Comments on: Adolescent nation http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/ A forum for discussion of news that arises at the intersection of Christianity and culture. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:19:33 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: chalzz http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-325910 chalzz Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:44:51 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/#comment-325910 As a single adult male well beyond the traditional years of getting married, I understand the opportunity that exists to live a shallow, self absorbed, "what's in it for me" lifestyle. And indeed I can be prone to that at times. But this position in life also affords me the opportunity to serve freely those that God puts before me. It allows me to pursue the Godly passions of my heart as my spirit seeks to complete the good works prepared for me. I have found great joy in serving God as I serve others. However, God's design for most of us is to get married and raise children otherwise the cumulative population of the history of the earth would have been two. I cannot imagine God would design marriage and family as the most miserable of undertakings to endure while living this portion of our existence on earth. Indeed not, it must certainly be one of the greatest if not the greatest joys God allows us to experience beyond our conversion to Christ. For me, the thought of having a child is scary for a lot of reasons. And admittedly, I foresee letting go of all the activities I love to participate in including blogging. As the author of this article stated, and I can attest personally to the statement, for those on the outside looking in, having a child means releasing oneself from the "Culture of Me". And for some of us, that is not an easy prospective to accept. As a single adult male well beyond the traditional years of getting married, I understand the opportunity that exists to live a shallow, self absorbed, “what’s in it for me” lifestyle. And indeed I can be prone to that at times.

But this position in life also affords me the opportunity to serve freely those that God puts before me. It allows me to pursue the Godly passions of my heart as my spirit seeks to complete the good works prepared for me. I have found great joy in serving God as I serve others.

However, God’s design for most of us is to get married and raise children otherwise the cumulative population of the history of the earth would have been two.

I cannot imagine God would design marriage and family as the most miserable of undertakings to endure while living this portion of our existence on earth. Indeed not, it must certainly be one of the greatest if not the greatest joys God allows us to experience beyond our conversion to Christ.

For me, the thought of having a child is scary for a lot of reasons. And admittedly, I foresee letting go of all the activities I love to participate in including blogging. As the author of this article stated, and I can attest personally to the statement, for those on the outside looking in, having a child means releasing oneself from the “Culture of Me”. And for some of us, that is not an easy prospective to accept.

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]]> By: Tony Woodlief http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-324988 Tony Woodlief Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:55:24 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/#comment-324988 Cheryl, My understanding of early Christian tradition (which continues in the Orthodox Church) is that there were two paths toward Christian adulthood, marriage was one, the other was a monastic form of singleness -- not necessarily living in a monastery, but pursuing a more ascetic life of self-denial, to mirror the dying to self that must take place if a marriage is to bear fruit, and if the Christian is to learn to bring his own will into conformity with God's will. While you're technically correct about Christ, I think it's fair to say that he led the monastic life as a man, while as God he is the bridegroom to his bride the Church. I think your intimation is correct, however, that marriage (or monasticism) is not an absolute requirement for Christian (as opposed to worldly) maturity, and it certainly is no guarantor of it. Cheryl,
My understanding of early Christian tradition (which continues in the Orthodox Church) is that there were two paths toward Christian adulthood, marriage was one, the other was a monastic form of singleness — not necessarily living in a monastery, but pursuing a more ascetic life of self-denial, to mirror the dying to self that must take place if a marriage is to bear fruit, and if the Christian is to learn to bring his own will into conformity with God’s will.

While you’re technically correct about Christ, I think it’s fair to say that he led the monastic life as a man, while as God he is the bridegroom to his bride the Church.

I think your intimation is correct, however, that marriage (or monasticism) is not an absolute requirement for Christian (as opposed to worldly) maturity, and it certainly is no guarantor of it.

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]]> By: Peter Leavitt http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-324965 Peter Leavitt Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:01:04 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/#comment-324965 Yes, Cheryl, it doesn't at all follow that marriage makes one an adult, nor that single people must be juvenile. It is true that marriage is an adult challenge, whether with or without children. I have some very adult single friends and some rather juvenile married ones. Yes, Cheryl, it doesn’t at all follow that marriage makes one an adult, nor that single people must be juvenile. It is true that marriage is an adult challenge, whether with or without children. I have some very adult single friends and some rather juvenile married ones.

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]]> By: Cheryl D. http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-324934 Cheryl D. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 22:09:42 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/#comment-324934 As a single adult, I admit it always bothers me a bit to see marriage as a step to adulthood. (Jesus was never a full man, by that particular standard.) Now, a person who isn't mature enough to be married isn't an adult, but that's another issue--I've seen some pretty juvenile husbands and wives in my day. As a single adult, I admit it always bothers me a bit to see marriage as a step to adulthood. (Jesus was never a full man, by that particular standard.) Now, a person who isn’t mature enough to be married isn’t an adult, but that’s another issue–I’ve seen some pretty juvenile husbands and wives in my day.

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]]> By: John M. http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-324924 John M. Sat, 26 Jul 2008 20:48:52 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/#comment-324924 We have no kids (not by choice) and we are approaching the age where it will be a moot point. While we regret this, it's not something that makes us deeply unhappy. Life is life and God has a reason for everything. Seeing the grief brought to some of our friends by their teenage and grown children, it's a slight consolation to know we won't have such a wild card in our lives. We have no kids (not by choice) and we are approaching the age where it will be a moot point. While we regret this, it’s not something that makes us deeply unhappy. Life is life and God has a reason for everything.

Seeing the grief brought to some of our friends by their teenage and grown children, it’s a slight consolation to know we won’t have such a wild card in our lives.

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]]> By: Make it Man http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-324612 Make it Man Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:37:41 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/#comment-324612 Musing, one wonders, you being such a philosopher and all, whether you actually ever engage life to any real extent, or rather, just think about it too much.... Musing,
one wonders, you being such a philosopher and all, whether you actually ever engage life to any real extent, or rather, just think about it too much….

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]]> By: Peter Leavitt http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-324604 Peter Leavitt Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:09:47 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/#comment-324604 Yes, it does Musing, one of my serious regrets in life is that as a Marine officer, though well trained for it, due to the time of service, I wasn't able to engage in combat. My father, who commanded a naval ship during WWII, was seriously wounded in combat. He told me that combat was both a form of Hell and joy; though he was very successful in family and business life, he appreciated combat experience more than any other part of his life. Yes, it does Musing, one of my serious regrets in life is that as a Marine officer, though well trained for it, due to the time of service, I wasn’t able to engage in combat. My father, who commanded a naval ship during WWII, was seriously wounded in combat. He told me that combat was both a form of Hell and joy; though he was very successful in family and business life, he appreciated combat experience more than any other part of his life.

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]]> By: musing http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-324564 musing Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:06:09 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/#comment-324564 Peter leavitt post 2, dying on a battlefield involves joy????? Peter leavitt post 2,

dying on a battlefield involves joy?????

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]]> By: REG http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-324520 REG Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:13:28 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/#comment-324520 happiness is valid, it comes from living in the spirit living in the flesh is lust-based (worldly equivalent of happiness) happiness is valid, it comes from living in the spirit
living in the flesh is lust-based (worldly equivalent of happiness)

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]]> By: Make it Man http://online.worldmag.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/comment-page-1/#comment-324513 Make it Man Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:56:38 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/07/25/adolescent-nation/#comment-324513 Ask me whether I would have rather been married or not (despite the difficulties of it making me grow up) and I will give you a resounding YES! Ask me whether I would have rather been married or not (despite the difficulties of it making me grow up) and I will give you a resounding YES!

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