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Pope Francis said that couples who opt not to have children are being "selfish" as he spoke of a "greedy generation" that's choosing not to procreate. The pontiff's remarks come just weeks after he seemed to send a contradictory message, telling Catholics that they don't need to breed "like rabbits."
Speaking at his general audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, Francis talked on the joy of children and their importance in society, at one point reminiscing about his own mother.
I don't know how it is these days, but way back when my brother got married, a couple couldn't marry in the Catholic church unless they stated they planned to have children.
A drawback, though, was this approach could cause some people to lie, and others to have children when they didn't really want any.
But He did say plenty about marriage and it was between one man and one women for a lifetime commitment. It also includes children.
So having a few concubines like King David or handmaids like Abraham is out of the question?
So when people are married they MUST have children? What about a couple who are in their 60s? Should they have children or just not get married and live together? A couple in their 50s? What about a couple in their 40s who have 8 children between them? Must they have children? I do not remember reading where God said get married and have children. I do remember reading something about going forth and multiplying, but I am pretty sure that passage left out MARRIAGE...
As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
---GENESIS 9:7 amd GENESIS 8:17
Yep, no mention of MARRIAGE at all...just having SEX and making BABIES...
And again in GENESIS 35:11--
And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.
Just good old fashion SEX and BABY MAKING...
Saying that MARRIAGE is either IMPLIED or ASSUMED is NOT logical. One could very well imply it meant have 100 different partners to make the MULTIPLYING really mean anything..
And who presided over the MARRIAGE of Adam's children and whom did they marry? Their sisters? Their brothers?
Last edited by zthatzmanz28; 02-18-2015 at 02:13 PM..
Jesus saying "NOTHING" about a certain thing (technically called "the argument from silence") can be a tricky thing---as far as I know, He also said nothing at all about slavery or global warming, or equal opportunity employment, or a whole bunch of potentially interesting things) pro or con that is explicitly or otherwise recorded in scripture.
for that matter He made no explicit comment or command at all about writing any kind of BOOK (what we now call "the new testament) to his disciples (as well as no mention in the Gospels at all of Him writing anything at all Himself)----except something on the sand which while it may have been profound and edifying was NOT recorded when the woman taken in adultery was brought before him.
In fact, there is to the best of my poor knowledge nothing said at all in the Gospels or the Epistles about a "bible only" Christianity (the "search the scriptures" statement" Jesus made (and the "all scripture is good for..." by Paul for that matter) without a reasonable doubt at the time referred to the law and the prophets of the "old testament"). surprisingly or not the Bible does not mention it's own contents and there is no "approved" list of which books are "in" the Bible---in the Bible!!!
OTOH, the extant writings of scripture DO apparently say He "would build MY (His) church" and that the "gates of hell would not prevail against it" and certain of whose members (by the power of the Holy Spirit) would have the power to forgive AND "retain" sins (John 20:23), and that believers should accept the judgment of that church on disputes among themselves or be excluded from it's fellowship (Matt. 18:17)---go figure. OTOH, it's not completely unreasonable to at least make a case for the Church which Jesus founded being given guidance by the Holy Spirit to assemble, authenticate, protect, and proclaim all those various writings as the inspired word of God contained within the "Bible" generally and the New Testament especially concerning the teachings of Christ.
BUT, if we apply the GREATEST two commandments of all--LOVE GOD (who is said to have created the planet and people) and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, we would never have SLAVES, kill the planet via global warming, deny other employment based on any form of discrimination etc.
So by applying the TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS to any scenario, we will ALWAYS do what is right...now ask ourselves, how denying EQUALITY and GAY marriage uphold EITHER of the TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS?
He has, they are all the orphanages that are run by the religious. It all needs to be tended to and he has the daunting job to keep on top of it all.
The Pope did not adopt. He has people to keep on top of it all. Assistance galore at his service. A wave of his hand and every Cardinal and Bishop will be on the next plane.
Before he calls hard working people selfish, he should walk in their shoes. The man is wrong on this whole selfish thing.
the greatest commandments may indeed solve many questions BUT the interpretation and application of those has not yet (and maybe never will be) agreed on some would say that "loving" the sinner does not in any way mean accepting whatever sin they may be doing as o.k. and in no way forbids them to not tell the "sinner" that what they may be doing is indeed a sin and to stop it---Jesus didn't allow the woman caught in adultery to be stoned (as was the penalty in those days) BUT he told her bluntly to "sin no more".
apparently it was the practice of the early church to publicly "reprove" (expose) sinful acts (Ephesians 5:11) including acts of sexual immorality and to not associate with those who perform them (1 Corinthians 5:9). no doubt Christians need to show charity to all sinners (if nothing else because they should realize that we all are sinners in some way) and certainly they should not physically harm or allow to come to harm, or stop who they may regard as sinners from living their normal lives as they see fit. However, the Church also has a right to admonish, counsel, and if necessary separate from those of it's followers who no longer want to follow those counsels in how they live their Christian lives. once they leave the building so to speak those who are separated from the Church have a civil right to live safely and exercise such rights as they legitimately have. their true spiritual situation is always ultimately Gods call---just as it is with each of us in a Church or not in.
So having a few concubines like King David or handmaids like Abraham is out of the question?
So when people are married they MUST have children? What about a couple who are in their 60s? Should they have children or just not get married and live together? A couple in their 50s? What about a couple in their 40s who have 8 children between them? Must they have children? I do not remember reading where God said get married and have children. I do remember reading something about going forth and multiplying, but I am pretty sure that passage left out MARRIAGE...
As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it."
---GENESIS 9:7 amd GENESIS 8:17
Yep, no mention of MARRIAGE at all...just having SEX and making BABIES...
And again in GENESIS 35:11--
And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.
Just good old fashion SEX and BABY MAKING...
Saying that MARRIAGE is either IMPLIED or ASSUMED is NOT logical. One could very well imply it meant have 100 different partners to make the MULTIPLYING really mean anything..
And who presided over the MARRIAGE of Adam's children and whom did they marry? Their sisters? Their brothers?
Back at that time it was alright to have more than one wife, in NT times it wasn't. Even when you believe in evolution I bet many siblings married each other, how else could small groups survive. When it was known the children from that union had problems it was forbidden.
I don't know how it is these days, but way back when my brother got married, a couple couldn't marry in the Catholic church unless they stated they planned to have children.
A drawback, though, was this approach could cause some people to lie, and others to have children when they didn't really want any.
It's been a long time but if I remember right the vows we take at the alter say we are open to life and that means children. It's still up to the couple to decide though. If they lie God knows. God knows everything.
Pope Francis said that couples who opt not to have children are being "selfish" as he spoke of a "greedy generation" that's choosing not to procreate. The pontiff's remarks come just weeks after he seemed to send a contradictory message, telling Catholics that they don't need to breed "like rabbits."
Speaking at his general audience in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, Francis talked on the joy of children and their importance in society, at one point reminiscing about his own mother.
Uh oh! Frankie the Hippie Pope has said something to anger the left! *gasp!*
Pope Francis is not a hippie. He is not liberal. Where did you get that idea?
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