Have you read John Senior?

A friend not too long ago recommended his book, “The Restoration of Christian Culture,” and told me a little about his life and times at Kansas University. Really, a heroic life. 

The precursor to the recommended book was a much more somber “The Death of Christian Culture.” Both books were actually a series of lectures given, and later published. Anyway, I ordered them both, and am reading Death right now. It’s intellectually satisfying, poetically written and frighteningly prophetic. I’ve been told the second one is much better. Since this one is brilliant, I can’t wait to read the next.

A little sample relevant to our themes of natural family planning, love, life and children:

It is no accident that decadence leads to the hatred of children…

Conversely, he affirms:

This is the economy of the private enterprise of love: it generates. Love is fecund. Love is not only a means to an end, like a road, but is a kind of propulsion. It is like walking up an escalator, or swimming with the current–to beget children, to love children, to encourage their growth, to ease their sufferings, and to suffer oneself with them, even to our death.

He’s elucidating the relationship between the decline of Christian culture and the denigration of children, using the case of a mother who was acquitted of murdering her week old child because she was special needs and did not want her. Yet the courtroom erupted in cheers when the verdict was announced.

He goes on to debunk Thomas Malthus, the disproved 19th century economist who predicted that England’s population would outrun its food sources by 1850. (How are we doing, England?)

 As I’ve said elsewhere, children are not the problem; they are the answer. People are not walking carbon footprints, but potential solutions to contemporary problems. 

Every time a child is born, not just a mouth to feed is born, but hands and brains. [ A quote in Senior's book from Josue de Castro, a founder and director of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, and one of the five or six world-renowned men in the field of human population problems.]

Thank you for all the comments. Several of you have commented about my lack of response to the comments here, so here’s my comment:

Thank you for your sometimes and somewhat indignant concern.

It turns out I’ve been out of town, and much like many of you I’ve got other things on my plate other than writing edgy and controversial blog entries, much less answering each and every of the dozens of comments. I’ve been able to respond to a few, but otherwise have been occupied. Stay tuned for another entry that will attempt to respond to many of the comments posted on the Child-free Post from several weeks ago.

A couple notes for commentors on this blog, particularly for those on the “Childfree: Selfishness Incarnate, etc.” entry below:

 1) Dialogue guidelines. Here I’ll quote from  one of my favorite bloggers: A Note to Visitors:
“Please share your comments! Note, however, that civility is considered a higher good than First Amendment rights here. Incivility will be uncivilly suppressed. Welcome to Our Kingdom! Enjoy your stay. ”

Therefore any direct attacks on any one person, usage of f**k or similar words (or their thinly veiled abbreviations) will be deleted. I like and use profanity privately on certain occasions, but not in a civil discussion. If that’s a problem for you or you think it’s prudish or whatever, don’t comment here.

 2) I value your comments. Seriously, and not for any reverse psychology-I-love-you-because-I-hate-you-reasons. I spend my time around a lot of people who agree with me, so how does that stretch me? Hardly at all, which is why I like a place where I can agree to disagree and converse with people.

3) I’ve had a seriously crazy week, so I’ve not gotten a chance to comment and respond to some of the more  pointed questions, comments and rational responses. I really particularly want to comment on breast cancer, Natural Family Planning as being backwards, some of the intolerance and attacks on my God and my Church, and some people who shared some beautiful and very personal stuff, which I totally appreciate. And I will do this.