T.V. Theology

I try really hard to refrain from judging people, so I enter into this blog cautiously. I was watching an episode of 19 Kids and Counting the other night... it's 19, right? I can't keep track. It might as well be 50 now. See? There I go judging. Well, the Duggar family can get under my skin once in awhile, and I can't help but share some thoughts here.

For those who aren't familiar with this tv show, it features a very large family. As I understand it, they are conservative Baptists who believe in a movement called "Quiverfull." I hope I'm not confusing this since I don't know much about it. Apparently this movement is just as it sounds. These people believe in having as many kids as they are given by God, thus a "full quiver." I guess you could say it's the opposite of my belief in that area. Yes, I know that my "quiver" wouldn't be very full if I let God alone control it, but you know what I mean!

Something struck me about the episode I watched the other night. From what I've heard, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar started out much the same as many married couples. They used birth control pills for awhile until they were ready to start a family. When the time was right, they decided to try to conceive. They were successful, but lost the baby to miscarriage fairly early on in the pregnancy. Here's where we go in a bad direction for me. They believed that they were essentially being punished for their use of birth control, and vowed to never again prevent pregnancy. Put the brakes on here! That is flawed logic for me. Maybe I take is so personally because I have also lost a baby, and it's impossible for me to imagine a God that would punish me for anything. I just don't believe in that sort of God. I don't imagine that God causes harm in my life as punishment. I'm not sure I could believe in religion if that's how it worked.

The episode I watched was about their latest baby. Number 19 I believe? Mom and baby were very sick halfway through the pregnancy. They were admitted to the hospital. If we are following their logic, at this point in their lives, shouldn't they be asking themselves what their God was punishing them for this time? Were they not pious enough? I never saw them asking themselves this question. So, their decision to have unlimited children was born (sorry!) out of their belief that they were being punished by God for their use of birth control, yet that logic doesn't seem to have followed them through life. If they no longer believe that, then can't they stop having kids now? I don't get it.

Yes, I was watching the show and I do have the choice to turn it off if I want. I'll admit that I have watched it many times. Different kinds of people fascinate me. Finding out about how others live is interesting to me, but it does sometimes get me a little riled up! I lost a baby, and I refuse to look at it as an event God caused to punish me for something. Thanks God for having my back! I choose to believe more in the idea that bad things just happen. The way we can stay right with God is to let our faith carry us through.

Before I sign off for the night, I wanted to update about a few previous posts. My husband and I did enjoy our evening out not long ago. We successfully escaped, and had a wonderful night of food, friends, and music. My daughter and I have also been enjoying dance class. It has been a good opportunity for her to learn about following directions and taking turns. She was instantly won over when we heard "You've Got A Friend In Me" from Toy Story 2 during class. It has been going well ever since!