No Baby on Board
Jenny Staff Johnson
July 1, 2000
Which of these statements accurately describes parents?
A) Theologically speaking, they're obeying God's command to multiply and fill the earth. Socially speaking, they're overburdened keepers of the next generation's flame.
B) Theologically, they've simply made one valid choice among many, quite possibly just following the crowd. Socially, they tend to be self-centered introverts who expect others to subsidize their insular lifestyles.
Which describes voluntarily childless married couples?
A) Theologically, they are denying God's commandment to multiply and ignoring one of the main purposes for marriage. Socially, they're hedonistic pleasure seekers.
B) Theologically, they're taking Paul's advice to singles in a new direction, remaining childless for the sake of enhanced service to the kingdom. Socially, they are free to serve in the world in a way their friends with children aren't.
"'Why did you have children?' I have yet to meet a parent who can answer the question with anything other than a blank stare," writes one woman on the Web site of No Kidding, a social club for child-free adults-child-free being a term artfully designed to avoid the negative associations of childless. By contrast, writes the same woman, "I have met dozens of child-free people who have spent a lot of time reaching their decision not to reproduce." In a culture where it's often assumed that everyone becomes a parent eventually, many child-free adults say they've experienced significant pressure to change their minds. No Kidding founder Jerry Steinberg had to see three doctors before finding one who would perform a vasectomy on him at the age of 34.
The lifestyle can be lonely. "It's difficult when you get to be a certain age and all your friends have ...
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