Monday, July 24, 2006

Life Without Children

Sad news...
"Demographically, socially and culturally, the nation is shifting from a society of childrearing families to a society of child-free adults. The percentage of ouseholds with children has declined from half of all households in 1960 to less than one-third today, the lowest percentage in the nation's history," according to a study by the National Marriage Project (NMP) at Rutgers University.
This is a discouraging sign that our nation has rejected God's design for men and women, marriage and family.

Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
--Psalm 127

The article goes on to say that

...Many children sense they are not wanted and have major doubts whether they even want to get married. Only a third of teenagers agree with the proposition, "that most people will have fuller and happier lives if they choose legal marriage rather than staying single or just living with someone," according to the University of Michigan. Of course, the kids could not be more wrong. Many studies report married people are twice as likely to say they are "very happy" compared to those who are single. Compared to those who remain married, the never-married "have a reduction in wealth of 75 percent."

And 56 percent of teens wrongly think "having a child without being married is experimenting with a worthwhile lifestyle." Result: a sevenfold increase of babies born out of wedlock...

The author's summary could not be better stated:
America pays a price for exchanging selflessness for selfishness.