About this Blog

After banging my head in frustration over the obsession everyone around me had with procreation, I went online to find a community of people who were more like me. I have met some fascinating people along the way, but I have also found that many in the childfree community are quite hostile toward Christianity and a Christian world view. I understand that, unfortunately, many of my Christian sisters and brothers have given them a lot of ammunition (undoubtedly, I have been guilty of this at times too). Not wanting to be perceived as "trolling" for expressing my Christian perspective on other people's forums and blogs, I use my own blog to share my musings on childfree life while at the same time expressing my faith.

My intention is to show support to childfree people, both Christian and non-Christian, but from my own Christian perspective. Questions and constructive comments are welcome; negativity and intolerance are not.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Nothing More Than Idolatry

For a lot of us Christians, there are many things in our lives that start to take priority over our relationship with Christ… money, career, material possessions, status, a significant other. On my bulletin board in my office, I have tacked a few lines from a dc Talk song:
The subtleties of darkness never cease to amaze
As a physical world creates a spiritual haze.
Blinded by distractions
Lost in matterless affairs
Reaching through the darkness
Trusting you will meet me there.
This serves as my reminder not to let the cares of my job (“matterless affairs”) cause me to lose my focus on Christ.

My observation of parents, Christian and non-Christian alike, is that their children are the primary focus of their life. I’m not saying that taking care of one’s children should not be a priority. Clearly, parents are instructed to lovingly raise their children with guidance and discipline (Eph. 6:4). However, I am bombarded with people claiming that they love their children more than anything else or that they focus on their children above all else, including above their spouse. I am bombarded by people acting as such, with the constant chatter about their children, the use of their child’s photo as their facebook profile picture, an unremitting barrage of photos and videos of the latest antics of their child… and a tremendous concern that all of the rest of us need to procreate.

For some reason, I would expect the Christian community to be different from the secular world, less nosy, less busy-body, less child-focused and more Christ-focused. We do still believe in the Great Commission, right? To go out into the world and preach to the people who already exist (not just to create new people who we can hopefully indoctrinate in order to build the numbers within the church)? I wondered if I must be the only one who was bothered by this, and then I ran across this scathing diatribe against the church’s treatment of children, family, and the childfree. (Be aware that the link is not friendly to children, so please don’t read the commentary if you are easily offended. While I don’t take quite as extreme a stance as the author, I think there are many good points in the writing. And for heaven’s sake, if you read the article and are offended, please don’t embarrass us all by sending hate mail to the author.)

The main idea I want to leave you with is that too many Christians are spending more time glorifying their children than they are spending worshipping Christ. All of this obsession with offspring seems nothing more than idolatry to me.

1 comment:

  1. My eyes are all into a strong light flash since I just got done reading that whole article in black. ;-) I don't agree with everything, although I do also think there are many good points.

    One thing that I also have noticed in many churches is that they are also very focused on teens and their talents. When I was a young adult in one church I went to for many years, I felt awfully left out, as well as I felt my talents were "over-looked" or ignored by them all. I was feeling deeply hurt. It was everything about the teens.

    Same way did a single friend of mine who was back then in his middle 30ties, he felt as he as well as his given talents weren't seen as important for the church. He too felt very hurt and left out. What one of the leaders of that church once said to me and and two friends of mine; "Our focuse is most on the teens."

    So, yes; Most churches focuses a lot on family activities, and on children. But there are also many churces who focuses a lot extra on teens as well.

    And then you have a group of people being either young adults, adults, or elders, of whom no longer are in need for growing more in what God has given to them. As one needs to focuse on the child or the teenager.

    It is of course fine focusing on children and teenagers, but who says that those who are older have nothing more to offer nor to use anymore? Everyone is created by God and everyone has got given different talents that will always be of great use, no matter how much you age. Everyone should have a chance to use what they have for worshipping God.

    And I do think churches focuses a bit too much on having a lot more activities in mind for only children and teenagers the most. I do think a church should be focused on and open for everyone of the church members, whether it is about their own growth in Christ or to participate/use their given talents in God.

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