Why Do People Have Children? (page 3)

Highlander

Why do atheists have children? I don't believe for a second that there is anything but this one life. Is it acceptable for me to have a child that will be 'teased' with this one life that we have?

nvrgnbk

Atheists understand better than anyone the importance of having children.

zeroday

Is it acceptable for me to have a child that will be 'teased' with this one life that we have?

NO!!!!!!!

That's the same conclusion I keep coming to. Which really sucks since I've always loved kids and would like one of my own. So far I've got none and I think it's best to keep it that way. If I were to have a child, I believe it would be inconsistent with my personal views and beliefs.

nvrgnbk

If I were to have a child, I believe it would be inconsistent with my personal views and beliefs.

What are those, exactly?

Highlander

To put it simply, I don't think there is anything beyond this life that we have. And to raise a child for my own selfish reason of simply wanting a child is not fair. That child would then grow up, enjoying this very short life only to have it taken away after 70 or 80 years. No doubt my child, like myself, would be left wanting much more than a short life span, and there is no way I would raise them to believe in the myths of living forever in heaven or on earth.

nvrgnbk

That's why you should have a kid.

There is nothing more.

It's the noblest contribution to the world.

The wanting is wondrous.

Life is good.

zeroday

There is nothing more.
It's the noblest contribution to the world.
The wanting is wondrous.

My Mother must have missed that point...

Scully

So far I've got none and I think it's best to keep it that way. If I were to have a child, I believe it would be inconsistent with my personal views and beliefs.

There's always adoption... unless passing on your DNA is more important in your case. Or you could take an active role in the life of a child in your family too. Be a much loved uncle - the one that goes to ball games and helps them learn to play guitar or takes them fishing.

I've always loved kids and would like one of my own.

Isn't that ^^^^^ a personal view and belief of yours too?

What you are really saying is that you - the person - has a personal view and belief that is in conflict with another personal view and belief of yours.

If you love kids and would like to have one of your own, and you think you can do a good job of parenting that child, providing them with the necessities of life and a strong set of values and ethics, and preparing them for the kind of life that they want to achieve, then sure... why not?

Ultimately, it's your decision (and your partner's), but I hardly think it's fair to refer to the lifespan that humans have as a "tease". Some people accomplish a great deal in the amount of time they have - I think that exJWs tend to value our lifespan a great deal more than we did as JWs - after all, as JWs we believed we had all the time in the world - a thousand years! - ahead of us to do whatever we want, and that made it OK to squander the present on WTS interests in exchange for an everlasting future.

I'm just curious: Are you sure you aren't still looking at a normal human lifespan through a JW filter?

sass_my_frass

Mr Frass and I decided not to breed; Mr Frass gets bored with children and I think there are already too many humans. Exactly once a month my hormones make me yearn to bear a baby, but I consider that just an ancient evolutionary instinct to keep the genes passing on. I also think it's the reason people have children - we're all just animals. We might think we have control over our lives and our destiny, but we're just the biggest breeders with the smartest weapons.

Yeah I know I'm giving up one of the the biggest things in life, but that's okay, it gives us the time and space to pursue other big things. We've got about ten years to get on the adoption list if we change our minds.

Why Do People Have Children?

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