Okay...what about this on the we need a quiver to fight the war. First of all, what about evangalism? Why not be evangalistic to people who already exist, to children that exist, and know that those seeds will be sewn, rather than growing your own. Look at Jesus-he had no birth children, and yet he converted millions! There are ways to convert others aside from having your Stepford children! Ewww, it makes me think of that movie where the people were sucked out by some bubbling spore and replaced by a robot! God has given everyone their freedom of will, biology isn't going to determine if your children will grow up to be warriors for Christ! I would like to think so, but just look in the index to your Bible or Concordance under "rebellion."
I do believe having a child or children is very important (if possible, there are infertile couples out there who are plenty spiritual) to seeing God's perspective as a father/mother/parent. It is when we love our children that we get a glimpse of what God went through watching Jesus die on the cross for a bunch of thankless sinners! I can't imagine, because I am not God, letting my baby boy suffer an iota for a load of poopy undeserving people! The magnitude of God's love for all of us is understood to a greater depth when we have children of our own--not to mention that we learn to forgive that way, too! Being a parent teaches SO much, and has SO many rewards, but it may not be something everyone is called to do or to do well. Obviously, look at all the kids in foster care! Certainly, I have met people who are better to their pets than their kids. I don't think these people should keep adding to their quiver!

I also look at the cultures where there is a lot of poverty and yet a spiritual belief that using birth control is wrong. These people can't take care of their children. They already have several. They should STOP having babies they can't take care of, and it is wrong to tell them they are sinning if they stop. Mexico and Central America are good examples of people stuck in poverty who will remain that way because they continue to have and try to support children they can't. These children will grow up in muddy tin shacks (if lucky) and perpetuate the cycle of poverty and misery that their parents and church adovocate. I don't believe this is what God meant when He said to go out and multiply. I also don't believe women in Africa with Aides should continue to have babies destined to die of the disease.

I'm not talking about abortion. I'm talking about prevention of pregnancy through birth control or sterilization. And, I'm talking about people, women, who don't want any more children to care for or they can't take care of them.


Sex as pleasure. A basic question...why did God give women the girl parts to experience orgasm if not to give pleasure? I know that is indelicate, but that is the question I ask. I do believe God meant for it to be pleasureable, just as God gave us taste-buds and chocolate! Again, we eat junk food or candy that has NO redeeming nutritional value, but we aren't in sin because we indulge in it! If we are gluttons certainly there will be consequences to our health. I don't think God minds if we have sweets or a really good cup of coffee; it is part of enjoying our physicality that He gave us. I also don't think that God minds if we have sex in marriage without planning on making a baby. God provided all of the emotional baggage of sex/making love, because He meant for it to be more than a really good foot rub. It is the emotional wham! that unites two people as one; it is also part of the family building process. An infertile couple who make love are not in sin because they express their intimate love for one another without having a child as a result. Intimacy between two married people, expressed through making love, is part of God's plan on uniting a man and a woman so that they cleave to one another. I believe that God invested us with so much emotion and passion around intimacy to bond men and women together.

Does God want us to have children? Clearly, yes. But we are also to be good stewards of what we have and to allow God to bless us materially. I don't think we should point the finger at Christians who have a nice home, car, and two children, if that is what they choose to do. Perhaps they have other talents and gifts and areas of service that they could not use for fifteen years if they had more than one or two kids. I don't believe it is for anyone else to judge, I really don't.

I think I've made myself very clear on the abortion stance. I believe that it is destroying a life that is totally unique--I believe if women choose to continue their pregnancy that God will bless them, if they don't they will face terrible guilt, not to mention spiritual consequences (often physical as well). I also have compassion on most of the women I know who have had abortions; some I have not had compassion for and had to pray for God to help me not to become bitter--there is a woman I know who got pregnant (married, well off, other children) right around the time of her vacation, decided it was inconvenient so she aborted, and then got pregnant the following month after the vacation when it was more convenient....I digress...nope, I still don't like her or forgive her...God's gonna have to work on me....ANYWAY, if a couple decide to have a nuclear family or no kids at all, that is their choice. I don't think it is for us to judge why a Christian couple may choose not to have children--who knows! Maybe they can't, or maybe someone has health or psychological problems you are unawareof, there are a myriad of reasons why they may not have kids. It isn't for us to judge or get into a quiver competition!

Personally, I have four children and I'd love to have the time and finances for more! Eventually, I'm sure I'll adopt again and do foster care in the meantime. I love kids; I used to have an arrogant attitude toward friends who didn't want to have any; I couldn't understand it, and thought they were selfish. And yet, there are so many unwanted children on this earth already, why add to it? If they don't want kids it isn't like they are the last people left on earth the repopulate! Obviously not all people can handle a quiver of kids or particularly enjoy having children and all the chaos that comes with it! Six kids? I have four and I tell you, the notion of "control" goes out the window! I gave up being on time, having my home immaculate, and making four course meals every night! Some people don't want to give those things up. Okay, maybe God has a plan for them to serve elsewhere.


You get away from the central fact that biology and freedom of will determine pregnancy. Yes, God blesses us...but why would God "bless" a woman He knows will abort? What purpose does God have for a baby born with AIDS? Destined to die in a slop heap in India? I'm not suggesting that women abort. I'm suggesting that birth control is a responsible way that children are not concieved (think of all the eggs women have! Every time a woman has a period is she to say, "Darn! There's another quiver down the drain?!") into impoverished situations where the parents don't have the resources to care for them.


There are women who are infertile who are wonderful Christians, there are women who will always abort (I had a woman tell me she'd had eight abortions!) and yet their biology determines if they get pregnant or not. I do believe God can create miracles, but I also believe that we get what we get and God will show us how to use it or how not to use it. We all can serve God in a multitude of ways beyond having piles of kids. There are kids out there needing parents who already exist. I admire couples who use birth control and adopt children who are alive and needing a family. This shows me that they are having children not out of ego fulfillment, but because they want to raise children. All children come from God and we are all stewards of the earth we live on. Let's fill our quiver with parentless children! We don't need to repopulate the earth; we can evangalize, foster, and adopt if we want to ensure there are warriors for Christ in the ranks behind us.