new/old world order things and I've had my head in some really old books for the past month or so and before that we've been at the lake fishing for a  month or so working through a samsung smart phone......    not condusive to posting more than a sentence or two at the most.....   little buttons and large fingers are a problem. 

And add to that there is a very small number people that lately seem to hit my "shut your mouth before you say something neither of you will ever forget" buttons so I've let a lot of things go....

[Willa]

I find it most interesting that most of those who want a zillion kids are male. It is a sometimes a badge of virility for men to boast of a lot of kids.

Moms have to put up with the swollen bellies and pain of child bearing. We have to try to keep up with the little rascles as they take apart our homes and break the couches by jumping on them while we are preoccupied fixing meals. Then there are all the trials of broken bones and accidents involving stitches. Girls are full of drama and boys are full of pranks, especially involving water or disgusting things. Additionally is all the heartache and grief over the one that turns her back on God, and falls into sinful lifestyles.

There is nothing glamourous about being a parent.. It is one of the toughest jobs on earth. And if someone has the courage to multiply this beyond a few, well maybe it is foolishness instead.

That being said, every kid is worth all the blood, sweat and tears, much less the labor in prayer. They are not ours. They are on loan from the Lord.

Family size should depend on the health and wishes of the mother. I know two mothers that actually became mentally unballanced when they became pregnant. Against doctors' advice they continued to have children for religious reasons. One of them got a gun, killed her husband and all but 3 of her 8 children, then herself.

It was once common for women to die giving birth. Complications are not uncommon.

If the breadwinner is chronicly unemployed, they should not keep on having kids. I don't mean to offend anyone here, but if they cannot feed the children, they should not depend soley on tax dollars to do so, especially if they came illegally in the first place. " For even when we were with you we commanded you this: If anyone WILL not work, neither shall he eat." 2 Thess. 3:10. This does not include the infirm or those willing to work but can't find any. On the other hand neither should they keep on having kids while unable to work.

Sometimes enough is enough

Wow!! What a negative view of family life and children. I have to respectfully disagree with your painting with a very broad brush on the topic.

Most were not looking at this realisticly or from a woman's point of view. I have to disagree with the romantic fantisizing about parenting or giving birth. But I hardly consider it a negative view.

1. Some women are not healthy enough to bear children and it still can be dangerous. (I was a nurse)

2. some men or breadwinners cannot support a large family even with sacrificing the luxuries.

3. It is physicaly and emotionally exhausting to be a stay at home mom. (I used to plead with my pre school kids to take a nap so I could as well.)

4. I don't believe that a woman should be kept barefoot and pregnant. It takes a toll on the body of a woman, leaching the needs of the fetus from her bones. It should not be taken lightly by the husband -- the woman's health needs should also be considered.

5. We worked very hard at learning to be godly spouses and parents, to make a good home. The rewards have been most gratifiying. We enjoy both our sons and their families. Now we pray for them, grandkids and great grand child, and are involved in their lives to help out whenever possible when asked. We remain a very close family and love them all more than you can imagine. But it is all by God's grace that we/they are saved and serving God, or will be. Having done all, to stand---to stand and see the salvation of God.

6. The best part of family life is having God in our midst and helping us. His love binds us together. Being a godly parent is both the toughest and most rewarding job imaginable. It keeps us in prayer for wisdom and ability to do what is best for them.

Sorry if my worst case scenario of a woman who should have avoided pregnancy was too graphic for you. He was may dad's boss and I went to school with several cousins--knew them well. It was a tragedy that affected the whole community and could have been avoided with birth control.

[Sevenseas]

I am pretty sure there are enough people here already and I am also pretty sure that God will not allow one more to be born then what there is room for

 

huh?

[LetMeSowLove]

I one hundred percent, without a doubt, know that God is the Giver of Life. There is no authority, but through Him.

I was sixteen when I got pregnant with my son. Scared, I considered adoption and, yes, even abortion. How is a teenager supposed to be a mother? To have that type of responsibility imminently thrust upon her after just nine short months?

The father of my son, who is now my husband, told me that God had told Him that this child I was carrying was going to be the greatest blessing of each of our lives; that the baby growing in my womb was a boy - a boy we will call Elijah. With thanksgiving, and trepidation, in my heart I told my mother and father that I was keeping the baby. There were major adjustments to be made, and that time in my life almost seems like a blur. But I have my, now six year old, Elijah and my three year old Norah; when I look at them I know that it was God who orchestrated and ordained me to be their mother. I cannot deny the joy I feel when I think about having another child someday, I'm only waiting on God to say when. Remember, blessed is the man who has a quiver full of children! If God has blessed you, and will bless you with children - how could that ever be construed as something that shouldn't be done with zeal?!

Think about this also, humans are the only mammals that can "prevent" pregnancy, and choose when to have children. It is natural, and the only way of survival to all other mammals.

[Arka]

Europe is having all kinds of problems with Muslims. Not from violence but the natural citizens are being out bred and the Muslims are slowly taking over by sheer numbers.

Christians have been too concerned with fancy cars, big screen tvs and nice vacations. All things that you can't afford if large families.

We have lost focus of what is important.

 

I agree! But, I don't think that Europe's biggest problem is with Muslims outbreeding the Christians, but in Middle Easterners outbreeding the Europeans. Religion is an idea, and ideas outlast any person or nation of people; but the nations (ethnicities) that God created can die out permanently. I am concerned for them, especially the peoples of western Europe, because of their low birthrate compared to that of the foreigners.

 

One thing I learned from my dad (an accountant) is that consumption, as a percentage of income, is regressive; the more money a person makes, the lower of a percentage of it will be spent on food, utilities, and other basic needs. When we look at billionaires and millionaires, however, even though they can afford to have enormous families, most of them just don't. The number of children had by a typical family seems to increase the lower down on the income scale you go. I live in one of the nicer neighborhoods in my city, and my family has more children (4) than any of the others I know; most of them have two, and some have none. On the other hand, there are plenty of families with 3-5 children in the lower income areas. Having another child or two wouldn't noticeably affect the lifestyle anyone here. I just don't understand it. ><

[Arka]

"Should We Still Fruitful and Multiply?" Well right now, India and China among several other nations are very over populated.

 

It is my understanding both Mormon and Muslim desire highly numbered families for world wide religious domination. Last count, I think the Muslims have the current advantage.    

 

Should Indians and Chinese stop or limit their reproduction, since they're very overpopulated? Should people in countries with a ton of open land but a comparatively lower population, like Russia or Finland, be having more children on average than others?

 

In particular, I am concerned for white Americans, as their babies are becoming increasingly outnumbered by those of non-whites. I'm Hispanic, and I'm unsure of whether or not I should be having children since that would only make the demographic problem worse; Hispanics are, I think, the worst offenders in the U.S. for overpopulating right now. Should this factor into whether or not I have children, or if I do, how many?

[Arka]

I find it most interesting that most of those who want a zillion kids are male. It is a sometimes a badge of virility for men to boast of a lot of kids.

 

This is an interesting observation. I've never noticed this in my own experience; it's always been the women that are proud of having lots of children, and they're also the ones that want large families. I've only ever seen or heard of a few men that expressed a desire to have children, and none of them were married yet.

[gdemoss]

Yes! Be fruitful and multiply BUT let us focus more on the spiritual aspect of multipling ourselves. Ye must be born again

[Sevenseas]

I'm pretty sure God never used the word breeding when speaking to His human creation

 

going down the drain quicker than draino.....

[Guest Butero]

There is not really a command to have as many children as a person can, but I do believe that "be fruitful and multiply" still stands.  I don't personally believe in birth control, but there is nothing in the Bible that forbids it outright, so that would come under the heading of a personal conviction based on my belief that God does want us to have as many children as he chooses for us to have.  I basically look at it the same way the Dugger family does.  While I cannot say birth control is forbidden, and I cannot say we are commanded to have all the children we can, I don't know of any place in the Bible where God changed that original command, and the Bible does say that the man who has his quiver full is blessed, meaning a large family is a good thing.