Babies Are No Longer Considered A Blessing

Jewish Press ^ | March 8, 2006 | Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

[SJackson]

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[tbird5]

People always ask me why I have 5 children and I tell them I'm lucky!!

[alfa6]

People always ask me why I have 5 children and I tell them I'm lucky!

I would usually reply the we wanted six but had to stop at four because of medical reasons :-)

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[yodi VA]

I agree with most of the writer's conclusions. What he describes makes it even easier for people to rationalize abortion. For a society that says "for the children" it sure is a bunch a hooey!

[cajungirl]

I think only pretty cold cynical people think babies are not a blessing. What are people living for?

[Ronaldus Magnus]

Interesting article, especially so coming from a Jewish perspective. I've heard that Israelis aren't reproducing to their replacement value and that Jewish immigration is slowing. It would appear that this might be Israel's greatest longterm security threat. The previously-Christian Europeans seems destined to a similar fate.

[wouldntbprudent]

I've had this tagline for a while!

[mcar]

very nice article

[tbird5]

I think the public is nervous about large families because the tax payer has to foot the bill in many cases. Free health care, education, food stamps, day care, etc. I have 5 children yet it does take alot of money and time to raise them right. It seems those that can have many children don't and those that shouldn't have many children do.

[Aliska]

Well, I'm kind of licking some wounds (not from here), fools rush in where angels fear to tread sort of thing, actually got told the most horrible thing and name yet on the net, that'll fix me - not) so won't write at length about this subject. Suffice it to say our local talk radio had a 1/2 hour guest from a talk show in Oregon who said our country is getting overpopulated and we need to have none or one child, talked about China, India.

So I just *had* to call. I held my tongue about his being from liberal la la land on the left coast, but said my theme was two words, immigration and incongruous. We are supposed to tell our grandchildren not to have more than one child while our doors are wide open to the world. I don't think so. I got a little more in, told the host to let me go where I wanted to go with it, then he could go where he wanted to (he always does anyway). Basically he says people have those huge luxury homes I happened to mention because they could afford them. And he went on to elaborate that they are going to zip up the border with Mexico blah blah. Uh huh.

One lady called in after me and agreed with me and got even more vocal than I wanted to because I didn't want to come across as rascist. I just want a better future and shot for people who were already here.

Then a third lady called with her talking points written down. I couldn't understand her tiny voice very well, but one of the points was a moratorium on immigration, *all* of it.

So that's that. I hope they talk about it some more tomorrow.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

If it hadn't been for my three kids I might very well have ended up a bum. Having to live for someone else does wonders for your own life.

[Old Professer]

Mankind has always been its worst enemy.

[kstewskis]

People always ask me why I have 5 children and I tell them I'm lucky!!

Or, you can say that you like to hide the remote control from the other half! :o)

[Hardastarboard]

But if you dare bring a crying baby on board you will be given malicious looks, as if the little thing is a package that ticks.

Um, I paid a lot of money to be on that plane, I'm usually exhausted after working hard all week, and I am absolutely trapped in that sardine can with the elbows of the person next to me right in my ribs. Under those circumstances, I can get no relief from the crying baby, arguably one of the most annoying sounds on God's green earth (I'm sure by his design so that you can't ignore the helpless little things). You have NO complaint here sir.

I blame everything bad in our modern world on socialism (and I'm mostly right). Want to know why no one thinks babies are really a blessing any more? Because socialist policies in our country have made it so expensive to have children.

[ziggygrey]

There appears to be more than babies of concern in this article. The fact that there are 50 live births/1000 African people, but only 14 live births/1000 WHITE people is alarming to him.

So... some babies are more valuable than others?

But the dominant culture in this country doesn't really accomodate babies, children, old people, ugly people, poor people, sick people, disabled people... the ideal couple is 20-30-something, tall, beautiful, 6-figure salary, and free... (no kids, no ailing or elderly parents). It's a very material, consumer-oriented economy. We were even told to go shopping, go to Disneyland in response to the attacks on this country.. sacrifice? That's unAmerican! more credit cards! more debt! Live within your means... hell that's letting the terrorist win...

Oh...my mistake... live within your means..pay your bills..well by god, you ARE a terrorist...

http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=RAISEALARM-02-28-06

So, no surprise that many children are an affront to this culture.

However, I probably am one of those people who wince when a bably is screaming in a confined space. Their screaming is designed by nature to be hard to ignore.

[Deepest South]

People talk about getting "fixed" when what they are doing is getting broken.

I've a large family and have heard the litany of crude comments from complete strangers who have never spent a dime supporting me or my children yet they must express an opinion.

Now I'm older and bolder and when asked by inquisitors,

"have you figured out what's causing that?" (pregnancy) my reply is
"yes and I guess I'm better at it and more efficient than most other people"

[pandoraou812]

I had a baby at 41 and I had so many people telling me how crazy I was. My older children are now 26, 23,and 19. I had not planned this child and I think she is a gift from God. Now at 6 she is the joy of our lives. As far as apologizing for having your children I wouldnt. If you can afford them and give each the care he/she needs then I dont think its anyones business. I do resent the people who just have children to collect more welfare and really have no time or love for these children but you seem to have a it all together. I can relate to peoples stares and comments as years ago when I was pregnant with my 2rd son , had my other 2 children, my friend's twin babies in a double stroller in a store and the comments and rude stares were unreal. I just smiled and laughed but inside I was thinking people really are RUDE.

[imskylark]

I was belittled at a wedding. Not only did this lady ridicule me she had her group of friends laughing at me. I was pregnant with a baby on my hip. She thought I only had two. I was so hurt and embarrassed.

I had a friend who was at the store with her 5 children and some man yelled at her, 'how dare you have all those children to take up MY oxygen!' I'm serious. He said that to her.

[television is just wrong]

children are our future. without them, there is NO future. We will breed ourselves out of existance.