The Entreblog!

“You want to have how many kids?”

That’s the typical (and understandable) reaction I get from people when I tell them my wife and I would like to have 7 kids (or more, if we can). I admit, it is a lot of kids. And, with two kids now, I can’t fathom handling five more. Not to mention how expensive it is to raise kids.

Additionally, some people think the world is overcrowded and that bringing lots of kids into it is irresponsible. There are two problems with that:

1. The purpose of the Earth is to give God’s children a place to go through the mortal experience. The statement above counteracts that purpose.
2. The fact is, the Earth is not overcrowded. There are more than enough resources to go around, if they’re used and distributed efficiently. Did you know only 7% of the land in the US is developed?

And there are a number of reasons why we feel comfortable with having a big family.

First, we take it one kid at a time. It’s not a goal or something we absolutely have to have. We just want to have as many kids as we can support. Seven just happens to be our guess as to how many we can biologically have before time runs out.

Second, our family brings us more joy than anything else on the planet. I’m never happier than when we’re all together and that joy does not diminish with more kids (or at least from 1 to 2 kids).

Third, there are scale advantages (so we’re told). Once the first kid gets old enough to help with the second, we expect that things will get a little easier. Plus, we’ll already have all the clothes, beds, toys, etc., so it won’t be as expensive, initially.

Fourth, the purpose of this life is for us to become as much like God as possible. You know what God’s purpose of existence is? To have kids and help them become like Him:

“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

Immortality means living forever and eternal life means becoming like God and living like God lives. One way we can become like Him is to do His work, the most important part of which is to help “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” by bringing more of His spirits to Earth to go through the required mortal experience or by taking care of the kids who have already come to Earth who have been left behind by their parents here, for one reason or another.

And finally, a big reason I want to have lots of kids is this: when I see my two sons playing or pushing each other or crying or just sleeping in their cribs, the thought that there might be 2,3,4 or more other kids waiting to join our family fills me with love, excitement and anticipation.

And the thought of leaving them behind brings tears to my eyes.