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Edit: Before you downvote read the paragraph at the end please. True story: I didn’t want kids. I knew I was selfish and didn’t want to ruin kids. But one day

Edit: Before you downvote read the paragraph at the end please. True story: I didn’t want kids. I knew I was selfish and didn’t want to ruin kids. But one day I pondered Psalm 127:3-5. I reasoned that if God called children a blessing then who am I to call Him a liar? I’m glad I believed that promise. It’s not been what I feared at all. Those verses say: Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. (ESV) Hey downvoters: You don’t have to agree with my reasons. The OP asked why and I answered. Be a little open minded would you?

kbd 9y ago
Upvoted you. People here tend to be intolerant of any religious opinion. Edit: I'm a believer and desperately don't want children. Dunno whether this is an inconsistency in my faith or just how I'm built. This whole thread is a little maddening to me because I wish people would stop making new people, but everyone seems so happy doing it :)
- SlowBro 9y ago
  I also study Permaculture, which is a science of study of the environment. There is a paradox discussed in Permaculture: “The problem becomes the solution.” Applying that to the population numbers, we may actually not have /enough/ people. The problem of too many people becomes the solution: Get enough people acting rightly and many other problems get solved. Some Permaculturists believe the earth has the capacity for fifty billion people; it’s just that current resources are so poorly managed. We may not have enough people to solve so many of the world's pressing problems. The alternative is to treat people like weeds. But we need a path of love, not fear.
  - kbd 9y ago
    Fwiw, I didn't mean to imply that my wish that people stop making more people was due to fears of overpopulation. (We have so much empty space left! And new technologies to discover, and so on.) Rather, it's based on my own desire to not exist.
    - SlowBro 9y ago
      Oh, that was unexpected. The objections I’ve heard thus far have been about overpopulation. Tell me more about that.
      - kbd 9y ago
        It's ok, other powers at work here. The lady who I likely would be married to had I wanted children was into permaculture, so I take the unlikely turn of conversation as a little dig from Him. > Tell me more about that. Groaning at discussing personal stuff on HN, but here goes: I don't enjoy life or find it rewarding. I'd likely have killed myself a long time ago but don't because my life is not my own (bought with a price and so on). So how could I possibly want to create more people? I have many philosophical arguments against creating children as well, such as violating the agency of the unborn by forcing them into existence, or considering the generations of suffering and death (and damnation of some?) caused by creating children, who will have more children, ad infinitum. But none of that matters because God has a plan and it'll all make sense someday (after I die). So I (im?)patiently await that day.
        SlowBro 9y ago
        Feel free to ping me offline if you want to continue the conversation. You can even edit your comment and remove the personal stuff if you want :-) Address: Slow Bro 904 at Gmail.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
- khedoros1 9y ago
  (Assuming you're a certain kind of believer; otherwise, this isn't so helpful) In 1st Corinthians 7, Paul says that remaining abstinent and unmarried is desirable, but that sex within marriage is acceptable to control lust. It doesn't directly mention children, but it seems to imply that it isn't sinful to avoid them.
twiceaday 9y ago
Club that has existed for two thousand years encourages members to procreate and enroll the kids into the club. Seems obvious.
- SlowBro 9y ago
  Your opinion is noted. God bless!
  - twiceaday 9y ago
    Said club also encourages members to advertise in everyday speech.
bwb 9y ago
Upvoted for sharing it. But, I don't like the reason :). I've seen too many people who think kids are property that God has given them to rule over and that doesn't end with healthy kids usually.
- SlowBro 9y ago
  Thank you for the sensible upvote and I also agree that's bad.

kbd 9y ago

Upvoted you. People here tend to be intolerant of any religious opinion. Edit: I'm a believer and desperately don't want children. Dunno whether this is an inconsistency in my faith or just how I'm built. This whole thread is a little maddening to me because I wish people would stop making new people, but everyone seems so happy doing it :)

SlowBro 9y ago
I also study Permaculture, which is a science of study of the environment. There is a paradox discussed in Permaculture: “The problem becomes the solution.” Applying that to the population numbers, we may actually not have /enough/ people. The problem of too many people becomes the solution: Get enough people acting rightly and many other problems get solved. Some Permaculturists believe the earth has the capacity for fifty billion people; it’s just that current resources are so poorly managed. We may not have enough people to solve so many of the world's pressing problems. The alternative is to treat people like weeds. But we need a path of love, not fear.
- kbd 9y ago
  Fwiw, I didn't mean to imply that my wish that people stop making more people was due to fears of overpopulation. (We have so much empty space left! And new technologies to discover, and so on.) Rather, it's based on my own desire to not exist.
  - SlowBro 9y ago
    Oh, that was unexpected. The objections I’ve heard thus far have been about overpopulation. Tell me more about that.
    - kbd 9y ago
      It's ok, other powers at work here. The lady who I likely would be married to had I wanted children was into permaculture, so I take the unlikely turn of conversation as a little dig from Him. > Tell me more about that. Groaning at discussing personal stuff on HN, but here goes: I don't enjoy life or find it rewarding. I'd likely have killed myself a long time ago but don't because my life is not my own (bought with a price and so on). So how could I possibly want to create more people? I have many philosophical arguments against creating children as well, such as violating the agency of the unborn by forcing them into existence, or considering the generations of suffering and death (and damnation of some?) caused by creating children, who will have more children, ad infinitum. But none of that matters because God has a plan and it'll all make sense someday (after I die). So I (im?)patiently await that day.
      - SlowBro 9y ago
        Feel free to ping me offline if you want to continue the conversation. You can even edit your comment and remove the personal stuff if you want :-) Address: Slow Bro 904 at Gmail.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
khedoros1 9y ago
(Assuming you're a certain kind of believer; otherwise, this isn't so helpful) In 1st Corinthians 7, Paul says that remaining abstinent and unmarried is desirable, but that sex within marriage is acceptable to control lust. It doesn't directly mention children, but it seems to imply that it isn't sinful to avoid them.

twiceaday 9y ago

Club that has existed for two thousand years encourages members to procreate and enroll the kids into the club. Seems obvious.

SlowBro 9y ago
Your opinion is noted. God bless!
- twiceaday 9y ago
  Said club also encourages members to advertise in everyday speech.

bwb 9y ago

Upvoted for sharing it. But, I don't like the reason :). I've seen too many people who think kids are property that God has given them to rule over and that doesn't end with healthy kids usually.

SlowBro 9y ago
Thank you for the sensible upvote and I also agree that's bad.