Estate Tax

[RandomGuy]

RG, what do you think of people who say that having children is immoral? After all, each child does more to cause pollution/spend resources etc. Do you think that's immoral when we already have trouble feeding the poor?

I think that is nonsense.

If one were to follow that to the extreme, the human race would simply cease to exist.

Children are *the* only real important thing in the world, IMO.

If one doesn't want to have kids, more power to them, and I don't think that is bad, merely a choice.

[RandomGuy]

So many good questions and interesting points to make, so little time. Gotta go.

[LnGrrrR]

I think that is nonsense.

If one were to follow that to the extreme, the human race would simply cease to exist.

Children are *the* only real important thing in the world, IMO.

If one doesn't want to have kids, more power to them, and I don't think that is bad, merely a choice.

And if we were to follow your example to the extreme, we'd all be living in candle lit huts until every child had shelter and food. Right?

Additionally, if you care about children, why would you bring another one into the world? Shouldn't you be using the resources you have now to take care of the children currently in existence?

[TeyshaBlue]

I speak in the most absolute of terms, and as I have pointed out, don't really live up to those ideals either.

As has been pointed out, once you have a certain amount of money beyond what is necessary to sustain life, you have more than hundreds of millions of people.

If you choose to value hundreds of pairs of shoes over human beings, when you could simply do with a few, that is immoral.

I would cast myself in with that. I could easily live a bit more simply, and donate or give more.

That doesn't mean I don't recognize my own immorality.

Well, I guess absolute values can lead to irrational conclusions...If I had a certain amount of money, regardless of whether it were enough to sustain life (whatever "sustain" is defined as at the time), I would likely have more than hundreds of millions of people.
That metric...having more than others is rendered virtually meaningless by the simplest of extensions. However, it's the lynch-pin of the the scripture you quoted.

[TeyshaBlue]

So many good questions and interesting points to make, so little time. Gotta go.

[LnGrrrR]

That doesn't mean I don't recognize my own immorality.

Then everyone is immoral to some degree. In fact, it's human nature to acquire things. If you readily gave up all your stuff, you're pretty much admitting defeat in the "propagation of your DNA" contest, which is one of the most potent driving factors of all humanity.