tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18631784.post7138509211147819826..comments2023-12-05T19:10:42.635-05:00Comments on Lutherans and Procreation: Dr. BessieErich Heidenreich, DDShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12819223688598369327noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18631784.post-27664872429788923742013-03-26T13:39:10.646-04:002013-03-26T13:39:10.646-04:00One thing that stood out to me in this account is ...One thing that stood out to me in this account is the anti-child mentality which Bessie and her family had as regards her orphaned nieces and nephews. Yes, for a time she took on the task of rearing her nieces, but her family thought it too great a burden to bear for her (and apparently for themselves) and thought the better course was placing them, or at least some of them, in an orphanage.<br /><br />I can think of several instances in my own family's history in which orphans were reared by extended family members. One stands out in particular. My paternal grandmother was one of nine children who reached adulthood (two others died before the age of three). After the birth of their third child (my grandmother), my great-grandmother's mother died, leaving three minor children, the half-siblings of my great-grandmother (whose own father had died when she was very young). My great-grandparents took in these three orphans and reared them to adulthood. My great-grandparents were not very well-off and I'm sure it was a burden, but they did not send off these orphans to an orphanage. Suddenly, they went from a household with three children to one with six. A lot of folks even then probably would have counseled that this was enough. Yet, they welcomed into the world eight more children of their own.<br /><br />Dr. Bessie and her family's reaction to the orphaned children of her brother illustrate that the contraceptive mentality already infected them before she became an advocate of contraception. That attitude is that the burden of rearing children outweighs the blessing. In the end, that is the attitude that forms the foundation of the contraceptive mentality and it is a direct rejection of God's word to the contrary, in which He declares that children are a blessing from Him and that those to whom He gives many children are particularly blessed. It is not surprising, then, that Dr. Bessie and her husband came to support contraception given that she and her family, at least, already held the attitude behind it.Diogeneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06981377002518910734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18631784.post-14985083551561812162013-03-23T15:06:26.127-04:002013-03-23T15:06:26.127-04:00Perhaps our biggest concern here should be choosin...Perhaps our biggest concern here should be choosing words in speaking about these issues in a way that treats other individuals with due respect.<br /><br />I think it would be more respectful to speak of these other things in life as perhaps making a mother "different" than she would be otherwise, and "different" from other mothers in this or that regard. "Different" doesn't necessarily mean "better" or "worse." In the same way, saying that something "affects" something else does not, in and of itself, necessarily mean that it makes something better or worse. It may, but a great deal of potential offense is avoided if language is chosen prudently.<br /><br />I feel the same way about describing a "person" with regard to their level of education. A liberal education may make a person "different" than they would be otherwise. There are potential benefits, but also potential detriments to everything in life, including the obtaining of a liberal education.<br /><br />However, it can very easily be heard as disrespect for those who do not have a liberal education, and also sound like a certain degree of arrogance, to speak of a liberal education making someone a "better person" than they would be otherwise. Such statements of being "better" can and do cause offense, even when no such offense is intended.<br /><br />There are certainly a lot of benefits to being wealthy or beautiful, but it is offensive and arrogant to say that these make one a "better person".Erich Heidenreich, DDShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12819223688598369327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18631784.post-88058354921062319312013-03-23T13:34:33.079-04:002013-03-23T13:34:33.079-04:00"Desserts", that is. ;-)"Desserts", that is. ;-)Erich Heidenreich, DDShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12819223688598369327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18631784.post-4196791733760953662013-03-23T13:31:55.017-04:002013-03-23T13:31:55.017-04:00To clarify, the other deserts are not forbidden fr...To clarify, the other deserts are not forbidden fruits. The "false dichotomy" language is not an accurate description of my argument. <br /><br />My position is more a matter of seeing all these things as distinct entities. They all may be of benefit to the woman, but I refuse to say that any of these other things make a woman a better mother. <br /><br />Motherhood is distinct from these other aspirations of women, though motherhood obviously may affect the other aspirations as much as the other aspirations may affect motherhood. These other things are not, however, necessarily mutually exclusive of Christian motherhood. <br /><br />I make no false dichotomy here and am not criticizing those women who have done more things than be mothers, and especially not those who have not been able to be mothers.Erich Heidenreich, DDShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12819223688598369327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18631784.post-68379448731525612102013-03-23T12:23:12.923-04:002013-03-23T12:23:12.923-04:00There are those who disagree with my cake analogy,...There are those who disagree with my cake analogy, claiming it is a false dichotomy to say that these other deserts are competitors to the wonderful cake of motherhood. They say:<br /><br />"The error of the feminist is to see these cake ingredients as separate and competing goods. Thus they hold motherhood in diminished regard. The error on the other side is effectively to buy the feminist view that these things, because they may be viewed as competitors with motherhood, are in fact merely competitors with motherhood and not potential ingredients to the cake that may make the mother even more 'sweet and delicious,' even more effective as wife, mother, homemaker, etc."<br /><br />I don't consider it a false dichotomy. I reject the earlier form of feminism, which is the same position put forth in the above quote where these are all seen as potential ingredients that enhance motherhood.<br /><br />I find it an offense to motherhood when it is said that these other things make a woman "even more effective as wife, mother, homemaker, etc." I also find it offensive when it is said that "going to college, earning a degree, and having some experience outside the home make someone a better wife and mother than she would have been otherwise."<br /><br />These sentiments I have heard many times from well-meaning friends directly imply that my own mother, my mother-in-law, to some degree my own wife, the majority of mothers throughout history, and the future mothers my own daughters will be, were and will be "worse" and "less effective" mothers than they could have been if they had engaged in these other things.<br /><br />If one thing is seen as "better" and "more effective", the other is necessarily "worse" and "less effective."Erich Heidenreich, DDShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12819223688598369327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18631784.post-89816353297363561022013-03-23T10:57:34.683-04:002013-03-23T10:57:34.683-04:00Thank you for bringing light to this issue. So man...Thank you for bringing light to this issue. So many (even confessional Lutheran) women that I know find absolutely nothing wrong with early feminism. <br /><br />It is the same thing as modern feminism, simply in its infancy! It was more mild, but it contains the same poison. People don't understand this. Which is not surprising, considering you can't publicly speak against the women's "civil rights" movement without being labeled crazy. Dalasnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18631784.post-7477669581688822762013-03-23T10:00:54.835-04:002013-03-23T10:00:54.835-04:00Addendum added later:
While these early feminis...Addendum added later: <br /><br />While these early feminists like Bessie Rehwinkel often still saw motherhood as the "crowning achievement" of a woman's life, it was more like the frosting on a cake that would be "humdrum with nothing else to look forward to" without the "cake" of all the other achievements a woman should enjoy before ever getting married, and continue doing after the banner of motherhood has been won with one, two, or at most three, children. Then she can stand proud in any group of women, silently despising all the lesser women who "never went to college."<br /><br />No, motherhood is not the frosting on the cake. It is the cake! - a cake that is so sweet and delicious it needs no frosting. Unfortunately, this leaves it less appealing to the eye. It also is known to bring pain and anguish. All the other achievements in a woman's life are like all the other dainty and tempting deserts at the table that can be sampled at a party. There's nothing necessarily wrong with these other deserts, per se, especially if the cake is not available at this or that time.<br /><br />However, after sampling these other deserts, a woman often does not have the appetite or the ability to recognize or fully enjoy what is actually the best cake on the table, or else she is already so full that she only takes a few bites before she can eat no more. Sometimes the party is over before she has a chance to try it. Many enjoy the other fine deserts so much that they refuse to consider that ugly looking cake that doesn't have any frosting, even going so far as spitting it in the trash if they unexpectedly find it in their mouths.Erich Heidenreich, DDShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12819223688598369327noreply@blogger.com