Don't you think it's unreasonable to have more than you can afford? Come on! Gas is $3 a gallon. Everything is expensive! No, they are not on welfare and he has a good job while she stays home.
2007-06-07 01:38:42 · 20 answers · asked by benandrew1970 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think that it has something to do with the Catholic Churches stance on contraception which has no Biblical backing that I am aware of. I agree it is irresponsible. It used to be a blessing when people worked on farms, and could feed them off the land, but times have changed.
2007-06-07 01:45:38 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 4⤋
Well I thought for some time it was becuase they hadn't mastered the non pharmaceutical birth control, the rhythm method. Many Catholics use natural family planning, but it seems in the same spirit as the pill or something, so I don't know why that would be acceptable to them.
I heard recently that some Christians still think we are commanded to be fruitful and multiply as Adam adn Noah were commanded. The difference is in those instances, God spoke to them directly and the world was empty being the first man and the first man after the flood, so it would make sense to me the command was for that time.
There's nothing in the Bible to encourage many or few or no children. There's even a passage encouraging staying single to devote onesself to God, if the person is able. Adam and Eve's example, though, shows marriage is God given and a blessing, as are children, though it isn't required, provided you don't fall to sexual immorality.
My personal opinion is I would love a large family. The Bible states that one who doesn't care for his family is worse than in infidel, so I want to be sure I have the means and use what God gives me wisely, which includes not having more children than I can handle, IMO. I would sacrifice a little eartly comfort(not the basics, but fancy cars and houses, etc-assuming I had them)-material things-for another kid in a heartbeat.
Your friend sounds like he's got things under control.
2007-06-07 01:47:56 · answer #2 · answered by tcdrtw 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I do not think it is unreasonable at all. If a family wants to have eight children, God bless them.
You said yourself, the family is not on welfare, he has a good job, mom stays at mom - it's fairly obvious this particular family can and does financially support eight children.
Look around, not every Catholic family has eight children. The number of children any couple has is entirely up to God. God blessed this particular family with eight children. A blessing is a good thing. Eight blessings is awesome.
Anyone with children knows how to make their financial situation work, in order to support more children. My wife is expecting my third. When I first found out about Number Three, I couldn't imagine financially supporting three, but there's this concept called "making it work:. You can do alot with that - and still live comfortably.
2007-06-07 01:57:39 · answer #3 · answered by Daver 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Why do you think it's just Catholics? I know several large evangelical Christian families. One of them has 10 children. They're doing just fine, everyone has enough to eat and clothes to wear, they have their own spaces in the home and aren't stacked like cordwood, and by and large they are the nicest and most well-adjusted kids I've ever been around. Oh, and they're also home-schooled. One just graduated and has colleges falling all over themselves to have her attend.
I find it interesting that people seem to want to impose some kind of arbitrary limit on others when it comes to the very personal decision of how many children to have. Three is a nice family, four is okay, but oh boy -- start having five or six or seven and someone starts making comments as if it affects them personally. My goodness, how can you afford all of them? "Don't they know what causes that, har har?" And don't they know the world is overpopulated? Horrors. These people must be crazy.
Hogwash and hypocrisy. The people who expound "a woman's right to choose" as the be-all and end-all (and we know what "choice" they're advocating) are the same ones who look down their noses at a woman's CHOICE to have a large family. It makes them uncomfortable, I suppose, when the choice is based on faith.
2007-06-07 02:18:04 · answer #4 · answered by Clare † 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Then what is the problem? I have not seen any Catholic couples having large families around where I live who could not afford them. God gives the means for what He sends. I consider myself a pretty serious Catholic but I have only two surviving sons. Does this make me less? I would have more but that is what God gave. We as Catholics see children as a blessing. That is called saying "YES" to LIFE.
2007-06-07 02:39:27 · answer #5 · answered by Debra M. Wishing Peace To All 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I don't see that the Bible places a limit on family size. I believe this is between the couple and God. Your friend does well, as they aren't on welfare and she gets to stay at home.
2007-06-07 01:43:12 · answer #6 · answered by RB 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Contraception other than abstinence or the sympto-thermal method is prohibited by the Catholic church, the belief being that people should not interfere with procreation but accept all children lovingly as a gift from God. I know one Catholic family who have adopted 7 children.
Why does the number of children they have bother you?
2007-06-07 01:42:58 · answer #7 · answered by Linda R 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
This is a huge cultural diversion from American thought. As Catholics we believe in submitting your whole self to God and to your spouse. Part of this submission to God is that you may not have selfish ambitions about whether God decides to give(or take life).
When you marry you are to be "open to children". Deciding how many and when and where is taking the place of God too much. We should not have lofty goals of living in the Burbs with all the accoutrement's of the "good life" as Christians and sacrifice our future children to that "God".
To use contraception is limiting our love for our spouse, and saying no to generously accepting God's little blessings, You are using sex as a selfish plaything. Children come naturally out of the expression of Love for each other of a husband and wife.
We do not "use" our spouse as a selfish sex toy.
2007-06-07 01:43:02 · answer #8 · answered by Makemeaspark 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
Hmmmm there's an old song by Hank Williams Jr. called "Mind Your Own Business"
I am Catholic and had 6 kids. My wife stayed home. We were fine. I don't care what other people think about it.
We had everything we needed.
2007-06-07 01:42:17 · answer #9 · answered by madbaldscotsman 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
while having kids is a lifestyle choice, many catholics use natural family planning as a means of birth control. depending on how it's implemented and/or who u talk to, it's not very effective.
2007-06-07 01:44:42 · answer #10 · answered by celticriver74 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋