Is parenthood a right or a privilege?

We live in a world that celebrates parenthood as a divine right. Everybody has the right to be a parent if they so choose, and individuals should be revered for their role in choosing to uptake motherhood or fatherhood. After all, Wedding Anniversaries, Mothers Day and Fathers Day wouldn't be so lucrative if we instead viewed parenthood as a privilege.

The reality is that there have existed, continue to exist, and will exist in the future a great number of people who are not fit to be parents. (Yes, nobody is perfect and parenting mistakes help you learn/grow.) I am talking more about people who do evil things to their children that leave them scarred their entire lives, parents who fail miserably at raising and nurturing their children, and parents who do not have the emotional and psychological capabilities to raise a child.

Therefore, I argue that parenthood ought to be viewed as a privilege and not some right or obligation that people should aspire to. Want to have children? Great! Just ensure you can provide the necessary means to raise, nurture, support and take responsibility for another human being before you do. And don't expect your decision to result in automatic adulation. You are not doing yourself or humanity any favours by failing to raise your child to the best of your ability in the reasonable sense.

What do you think? Is parenthood a right or a privilege?

I think it is definitely a privilege since CPS will take away your kids if you aren't treating them right.

Sal

a reply to: Dark Ghost

a reply to: Dark Ghost

Well I would say that instead of a divine right it is a divine privilege.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

The people making babies don't seem to care about the difference between rights and privileges. My goto on that is the opening to Idiocracy.

It's a responsibility.

Used to be a right, but the people live too close together to handle it- so the community handed over power to government to take away and raise your children for you if they don't like what you've done with them.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

According to the Bible, it's a duty.

originally posted by: windword
According to the Bible, it's a duty.

Well, let's try to exercise some rational thinking instead of resorting to dogma, shall we?

originally posted by: VictorVonDoom
It's a responsibility.

I agree, actually.

Sadly, while most people "know" it's a responsibility, many don't put their beliefs into practice.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

I believe if we think rationally about wether parenthood is a right or a privilege, the only conclusion we can come to, is that, while, we all may have our "opinions" on where parenthood falls in your metric, biology states that a man and a woman could create a child at just about anytime, and parenthood will follow.

Creating children is, when you really strip away the emotions, a basic biological drive for humans.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

"Be fruitful and multiply", a lot of people live their lives by this, the first commandment God ever gave. The Catholic church hinges on it. It's why the Pope refused to condone condoms. until just recently, and contraception is still a sin in Catholic doctrine.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

How dare you stop or even question breeding - how else is this Matrix Ponzi scheme of "money created out of thin air" going to keep moving. Who will pay the interest, non other than your great great grandchildren

I thought it was punishment for having sex.

You get fined (food, clothing, college education)
You get hard labor and sleep deprivation.
You have to put their needs ahead of your own and on top of all that.
They come running into the room when you're trying to sneak in a little more sex. Oh the irony.

Firearms are a right, but you cannot go around shooting people. Like kids, they are a right, but when you start popping them out and 3 of them are already locked up for something, then that right should maybe be under review on a case by case basis.

originally posted by: SallieSunshine
I think it is definitely a privilege since CPS will take away your kids if you aren't treating them right.

Sal

a reply to: Dark Ghost

Only reason they can do that is because parents register their children with the state/government via the birth certificate and social security. That effectively allows the state/government to take what's partially theirs....your flesh and blood.

Parents should feel privileged to have children and do the right things for their children.

Your OP teeters on the consent and permission thing which is bs. No one should have the privilege or right to tell anyone whether they can be parents or not.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

The problem is, who is fit to judge? The minute a law like this would go into place there would be forced abortions and the "wrong" people would still have children. Think about the wealthy elite, they would have enough money to game the system...but are people like Hillary or Trump really exemplary humans?

I can understand the well meaning intent of instituting a "parent privilege" law, but it would probably create more horrors than it would prevent. It would also quickly be used to softly genocide away groups with unpopular beliefs or attributes.

a reply to: Dark Ghost

And God said be fruitful and multiply .
It is my God given right to ba a dad.

a reply to: Dark Ghost


Self-determination of "Should me and mine make a child?" is not a subject that is usually coldly debated. Yet, it is happening more and more in Western societies. Unfortunately, the down side is that those are the wise folks making such a decision, the good, smart citizens. What about the hogs that give not a care to the exquisite philosophy of that important decision and put their sexual apparatus into use at every opportunity? Plus, there are certain incentives in Western societies to have those children, maybe as many as possible, to ensure certain rewards. You are not only preaching to the choir.

originally posted by: Aliensun
a reply to: Dark Ghost


Self-determination of "Should me and mine make a child?" is not a subject that is usually coldly debated. Yet, it is happening more and more in Western societies. Unfortunately, the down side is that those are the wise folks making such a decision, the good, smart citizens. What about the hogs that give not a care to the exquisite philosophy of that important decision and put their sexual apparatus into use at every opportunity? Plus, there are certain incentives in Western societies to have those children, maybe as many as possible, to ensure certain rewards. You are not only preaching to the choir.

This. There is nothing good that comes from multiple children made just to have fun, or collect some type of benefit. Are those the types of kids as to why the Police are under the microscope? They sure didn't grow up to be anything remotely productive.

Maybe a simple bank/credit check first, or some type of class to show the parents are truly interested for the right reasons.

I find it troubling that anyone would even ask this question.