Great article. As far as Mormon culture goes, the concept of eternal families reinforces this idea that children are needed for eternal happiness. But if we look at early sealing practice from the 1840s to 1880s, there were many people sealed to non-biological people. It seemed that the focus was more about building up "kingdom" or order of government in the celestial sphere. Not sure how much the concept of happiness was a factor. After Wilford Woodruff put an end to non-biological sealings, the "eternal family" phrasing became more prevalent and think it became attached to the promises of eternal joy that salvation/exaltation affords. Of course, doctrinally, this is bunk, but nonetheless has reinforced this idea that children are essential to happiness in this life.
I have five kids. As the video you shared said, absolutely they bring a lot of stress, frustration, and financial strain. But as Mormon doctrine also teaches, without opposition in all things, can you really have a focal point of what happiness even is?
So maybe the irony or the paradox is that you need all the strain and frustration of children to know a wider range of happiness in life? Maybe that strain and frustration can be experience in other ways, but there is something unique about children that makes it much more personal and possibly intense.
Great article. As far as Mormon culture goes, the concept of eternal families reinforces this idea that children are needed for eternal happiness. But if we look at early sealing practice from the 1840s to 1880s, there were many people sealed to non-biological people. It seemed that the focus was more about building up "kingdom" or order of government in the celestial sphere. Not sure how much the concept of happiness was a factor. After Wilford Woodruff put an end to non-biological sealings, the "eternal family" phrasing became more prevalent and think it became attached to the promises of eternal joy that salvation/exaltation affords. Of course, doctrinally, this is bunk, but nonetheless has reinforced this idea that children are essential to happiness in this life.
I have five kids. As the video you shared said, absolutely they bring a lot of stress, frustration, and financial strain. But as Mormon doctrine also teaches, without opposition in all things, can you really have a focal point of what happiness even is?
So maybe the irony or the paradox is that you need all the strain and frustration of children to know a wider range of happiness in life? Maybe that strain and frustration can be experience in other ways, but there is something unique about children that makes it much more personal and possibly intense.