Is it a sin if a married couple decides to not have children?

Question

What if the whole world would decide to not have children? How would the human race survive?

(I'm asking this because i see so many times on this forum the completely insane argument that "homosexuality is bad because what if everyone was gay ? how on earth would the human race survive ?" )

Second question: Did God actually show Adam how to become fruitfull and multiply? Did he give Adam sexual education? Or did God already know, allknowing as he seems to be, that Artificial Insemination would be just a matter of time to get invented?)

Answer 1

I like the image of God sitting down with Adam to tell him the birds and the bees...

"Now, Adam, see these things I created for you under your fig leaves? If you two use them, you'll have children. They might kill each other, but still. This is how life works. Yes, son, I know that's not how you were born, but hey, you're special...

Mary is meant to be without sin, but she and Joseph never had children... Odd, that one... (note a question on that topic I asked earlier today)

Answer 2

No, it gives the planet a break. There are too many couples who feel that they have to keep producing kids. They are creating a burden on the planets resources and making the planet less livable. It is not likely that the entire human race would completely die off.
Well, homosexuality is not bad at all. The human race is like a virus, it would keep multiplying until it destroyed itself regardless of everyone being gay.

Your second question, that is something that you you research in your Bible. It really is not an important issue whether or not God showed Adam how to be fruitful and multiply. It is just a moot point.

Answer 3

Well, God did give us a commandment to be fruitful and multiply. So if the human race stopped, it'd be disobedience of God's command, which would be a sin. Not that that'd happen, though; they have a word for couples that decide not to have children: parents. Unless they decide to kill their children, which just opens up a whole new bag of "is it sin" worms.

Extreme hypothetical situations aren't really useful on either side - just so stories are why I can't take evolution seriously. =(

As for your second question, Adam and Eve were very intelligent. I'm sure they knew what to do. After all, they were given the instructions to be fruitful and multiply, the same as other created kinds. They'd know how to git-r-done.

Answer 4

1. To put aside the command to multiply and replenish is indeed a sin. The general authorities have reiterated that the command to Adam and Eve is still in force today. However, that doesn't mean to have as many as biology will allow. We also use inspiration to decide when to have our children. The choice to not have children exhibits pride and selfishness, puting ourselves and our personal desires in front of the Lord's wishes and desires for us. That is why we use inspiration, to know the Lord's will for us. 2. In-vitro fertilization or anonymous donors for reproduction is a personal choice to be used again under the influence of inspiration. If the couple is desirous of being parents, as we should be, and artificial means are the only possibility, then such a choice should be made by the couple and perhaps with priesthood counselling.

Answer 5

As an undergraduate I wrote a paper refuting Kant's categorical imperative that has parallels to your argument. I think it was more valuable than the gay-bashing version you have seen.

1) I (not really) wish to consume the earth's resources without regard for others. But Kant states that I can't do anything that I wouldn't allow to generalize to everyone.

2) On the premise that resources exceed the most ambitious desires of those currently alive, then the only restraint becomes future generations since they would have a valid claim on resources as well.

3) If we can all agree not to have children, and the technology does exist for mass sterilization... then the party is on!

4) Conclusion is that Kant's categorical imperative is flawed because it can support a path that few would consider reasonable. I spent a fair amount of time elaborating and defending the "reasonable" part of this argument.

Answer 6

No it is not a sin if a married couple decides by choice not to have children. It is their choice and theirs alone - their reasons are no one elses business. The human race would still survive just fine because not every couple would choose that as an option.

Well as for Adam and Eve, I think they just did what came naturally like we all do.

Answer 7

Well, I am not Christian but yes I think it is a sin to refuse something God has given you while others are striving to get it! Take some countries for example which are now running out of human resources because of their perspective of marriage and giving birth. About Adam and Eve, I think that sex is a matter of instinct.. The instinct that we were all born with. It simply needs no education! That's what I think, but maybe He did. Who knows but He?

Answer 8

No! It's not a sin to decide not to over populate this planet any further, to decide not to bring a child into world filled with hate, violence and misinterpretations.

Your argument about "what if everyone" is a red herring. It would never happen, so don't even try to assume.

Being a lesbian and a PARENT I can tell you right now, homosexuals DO AND CAN PROCREATE!
Please don't continue a bad argument.

Answer 9

It is not a sin, not to have children, maybe they are not ready to have any kids right now. as for the world not having kids, i don't think the world will think the way that couple does. Well if gay people want to have kids they can adopt them, there are couples out there who can't afford kids, and it would be really good for people who can't have kids, adopt so they then have a life of luxury... instead of having nothing....Peace be with you.

Answer 10

I am married and do not, and will not, have children. I don't like children. They are spawns of Satan. People can't seem to wrap their brains around the fact that I don't give a crap about their children, or their opinions on children. Why is it so hard to understand that I don't want children, my own or anyone else?