AN EXPLOSION OF BABIES, PART 11

I was watching television a few nights ago, when Joy Behar came on. I've always liked her on the View, and I found her new show to be interesting. Her guests were a group of women who believed in what might be called Patriach families. In these families, the man is the Lord and Master. His wife is supposed to be submissive, come what may, especially in the bedroom, where she is supposed to "give in graciously" to his needs. If she has needs...or let's say, a lack of needs....this is to be ignored while she gives in graciously in her sweet, submissive way!

Most of these women are deeply religious and consider Birth Control to be a form of Abortion. They not only pop out babies with regularity, but most of them Home Schooled their children. Many of them also work, as well as taking care of their household duties, tutoring their children, and giving in to the Patriach whenever he so desires.

These women firmly believe that God has commanded them to live this way. They believe that having children one after the other is their ticket to paradise. They believe that God has commanded women to submit to their husbands and beget children, the more the better, until their bodies finally dry up the source.

I have to admit that I didn't understand or agree with the way they felt. It is the first time since the towers fell down on 9/11 that I felt like shouting at the television and tossing my shoes at this group of women. If a woman is no more or no less than a walking Womb, then why on earth did he give them brains? If procreation is the only thing expected of a woman in order to enjoy the pleasures of Heaven, then Hell may be full of independent gals who are doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientists and soldiers.

The world is filled with hungry children. We see pictures of them in Africa, their little bodies wasting away to a pile of bones, flies buzzing around their little faces as they die in the arms of their mothers. We also have millions of hungry children in the United States of America. So, while these mothers are popping out babies to add to the numbers in order to bask in paradise, other mothers are desperately trying to feed their families and keep their babies alive.

There are too many people in the world as it is. In China, they have a "One Baby" law, a law that would decimate a lot of these Patriach families and, if one believes what they say, it would keep a lot of women out of Heaven. The Chinese families who are restricted to one baby usually want that baby to be a boy, because boys can grow up and work and help feed the family, while a girl is only an encumbrance. So the orphanages are full of abandoned baby girls, with not enough families to adopt them.

When it comes to adoption, there are many, many problems. Most people want to adopt a newborn baby. Few people want to take on the problems that may come along with the adoption of an older child, the possibly troubled, belligerent child who could disrupt their lives, cost them money on counselors, doctors or psychiatrists, and take up their time in school conferences! Instead, it is better and easier, they believe, to adopt a blond-haired, blue-eyed infant. Some of them go to China or other foreign lands, but this doesn't make a dent in either the starving children of foreign lands or the abandoned baby girls in China. There are millions still waiting.

One could wonder why God would command women to have children in a world where children are crying for food. One would wonder why God would use children as a ticket to Heaven when little girls are being raped and killed by murderous bastards with rifles and knives, who march their vicious path through their country's poverty-stricken villages. One would wonder why God would consider a woman's life only worth the number of children she could bear, when intelligent women become excellent teachers, doctors, lawyers and other professionals.

Very frankly, I do not believe that God has made this his command. In fact, when the other disciples verbally attacked Mary Magdelene and called her a prostitute, Jesus stepped forward to correct them. He explained that he loved her as much as and even more than he loved the rest of the disciples. In other words, he was a Women's Rights Activist, because Mary Magdelene was not being submissive and obedient and having baskets of babies, but was walking at the side of the man she loved, as an equal.

I believe that the key to marital happiness is a shared sense of humor and equality. Without equality, there is one partner superior to the other and this leads to arguments and trouble. Without a sense of humor, one cannot get through life. A day without a hearty laugh is wasted.

Would I join these women in submitting and obeying any man? When Pigs fly! Would I believe that God commanded women to do little besides bear children? When the lion lies down with the lamb! We have too many problems between marital partners as it is. Marital abuse is rampant throughout our country, with women bearing the brunt of the bruises! To give a Patriarch-like position to an abusive mate is like giving him permission to bring out the cattle prod. How dare these women teach our young girls that their only purpose for being in this world is to have children! How dare them teach our young boys that they will grow up to be Lord and Master over the members of their household!

It is my belief that married people should share the remote, have the number of children they BOTH want to have, and try to survive with as little conflict as possible. Young or old, Gay or Straight, Black or White or any other hue, this is my recipe for happiness!