Suffering on Earth

[keepitreal]

My wife had a challenging childhood. Although from a Catholic family, she was told that children were a “blessing” from God in the sense of some type of “reward” for good works; of course the reverse, meaning, not being able to have children, is a “punishment” for being “bad”. Since, you see, she cannot have children, she believes she is a “bad” person that is being “punished” by God. Is this thinking correct Please help.

 

[spencer2]

if God punishes women in this sense then there would be no children born out of wedlock as this entails mortal sin and “bad behavior”

 

[stephe1987]

I believe infertility is a calling from God to look into adoption. There are many children who need homes. Why spend thousands on questionably-ethical fertility treatments, when there are children who are already here that need you to be their parents?

I understand that a person might want a child that looks like them, but maybe that is your plan for yourself, rather than God’s plan for you?

I have several adopted cousins, two adopted aunts, and an adopted uncle. Adoption is great.

 

[LilyM]

if God punishes women in this sense then there would be no children born out of wedlock as this entails mortal sin and “bad behavior”

Exactly. Or to married couples where one or other partner has affairs, since the cheating partner is also a bad person. Henry VIII, in spite of his well documented womanising, managed to have at least four children - two were legitimate, two illegitimate, so he disproves the theory on both counts.

Not to mention the couples like Abraham and Sarah, and Zechariah and Elizabeth, who were good people specially loved by God and righteous in His sight but barren for a very VERY long time.

And what about all those parents who have children but then neglect and abuse them horribly? They can hardly have all been good people beforehand (people don’t usually become child abusers overnight or anything)