Is The Family Institiution An Illusion?

[carrdero]

As far as my experiences go with family, my father divorced my mother in 1981 but I have been able to successfully encourage and build upon these relationships even through the separation. The relationship with my father seems to change over the years. At one time it would appear to be an agreeable friendship, in his later years, it seems that I am the one that is playing the parent.

I have a sister who has become estranged with the family because of the death of my mother three years ago. Though she seems to perceive keeping this distance as some form of punishment, I personally have had no regrets to this arrangement even though I continue to love her from afar.

My wife Rizza lived in the Phillipines for nine years and her biological mother left her father at an early age. When her father died, she was quickly and carefully shipped to the United States and resided in New Jersey, where she was adopted by an elderly couple who were related to her family. The woman of this household was aged and sickly and the man sexually abused Rizza frequently. When the woman passed away and the truth about Rizza’s abuse became known, Rizza had a decision to live with relatives of this family in New York or to stay with her stepmother (who married her father) in North Carolina. Rizza decided to stay with the famiy in New York. She attended High School in New York and married early as soon as she got out. Her first marriage lasted three years and ended in divorce. Afterwards she met me and we dated for a few years and decided to get married. We have been married for five years.

The reason for providing this back information is that our perception of the family unit usually does not conclude or connect in the way that one has been taught. It also does not support or surpass our current understanding nor does it seem to adhere to anyone’s expectations. Especially through my wife’s journey, one can see that that the family does not necessarily have to have its roots based on biology and that the concept can become interchangeable. It seems that anyone willing and able can take care of someone else and that these parameters of the family institiution can change at a moments notice. There is a saying that it takes a community to raise a child and in some regards, I seem to agree. I believe that even though humans can provide windows for spiritual entities to incarnate, parents can merely be cast as caretakers and that children do not seem to belong to anyone.

I believe that it is not religion that produces responsible families but that it is responsible people that produce responsible families. I believe that there is a connection between all entities that transcends any earthly family titles and individual units.

[quote]Veridicus writes: With regard to your question about pre-extant spiritually famlial ties.... NO, absolutely not. The Church has long since decided its stance against the pre-existence of human souls before their physical conception. Therefore there cannot be any sort of 'pre-knowledge' of eachother and therefore no pre-extant spiritual bonds...beyond the fact that we are all created by God and therefore somewhat spiritually united by our relationship to him. But this spiritual relationship does NOT exist before conception.[/quote]

With your belief and with the understanding (not the expectation) of what we K(NOW) today, would it damage or benefit the Church to re-examine and re-evaluate this concept? Why or why not.

Edited May 28, 2008 by carrdero

[StColette]

[quote name='carrdero' post='1542913' date='May 26 2008, 03:53 AM']Is The Family Institiution An Illusion?[/quote]

Nope it is very real.

[quote]There seems to be a great importance that religion’s place upon the physical family institiution. Marriage, sexual relations, procreation and raising children all seem to be a significant requirement with many religions. What would be the purpose of this?[/quote]

Marriage is often associated as a symbol of the Trinity. Children are seen as the pouring out of the love between husband and wife. Almost as the Love between the Father and the Son brings forth the Holy Spirit, although this is done outside of time thus all three are eternal. Marriage is not a requirement of religions, it's a vocation from God, just like the religious life, and single life. In Marriage, the couple must be both unitive and open to life. Since many people are unable to have children because of medical reason, having children cannot be considered a requirement with many religions. The purpose of the family institution is to form all within it to be in union with God. To love and serve God and one another.

[quote]Is it really important that a child follows in their parent’s religion? What guarantee do we have that children will adopt, practice and grow in their inherent religion?[/quote]

A child's first teacher is his/her parents. Because a child's first teacher is it's parents, it's only natural that this would mean the child would be raised in the religion of the parents. It's important for the child to understand what their parents believe and why. We do not have an absolute guarantee on anything. Everyone has free will. When a child grows up they often challenge the things their parents have taught them.

[quote]Are physical family ties really extended to the spiritual afterlife? What would be the incentive, motivation or benefit to this or for GOD to include this in part of His plan?[/quote]

Not really sure how family ties would extend into the spiritual afterlife. I know that the bonds of marriage are broken once one spouse dies. Do we retain the ability to recognize family and loved ones who hopefully join us in Heaven, I hope so, but we will love one another equally in Heaven and God above all others.

[quote]Could we all just be familiar entities? Could the possibility exist that everyone has known each other to some extent before incarnating in a physical existence?[/quote]

Considering that each soul is created at the moment of conception, I would say know that we could not have known each other to some extent before our souls are connected with our bodies. Souls aren't just floating around up there waiting for a body.

[quote]Is there really anything to our physical ties and relations to other entities or is this just an illusion?[/quote]

There are ties.