Marriage Without Children

[Faithword]

Marriage Without Children
As you know one of the purposes of marriage is reproduction of children.
However if a sister who is 45 years of age had children in the world
with a unmarried partner before she was saved. Then decided she wanted to
get married but didn't want any more children would God be against the
marriage.

If on the other hand if a virigin sister was raised in church and married
at the age of 45 but didn't want children because she didn't want to or
felt it was medically unsafe to do so. Would God be against the
marriage.

My last point is what if two young people in church say at the age of
21 got married but decided not to have children would they be guilty of sin.

Thank You for Your Attention

 

[ChristianCenturion]

There is a Christian only section for Christian only questions. You may wish to request the thread be moved there. IMO

http://www.christianforums.com/f459-christian-philosophy-ethics.html

 

[theeyesoftammyfaye]

Marriage Without Children
As you know one of the purposes of marriage is reproduction of children.

no, i don't know that one of the purposes of marriage is to produce children. i'm really not sure where that idea came from, but i've seen several people on CF espouse the same view. what about married couples who are unable to produce children because of medical/fertility issues? is their marriage somehow...not a 'true' marriage because they can't reproduce? of course not. it's just as valid as the marriage of any other couple. what about the marriage of a couple who feel that they don't have the time, money, or ability that is inherently necessary to the raising of a child? or the young couple (like you mentioned) who are only 21...i am only 24, and i do not feel that i am mature enough to take on the responsibility of caring for another person who would be TOTALLY dependent on me for their every need. maybe, one day, when i feel i am mature enough and am in a stable, commited relationship, i will adopt and raise a child, but i am in absolutely no position (financially/emotionally/stability-wise) to do it now. a 21 year old married couple may be in the exact same position, and i think it is LAUDABLE to defer having children until they are able to provide what is necessary for a child.

you don't have to be married to produce a child, and you don't have to produce a child to be married.

 

[ebia]

Marriage Without Children
As you know one of the purposes of marriage is reproduction of children.

I disagree with the premise, so I can really comment on what would follow from it.

 

[LemmingLord]

Marriage Without Children
As you know one of the purposes of marriage is reproduction of children.

Where does it say this in the bible? I'm not saying it doesn't; I'd really like to know some scripture on this.

From the new testament, I know that we are to either live a life of abstinence or get married and have sex only in the bonds of that relationship. One utilitarian reason why this might be good advice is to assure that children are cared for by at least two families; not only might an unmarried father skip out with less reprucussions; an unmarried mother and her daughter/son might likewise be scorned by the mother's family.

This all points to this supposition:
If you are going to have sex, get married.

It might also mean:
If you are going to have kids, get married.

It sounds to me like you are saying:
If you are getting married, you are committed to trying to have kids.

For that, I'd like to learn more. As far as I know, this is just a social tradition, not a commandment of god.

And as a point of "honor," I've never heard marriage vows to that affect "I John Bigstick, take this woman, Jane Muckinfuss, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others [and to impregnate to the best of my ability] for as long as we both shall live..."

I don't know though, weddings can be stressful, maybe I forgot that line; or maybe other weddings have these kinds of vows in them.

And speaking of wedding vows... "Forsaking all others" sure sounds like modern marriages run contrary to having kids.. But I have heard people say that modern marriages are not biblical.

 

[HeyHomie]

Married Christians are free to have children or not have children as they see fit, (provided they can support them, of course). Would God oppose a marriage between two people in their 60's (well past their child-bearing years) simply becuase no children could come from the marriage?

 

[outlaw]

Marriage Without Children
As you know one of the purposes of marriage is reproduction of children.

No I don’t know this, and neither do you. You prefer to believe it but belief does not necessarily make things so.

 

[Murmur]

As you know one of the purposes of marriage is reproduction of children.

No. I just had surgery to prevent that unfortunate incident, and I resent the notion that somebody else wants to tell me I am wrong.

 

[outlaw]

Married Christians are free to have children or not have children as they see fit, (provided they can support them, of course). Would God oppose a marriage between two people in their 60's (well past their child-bearing years) simply becuase no children could come from the marriage?

By the same token would God oppose the marriage of two people of the same gender simply because no children could come from the marriage?

 

[HeyHomie]

By the same token would God oppose the marriage of two people of the same gender simply because no children could come from the marriage?

Well since this thread isn't about gay marriage, what's the point of answering (or even asking) that question?

 

[outlaw]

Well since this thread isn't about gay marriage, what's the point of answering (or even asking) that question?

So are you suggesting you cannot answer it?

 

[LittleNipper]

I feel that GOD opposes any marriage that is based primarily on selfish motives...

 

[HeyHomie]

So are you suggesting you cannot answer it?

No, I'm telling you flat-out that I won't. You are hijacking this thread by asking about gay marriage, and I would be hijacking it further by answering your question about it.

 

[Faithword]

Thank You All for your points

1 Timothy 5:14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

Titus 2:4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,

1 Timothy 3:4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect.

New Testament scriptures do show it seems to be the norm when one marries especially when they are young that they have children.

1 Corinthians 7:36 NIV
If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married.

1 Corinthians 7:36 (King James Version)
But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

As for older women who marry. If they feel its medically unsafe to have children. Is this down to personal conviction? Or could they be limiting God who can bring forth a healthy child in old age?

If they don't have a desire to have children at certain age because they had children when they were younger. I would think it is down to their conviction in their relationship with God.

If a sister who as never had children married late in years but decided not to have children. Again I would think it is down to their conviction in their relationship with God.

As for young couples getting married and deciding not to have children. I would not judge them of being in sin or being selfish. Neither would I regard thier marriage less than those who have children.

The point of this discussion is to understand truth about these matters. So I welcome correction and further insight regarding these matters

Thank You for Your Attention

 

[Cheli]

I feel that GOD opposes any marriage that is based primarily on selfish motives...

What constitutes a selfish motive?

 

[Faithword]

no, i don't know that one of the purposes of marriage is to produce children. i'm really not sure where that idea came from, but i've seen several people on CF espouse the same view. what about married couples who are unable to produce children because of medical/fertility issues? is their marriage somehow...not a 'true' marriage because they can't reproduce? of course not. it's just as valid as the marriage of any other couple.

Thank You for those important points.

The point about marriage being one of the purposes to bring forth children does not mean their marriage is more true than those who can't reproduce.

Book of 1 Corinthians 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 7:3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

One other purpose of marriage between man and woman is to have a sexual relationship.However there may be someone in the marriage who is sexualy impotent and can't have a sexual relationship in the manner as described in 1 corinthians.

There may be some couples who later in life don't desire sex but love each other. Just because one of the purposes is to have a sexual relationship in marriage. That Does not mean the marriage is more true than those who don't have sex in their marriages, like the examples I made.

One of the purposes of having legs is to walk. Does this mean if someone is disabled who can't walk is less of human being? Of course not.

 

[ebia]

New Testament scriptures do show it seems to be the norm when one marries especially when they are young that they have children.

Of course they show it as the norm. It was the norm. Because no-one had any choice - birth control hadn't been invented.

One other purpose of marriage between man and woman is to have a sexual relationship.

I've not doubt that some people do marry for that reason, but (Paul not withstanding) it's about the worst reason imaginable for getting married.

The purpose of marriage is to provide lifelong support, love, and companionship to each other. Sex and/or children might (indeed frequently) go along with that, but neither should be the purpose of the marriage.

 

[Faithword]

I've not doubt that some people do marry for that reason, but (Paul not withstanding) it's about the worst reason imaginable for getting married.

The purpose of marriage is to provide lifelong support, love, and companionship to each other. Sex and/or children might (indeed frequently) go along with that, but neither should be the purpose of the marriage.[/QUOTE]

STEADY! Sex is only one of the purposes not the only single purpose. Your right that marriage is more than just sex.

 

[Nymphalidae]

Actually, the purpose of marriage is to confer special legal rights and benefits to the individuals involved. That's why you can get married in a courthouse.

 

[Lokisdottir]

No. I just had surgery to prevent that unfortunate incident, and I resent the notion that somebody else wants to tell me I am wrong.

Good for you! I hope the doctor didn't give you any trouble over it. Most doctors flat-out refuse to do tubals on women who aren't 30+ with three kids.

Which puts me in an unhappy position.