Many, if not most parents feel that way, until they have children of their own. Parents have a natural affinity for their children. As a parent, I can attest to this. I wouldn't have understood it as well if I hadn't experienced it.
And with your frame of mind, there is this myopic 'go forth and have babies babies babies, even if you cannot support them.
If a couple is enduring economic hardship, they can refrain from intercourse, or use natural family planning.
One reason why they have 'throw aways' on the streets of some south american cities. The parents do just that within the dictates of the church. Reproduce reproduce, reproduce...and when they cannot afford or feed them? Throw them out on the street. Average life span: 18 years at most.
So would it be better for them not to have life at all?
If yes, then you would logically have to recommend death for these children.
I do NOT think God is going to be impressed with fecundity without personal responsibility.
You're precluding natural methods of birth control. But this is where the rubber hits the road, because even natural methods of birth control can be immoral if they're undertaken with a "contraceptive mentality," that is, children are rejected for selfish reasons.
Practitioners of natural method birth control are commonly called parents.
This planet does have limits: I do not see the Lord multiplying loaves and fishes anytime soon (especially the fishes: they are going to crash).
Children as a resource? Perhaps. But to depend on them for my wellbeing? Ha.
Ones own children cannot always be depended on to support the elderly parents.
I repeat, to dogmatically proclaim 'everyone must procreate' is just as reprehensible to say 'everyone must not procreate.'
I still pay school taxes to educate (or not) other peoples children. I pay other taxes to support ever burgeoning welfare queens. I pay social security (which I will never see). An economy that relies on an ever-expanding population is asking for trouble. I suggest you look up Malthus. He was not wrong, merely delayed by the industrial revolution and America.
Finally, maybe we can mass produce food from synthesized food stuff from maggots. (after all, the little buggers will grow in just about anything. Why should we have to put up with mediocrity in everything so we can crowbar ourselves into shrinking space? Cover everything with apartment houses, cover every square inch. Children are our resources.. for what..
'Many, if not most parents feel that way, until they have children of their own. Parents have a natural affinity for their children. As a parent, I can attest to this. I wouldn't have understood it as well if I hadn't experienced it.'"
Brilliant analysis. I personally don't have kids. I never thought I would have kids. Then my brother and his wife had their daughter who is two years old now. Even though it is my brother's child, I am amazed at how much I care for this precious little creature and how it has changed my opinion of what is a good society.
Part of the impetus for posting the controversial opinion (reply 1)is due to this little miracle.