Lightning:
I'm glad that you don't hope to change my perspective, I wouldn't allow it anyway, but these aren't problems with my view. They are conclusions made from years of prayer, study, observation, and reflection. Let me expand a little:
For the first part, I was referring to shortly AFTER the flood while God was making His unconditional covenant with Noah that even though every inclination of man's heart is evil, He won't destroy the world by flood again. The flood did not cleanse the world of sin, only most sinners at the time, so the natural man is still evil and at enmity with God because of sin. The Christian man is not free from sin either. We are free from its power, but not yet free from its presence or its consequences. All of creation groans because of sin, and while the majority will refuse to acknowledge its existence, it does exist, and it effects me deeply. Having a soft heart and great compassion for humanity, it causes me great deal of grief.
But even in such a world, God found Noah
Genesis 6:9 said:
Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
I always understood Genesis 8:21 to mean that God wouldn't destroy man, even if man returned to the state they were in when God destroyed the world the first time. To me it seemed that God's purpose in destroying all humanity, except Noah (who was righteous) was to destroy all of those who's hearts were only evil continually. As I read it in more detail, I still can't completely discard this idea, but it does appear that God may have indeed been saying that even after the purge, man's heart was still evil from birth. I'm not sure that I understand what you mean by sin affecting you deeply, but I will concede this point.
As for your second point: this is, of course, a conundrum. I can't nor can any finite mind grasp non-existence from my own perspective. It doesn't pertain to my statements though, so it's moot. I'm not saying that I hope that I hadn't been born or that others (my parents included) shouldn't have had kids or shouldn't want kids, only that I don't want kids. Do you suppose someone that doesn't have any desire to have kids would make a good parent? Of course not! Most people that do want kids don't make good parents and certainly don't have kids for the purpose of glorifying God. Sure, some people should procreate the species. After all, God did tell some people to, but He did not command everyone to do so. I won't second guess God's choice to have created humankind even though He knew everything that would happen to it. He did create us. I am not God. I do not have
His infinite wisdom, patience, power, and grace.
I wasn't trying to imply that you were saying that you hoped that you hadn't been born. My point was that it seems to be God's will for people to have children. God has used many children, and people who were once children to accomplish His will.
In response to your question, I certainly do not think someone that doesn't desire to have children would be a good parent. This is exactly my issue, though. As you previously quoted, every inclination of man's heart is evil from birth. By focussing so intently on YOUR desire, it seems that you are closing the door on God's heavenly desire. If
someone instead focused on God's desire, God promises to provide for them. As I stated in my first post, I don't know God's plan for your life. And I don't deny that there are some people who God plans to not have children.
There is no problem with claiming that others are selfish. It is a fact that all humans are selfish to some extent. Even in the case of unreciprocated goodwill, feeling good about doing something that might otherwise be selfless is in itself a benefit to which, even if we don't realize it consciously, we
strive, hence it becomes a selfish act. Our finite view of love is a good example, as is many people's real reason for having kids (whether they know it is insignificant).
It seems to me that you have now claimed that EVERY act is selfish, thereby making it completely insignificant that someone would have children for selfish reasons. Following your logic, people shouldn't do anything at all, because they are doing it for selfish reasons. Or rather, they should only do things that don't give them anything, not even a positive feeling. I can not subscribe to this idea.
Finally, God does have a plan for each of us, but it isn't the same for everyone. My lack of desire to have kids isn't fighting God's plan. Don't you suppose that it is God's plan for some of us to do other things with our lives than to raise children? I have pushed nobody away because of this issue, but I have
made my feelings on it clear in order to not waste anyone's time or cause any grief, like I said previously.
In my first post, I tried to make it clear that I am not claiming to know God's plan for your life. My issue is that it seems that you are not SEEKING God's desire. It seems that YOU desire not to have children. Could this desire be from God? Certainly, but from what you have explained, it seems much more likely that you are shutting God down. I hope you will consider this example.
Tom has grown up in a small town, dreaming of travelling the world. He is out visiting family for a week and is introduced to Jesus. He accepts Jesus into his heart. On his way home, he gets stuck in another town for a week. While there he meets a woman, this woman is a strong christian woman. They find that they are very compatible. As they continue talking, Tom shares his strong desire to travel the world. The woman explains that she looks around and see's so many unsaved people living nearby and her heart goes out to them. She couldn't possibly leave the area. Tom goes back home and for many years lives alone, now desiring a close friend or wife to help him share God with the people around him. His heartaches out of his loneliness
Say God desired for Tom to have a huge impact on this area of the world, and to do it with this woman. Tom's desire to travel the world has now pushed away this woman. If it's God's will, Tom can't avoid it, but perhaps if he had sought God's will in the first place, he could have avoided much heartache.
Biblically, I can think of two occasions (off the top of my head) where a similar situation has occurred. First, and most drastic, Jonah. God's will was clear in this case (it isn't always to us), and yet Jonah chose to follow his own desires. In the end God's will was done, but Jonah suffered much more than he would have if he had followed God's desire from the start. The second is with Balaam and his donkey(Numbers 22).
In conclusion, I still don't believe that I can change your world view, but not seeking God's will can lead to difficulties that are unnecessary; it's far better to discard personal desires in the search of God's desires. If you are completely confident that God desires you to not have children, then we are not at all opposed.
