What a sweet question, Dear Margaret: "Do parents,
having created, ever regret their children?" I have dear friends who are
very sorry they begot children. It seems you never have regretted having
children.
*****
Genesis attracts me because it gives me a chance to explore the deadly feelings of parents towards children.
Noah is furious but less deadly than God towards children:
After discovering that Ham saw him naked, Noah cries to Ham's son: "cursed be Canaan. The slave of slaves will he be to his brothers" [9:25].
This verse might have been a justification for the tribes of Israel to slaughter the folks in Canaan in biblical times.
This verse was a justification for slavery for thousands of years.
Israel is still wrestling to treat the present inhabitants of Canaan, the Palestinians, justly.
***
Our dear God regrets murdering almost all of us with a flood and promises "Never again."
I pray we children of Noah will also regret cursing any of our children and will promise "Never again."
*****
Genesis attracts me because it gives me a chance to explore the deadly feelings of parents towards children.
Noah is furious but less deadly than God towards children:
After discovering that Ham saw him naked, Noah cries to Ham's son: "cursed be Canaan. The slave of slaves will he be to his brothers" [9:25].
This verse might have been a justification for the tribes of Israel to slaughter the folks in Canaan in biblical times.
This verse was a justification for slavery for thousands of years.
Israel is still wrestling to treat the present inhabitants of Canaan, the Palestinians, justly.
***
Our dear God regrets murdering almost all of us with a flood and promises "Never again."
I pray we children of Noah will also regret cursing any of our children and will promise "Never again."
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