Home motherhood/family/parenting Child-Rearing: "A Sucker’s Game"??!!

Child-Rearing: "A Sucker’s Game"??!!

by Kelly Crawford

I’m sitting here at my computer, shaking my head, enraged at the article I just read. I’ve read other ones like it, but for whatever reason, today I am particularly troubled by it.

A reader, Out on a Limb, sent me this heart-sickening article. And while it is quite discouraging, in one sense, I think it should spark in us a renewed vigilance to spread a message of hope to this dark world.

You want to know why I get so “up in the air” about Christians preventing children? Because little by little, here is where we’ve come. First it’s OK to prevent children for one reason, then another, and before you know it, we’re discussing soul-filled humans like they are an accessory to an outfit! Not only that, but we’re about to be facing a total depletion of mankind and no one has made the connection yet!

The gist of the article is that basically, children cost too much. You can see the slippery slope all the way through…but at the end, the Bible echoes absolute truth: “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

Here are some quotes from the article. You can read the entire article through the link below.

“As more young folks like Zaker delay or don’t have children, birth rates in Japan, Russia, South Korea, all of Europe, and parts of Asia have fallen below the 2.1 children per woman needed for population growth. Many industrialized countries such as France have introduced or increased economic incentives such as tax breaks, longer maternity leaves, and cash bonuses to get women to have children.

These programs have had mixed results…. Now that “children no longer provide any economic benefit to their parents, but are rather costly impediments to material success, people well adapted to this new environment will tend not to reproduce,” Longman writes. “And many others who are not so successful will imitate them, and for good reason.” Families might choose to have only one child so they can afford to splurge on one while maintaining their own comforts of living (um, that would be me).”

Can you fathom the tragic irony…all the “intelligent, successful” people have decided not to reproduce! We love ourselves so much, that we refuse to make any more of us! When did we forget that a thriving nation of people started out as babies? Fully grown people don’t just spring up out of the ground! When the value of children in a culture is lost, prepare for the collapse of an entire civilization.

Bottom line…Joe and Mary Smith really don’t care what happens to our nation in a few generations. They won’t be here! So their choice to stop having children will only affect someone else. We’re that selfish.

Read entire article HERE:

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11 comments

Mrs. C November 14, 2007 - 3:14 pm

The Muslims don’t seem to have this problem. Guess which religion will dominate the globe if the trend keeps up?

Our children are to be like ARROWS in the hand of a warrior. There is a warlike aspect to that. The children are to go out into this world and conquer for Christ. We’re to send them out there as missionaries for GOD!

I would expect the “child-free” attitude from a non-Christian. But Christians are supposed to have God’s perspective on the issue. Why don’t we? Any thoughts?

Mrs. C

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Mrs. Taft November 14, 2007 - 3:18 pm

I saw a movie called “Idiocracy” that was based on the premise that all the smart, intelligent people stopped breeding so much if at all and all the stupid people overbred, and a bunch of years in the future, what happened. I don’t recommend the movie AT ALL. Language and inappropriate material. But I think it is a good depiction of what may honestly actually happen.

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Mrs. C November 14, 2007 - 3:27 pm

So… it’s smart not to have kids??

I’ve heard a sort of reverse of that argument before and it was called eugenics.

I’m not really sure that IQ is a reliable indicator of intelligence. Or education for that matter. There ARE a lot of stupid people out there but I guarantee you, they couldn’t manage a large family on a limited income unless they found some brains rather quickly.

No offense.

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Out on a Limb November 14, 2007 - 4:25 pm

Thanks for posting this Kelly! I thought this would make for a good blog discussion.

What makes me even more sad are the comments. On page two of the article there is a link to post comments. And these are the youth of today…the young, “smart” folks who forgo children for careers, power and money. Must be nice for them. These things are so temporary. They just have no idea what they’re missing. And we’re the dumb ones?

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Sheila November 14, 2007 - 4:53 pm

Kelly, and others, I must state the obvious here: It’s all about me. Even in Christendom, IT’S ABOUT ME. Everything we do/say/wear/etc. is filtered through the “how will it affect me or make me look” lens. Think about it. “God would never expect me to…” fill in the blank. Look at Jesus. He did NOTHING but that it would glorify the Father. May God help us to do His will.

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Anonymous November 14, 2007 - 5:09 pm

Boy, that was a disturbing article. When man rebels against God’s infinitely wise plan, he only brings destruction down on himself (and others). The costs cited in the article were ridiculous, too, as we frugal-minded people know.

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Carmen November 14, 2007 - 9:00 pm

I read that article…wow. I can honestly say, though, do we really want to encourage a bunch of “free thinking” liberals to procreate? I just want the freedom for us to to have the babies the Lord gives us and not be like an outcast. You would think that in Christian circles it wouldn’t be so odd to do as the Lord leads (with having more than 2.1 children). Let’s pray that God will open the eyes of other Christians so they will understand what a true blessing children are!

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Young Christian Woman November 15, 2007 - 7:48 am

I agree with Carmen. Why should I care if liberals and unbelievers choose to not have children (as opposed to killing their children)? Look how scared they are, sometimes, that some Christians are choosing to have big families. They can see the truth: we are going to take over by sheer numbers. The time will come.

God willing.

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Mrs. Anna T November 15, 2007 - 12:52 pm

“We love ourselves so much, that we refuse to make any more of us! When did we forget that a thriving nation of people started out as babies?”

“Child-free” is the most selfish and short-sighted movement I’ve heard of. Kelly, thanks for another great post.

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Anonymous November 21, 2007 - 9:06 am

Can I ask a question without being thought rude?
I have read several blog’s with people the same as yourself. Very large families and with the same beliefs that God it to decide how many children you should or should not have… BUT I have not heard anyone speak of the fact that some people just physically cannot have that many children. I have 2 children and I would love more, but with the difficulty of the two pregancies that I have carried it is not adviseable to have another. So my quesiton is, Is it your belief that I should just have more children and put my health at risk, there go the children that I already have would be without a mother?
I hope not to offend, but it is a question that I have been wondering about for some time.
Thanks for any enlightenment.
Sue

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Word Warrior November 21, 2007 - 9:32 am

Sue,

Your question is a common one, and we have addressed it here before in the past. I am grateful for your desire to have more children.

It is a VERY difficult issue…on the one hand, I know many cases where doctors have advised a women to stop having children for health reasons, she continued having children, and never had another problem. (In my opinion, doctors are quick to try to stop women from having more children…most of them, not all.)

I have personal friends who were deathly sick, or almost died from the first two pregnancies, had a tubal ligation, then years later had a reversal. Following pregnancies were perfectly normal.

By the same token, I know it must be terrifying, for wife and husband, if there are real health issues that seem to be jeopardizing mom’s health. And each case is different.

I am prone to say that if it is simply a matter of a difficult pregnancy, God gives grace, and the suffering a mother endures is temporary and small compared to the new life she sacrifices for.

I guess then I would urge you to consider God’s sovereignty, and trust Him, giving Him your petitions (wanting to have more children), and ask Him for guidance.

Ultimately these issues are ones a husband and wife must carefully and prayerfully consider, and give an answer for.

I don’t think I’m bold enough to say a couple should NEVER consider health complications, but I think all too often doctors capitalize them, and take drastic measures when they are not needed.

Complications with a past pregnancy does not indicate complications with the next…I just urge you to PRAY, and ask the Lord for direction, and trust His answer!

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