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KendraDZ1902
Guest
Everyone hears at children are blessings, but aren’t they just a natural consequence of having sex while fertile?
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mommy_k
Guest
One is not exclusive of the other. God designed people, and functions, and planned each and everyone of us.
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Lea101
Guest
I’m not a mom yet but…
My sister is definitely a blessing. She is the reason why I haven’t killed myself yet tbh. She is also the one keeping my dad strong and is a huge stress reliever to my brothers.
I haven’t experienced the whole “children are blessings” thing yet and I don’t see how I am one to my family etc but I could see why parents believe their cute little babies are. When they grow up however, then it’s a different thing maybe
A more logical (???) answer: it’s not that easy to get pregnant. We aren’t fertile all the time, and even when people have sex during the fertile period, they don’t necessarily get pregnant, and people who have sex during their infertile periods and use birth control etc can still end up with a child. Something about that makes me believe that we are “planned”.
But then again, with rape and all .I don’t know. But I guess God has a plan?
My sister is definitely a blessing. She is the reason why I haven’t killed myself yet tbh. She is also the one keeping my dad strong and is a huge stress reliever to my brothers.
I haven’t experienced the whole “children are blessings” thing yet and I don’t see how I am one to my family etc but I could see why parents believe their cute little babies are. When they grow up however, then it’s a different thing maybe
A more logical (???) answer: it’s not that easy to get pregnant. We aren’t fertile all the time, and even when people have sex during the fertile period, they don’t necessarily get pregnant, and people who have sex during their infertile periods and use birth control etc can still end up with a child. Something about that makes me believe that we are “planned”.
But then again, with rape and all .I don’t know. But I guess God has a plan?
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pensmama87
Guest
Yes, this.
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GEddie
Guest
It is a blessing to be humanly alive, and it is a blessing and privilege to have been one of the agents in providing the body!
Not everybody who “has sex” conceives, as we know from Sarah and Rachel in Scripture to those struggling with Church teaching on IVF, etc, to this day. Children are subject to the will of God.
ICXC NIKA
Not everybody who “has sex” conceives, as we know from Sarah and Rachel in Scripture to those struggling with Church teaching on IVF, etc, to this day. Children are subject to the will of God.
ICXC NIKA
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kptrs
Guest
I’m not quite sure what you’re asking. A lot of things are “natural consequences” of other things, all while being blessings. Eating healthy food yields the the natural consequence of not going hungry while having good health, and that is both a natural consequence and a blessing. It’s the same with children. Yes, children naturally result from having sex when fertile, and they are a blessing.
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Todd977
Guest
“The Church teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God - it is not ‘produced’ by the parents . . .” ( 366Catechism of the Catholic Church,)
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Tablefor9
Guest
You’ve gotten some great answers. I would add that Scripture is very plain that God is the one that “knits us together” and “knows us, from our mother’s womb”. We are not accidents, we are created by God, for Him, according to His purpose, for blessing. As the mom of 7, I will tell you that I was never “supposed” to be able to have children. Our first child was a miracle. We chose at that time to be generous with God; He has been most generous with us. These kids are the most FUN!
As a women’s health professional, I will tell you that the rates of secondary infertility have gone up quite a bit. There is no promise of pregnancy; that’s why IVF is such a temptation.
The problem is that our society does not value children as the blessings they are, but looks at them as burdens, poor options in the game of opportunity cost. Parents, and the church, and extended family, must do a better job of welcoming life. I’m afraid, though, that we value trips to Europe more than new babies to raise.
As a women’s health professional, I will tell you that the rates of secondary infertility have gone up quite a bit. There is no promise of pregnancy; that’s why IVF is such a temptation.
The problem is that our society does not value children as the blessings they are, but looks at them as burdens, poor options in the game of opportunity cost. Parents, and the church, and extended family, must do a better job of welcoming life. I’m afraid, though, that we value trips to Europe more than new babies to raise.
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Betuchan
Guest
Lea101 your comment regarding your sister being the reason you haven’t killed yourself yet is very concerning if you are feeling intrusive thoughts of death etc you need to speak with someone. Suicide is never the answer and it severs you from carrying out God’s plan and will for you. Whatever is wrong things can get better I assure you. Sending out my love and thoughts to you xx
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EtMiserereMei
Guest
This is so true.
I am a new father to a three month old baby, and I can absolutely say I’ve discovered why some people might be hesitant to have children: they’re a challenge to selfishness, they require self-control and self-denial, and they can be an impediment to absolute “freedom.”
Having said that, I welcome the challenges as opportunities to grow in holiness, and I can’t wait for my wife and I to have as many children as God wishes to bless us with.
… and of course children are a blessing from God, as are all good things. Are they a result of sex? Of course. But even the ability to do *that *is a gift from God.
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Neofight
Guest
Both fertility and blessings (both of which must come from God) are required for procreation, for both man and animal.
Genesis 1:27-28
God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and God said to them: Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that crawl on the earth.
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In GEN 1:20-25, he first blesses the creatures of the sea, and the birds of the air, before saying "be fruitful and multiply".
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jmjZelie
Guest
Children are both the fruit of fertile relations AND a blessing from God! The parents provide the material of conception, but God is the only Person who can infuse each baby with an immortal soul. And of course, as the parents and children live their family life together, the ways in which they are blessings become more apparent.
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Tablefor9
Guest
True. One can be truly selfish, or a good parent, but not both at the same time. Parenthood and marriage are the crucible of our lives, making us holy. This is how the vocation of marriage and family work, bringing us close to our Lord if we allow it.
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ADS1987
Guest
Children are a natural consequence of having sex while fertile. We are biologically designed that way.
Where the blessing comes is in several places. Just having the children in your lives and to be with them while they grow up and them be with you as you get old is a huge blessing. Many people getting married and are not able to have children even when they try numerous ways to get pregnant and are unable. It is a blessing that you and your spouse are both healthy and fertile. The timing of things is also a blessing. No matter how often you do have sex, the baby comes in God’s timing not ours.
I am in my late twenties and by most standards pretty successful in life so far. However, I have not had a lasting relationship yet and have not been close to marriage. Yet many of my friends have been married and now have children and others are engaged. I do not know why God planned things to be this way but the blessings in life are in God’s timing and not ours. When someone says children are a blessing, it can be said to be in that context. It is a blessing to have all the pieces of the puzzle come together for a marriage.
Not all children are born in marriage or are planned, of course. The blessing there comes with the amount of joy and companionship that a child brings. A child forces you into two possibilities. The way you want to go is to be a selfless, loving parent. If you choose to go down that path than you will always believe that the child was put in your life for a reason and the child will not be considered simply a burden from a mistake that should never have happened. Even in a not so good scenario in having a child, it can be a blessing to the parents if they react in the right way.
I know for myself, I dont know where I would be in life if it wasnt for my family and friends. If my parents stopped with me, there are many things I never would have experienced.
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holyrood
Guest
Yes, just as a glorious sunset is nothing more than the refraction of light through atmosphere.
…As someone else said, one does not rule out the other. Everything in this world can be boiled down to ‘just a natural consequence of…’ as science understands more and more.
Yet science does not rule out that it may have been God who ordained things to work that way…refracted light to cause incredible colors, or sex while fertile to lead to these new people whom we love with all our hearts and who change our world, our lives, our very selves.
Science does not say there aren’t blessings and wonders and growth and changes to be found in refracted light or children conceived while fertile.
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Graceful_Lamb
Guest
Yes, children are blessings.
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Giggly_Giraffe
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Convert_in_99
Guest
In short, yes.
But knowing the OP’s posting history, I believe that this is stemming from the OP’s infertility issues. She was not able to have children during her brief marriage, and they discovered that the OP had infertility issues and would most likely never be able to get pregnant.
Correct me if my hunch is wrong Kendra. I know that pain all too well, as I am also (living) childless. I did have one pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage, but no living children, and we won’t be able to adopt due to issues beyond our control.
. It SUCKS. Totally.It is so very hard to see others “blessed” time and time again when you aren’t also “blessed.” It makes you feel like you might be loved less by God, or you aren’t as special, or whathaveyou. It’s SOOOOOOOOO hard. And in the Catholic Church all the more so as Fertility is celebrated, promoted and encouraged, more so than with other faiths. Yes the gift of fertility is a blessing, as are children, but the lack of this gift or blessing can make you feel isolated, and at times even an outcast. Especially felt when rude Catholics ask you things such as “Don’t you know contraception is wrong?” And so forth. It pierces like a two edged sword. Hurts beyond measure. Not only can’t you have children, but now you are assumed to be sinning! It is just awful!
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Tablefor9
Guest
That is horrible.In short, yes.
But knowing the OP’s posting history, I believe that this is stemming from the OP’s infertility issues. She was not able to have children during her brief marriage, and they discovered that the OP had infertility issues and would most likely never be able to get pregnant.
Correct me if my hunch is wrong Kendra. I know that pain all too well, as I am also (living) childless. I did have one pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage, but no living children, and we won’t be able to adopt due to issues beyond our control.
It is so very hard to see others “blessed” time and time again when you aren’t also “blessed.” It makes you feel like you might be loved less by God, or you aren’t as special, or whathaveyou. It’s SOOOOOOOOO hard. And in the Catholic Church all the more so as Fertility is celebrated, promoted and encouraged, more so than with other faiths. Yes the gift of fertility is a blessing, as are children, but the lack of this gift or blessing can make you feel isolated, and at times even an outcast. Especially felt when rude Catholics ask you things such as “Don’t you know contraception is wrong?” And so forth. It pierces like a two edged sword. Hurts beyond measure. Not only can’t you have children, but now you are assumed to be sinning! It is just awful!
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KendraDZ1902
Guest
You’re awesome.In short, yes.
But knowing the OP’s posting history, I believe that this is stemming from the OP’s infertility issues. She was not able to have children during her brief marriage, and they discovered that the OP had infertility issues and would most likely never be able to get pregnant.
Correct me if my hunch is wrong Kendra. I know that pain all too well, as I am also (living) childless. I did have one pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage, but no living children, and we won’t be able to adopt due to issues beyond our control.
It is so very hard to see others “blessed” time and time again when you aren’t also “blessed.” It makes you feel like you might be loved less by God, or you aren’t as special, or whathaveyou. It’s SOOOOOOOOO hard. And in the Catholic Church all the more so as Fertility is celebrated, promoted and encouraged, more so than with other faiths. Yes the gift of fertility is a blessing, as are children, but the lack of this gift or blessing can make you feel isolated, and at times even an outcast. Especially felt when rude Catholics ask you things such as “Don’t you know contraception is wrong?” And so forth. It pierces like a two edged sword. Hurts beyond measure. Not only can’t you have children, but now you are assumed to be sinning! It is just awful!
I can see where it is miraculous. I just don’t see the blessing part and no one seems to be able to explain how exactly it is a blessing, just that it is. Idk.
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