16 kids!!!!!!!!

[Caitlin89 0]

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Just another by-product of fucked up religious nut jobs.

Thank you! I've watched this show, and these people are absolutely insane. They follow and preach this 'quiverfull' nonsense. Essentially, quiverfull followers don't believe in birth control, as it's preventing 'His work'... Give me a break.

They wonder why they have a 1.6 lb baby in the NICU right now. The human body is not intended to birth 20 babies in a 20 year time span.

Disgusting.

[SpeedRacer 1]

is it too late to post this?

Speed Racer
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[wmw999 2,136]

They're into an alternative lifestyle. They're self-sufficient, their kids appear to be healthy and happy. It's not my choice, and it's not most people's choices, but dang. Live and let live.

I just feel superior to them because they're media whores and I"m not

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[GeorgiaDon 340]

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Essentially, quiverfull followers don't believe in birth control, as it's preventing 'His work'...

I think it goes beyond that even. Many religions don't allow birth control. the "quiverfull" sect has the deliberate strategy of churning out as many kids as possible, on the theory that in just a few generations they will outnumber the rest of us or at least have enough of a voting block to be able to "turn this country back to God". At least that was the very clear explanation I heard one of the quiverfull members give when they were interviewed on TV. All these kids are to be "arrows in God's quiver". So the plan is to breed a voting block to turn the US into a right-wing Christian theocracy. Which is kind of scary, I think.

Don

_____________________________________
Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996)
“Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats)

[Caitlin89 0]

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Essentially, quiverfull followers don't believe in birth control, as it's preventing 'His work'...

I think it goes beyond that even. Many religions don't allow birth control. the "quiverfull" sect has the deliberate strategy of churning out as many kids as possible, on the theory that in just a few generations they will outnumber the rest of us or at least have enough of a voting block to be able to "turn this country back to God". At least that was the very clear explanation I heard one of the quiverfull members give when they were interviewed on TV. All these kids are to be "arrows in God's quiver". So the plan is to breed a voting block to turn the US into a right-wing Christian theocracy. Which is kind of scary, I think.

Don

I've read that, yes (just didn't want to go into a full explanation of why I disagree so strongly with their lifestyle). It is also frightening, the emphasis they put on mothers and sisters being subservient to their sons and fathers.

People may argue that those children are happy, but I'm more inclined to call them indoctrinated. And on the political note, Jim Bob (the father) has made very clear his desire to hold a seat in the senate. I believe he ran, lost, and is planning to run again.

Scary

[riddler 0]

Direct cost vs. indirect cost.

On one hand, they are not taking welfare, which is unusual for a family that size. Good for them.

On the other hand, population growth is arguably the biggest environmental problem humans have. We are currently using the resources of 1.3 earths, so we are going to run out fast if we don't curb our appetites. Having 16 kids is really contributing to that problem. I wonder if anyone's done an ecological footprint by family size?

Anyway, as mere humans, we often don't see the indirect cost of our actions, but that doesn't make it less dangerous for our species.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[jclalor 12]

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their kids appear to be healthy and happy.

They "appear" to be healthy and happy yet the girls from a very young age are taught to be submisive to men, that their main goal in life is to produce as many children as possilble, heck they can't even wear pants. The boys are taught the same thing, that they are dominant over women, it's sick, it's wrong and it's child abuse.

[timmyfitz 0]

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We are currently using the resources of 1.3 earths

What? If we are using 1.3 times what we have, how do we have anything left? I guess you are going to have to explain what you meant to say.

[riddler 0]

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What? If we are using 1.3 times what we have, how do we have anything left? I guess you are going to have to explain what you meant to say.

Maybe this will explain it better:

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For 2005, humanity's total ecological footprint was estimated at 1.3 planet Earths - in other words, humanity uses ecological services 1.3 times as fast as Earth can renew them.

The reason that we can do this is because the resources of the Earth are described in renewable terms - we can use more than what is renewable in any given time period, but if we continue to do so, eventually, we will run out.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[champu 1]

For people squeamish about low child limits we could always make it... say... a baker's dozen. Problem is, that wouldn't really do anything. There are a lot more couples having 3-4 kids than there are having 20. 20 is just a drop in the bucket. Like most things you can make a worthless law that makes people feel better or you can make a law that accomplishes what you intend, pisses everyone off, and guarantees you won't get reelected. Who am I to complain really? I'm the youngest of three.

A person isn't just another mouth to feed, but 300 million people are 300 million mouths to feed, cars to power, miles of road to pave, healthcare to provide, phones to network, etc. etc. It's foolish to look down your nose at someone with perspective that tries to plan for the future of the human race while you fill a house with "Lord's miracles." It's also foolish to think people will ever give a shit about your plans for the human race.