“Let parents then bequeath to their children not riches but the spirit of reverence.”

“First we are children to our parents, then parents to our children, then parents to our parents, then children to our children”

“Others work among the spirits that have just arrived in the world of spirits. Again others raise the children who have died in infancy. Swedenborg ensures the parents of these infants that 'All children whether born within or outside of the church, are adopted by the Lord and become Angels'.”

“Parents are toxic to the children and children are poison to the parents. No one with childrens is ‘appy.”

“Parents with dependents are somehow thought to count for more. If, for example, there is some scarce resource—a donor kidney perhaps—and of the two potential recipients one is a parent of young children and one is not, the parent, all things being equal, will likely be favoured. To let a parent die is not only to thwart that person’s preference to be saved, but also the preferences of his or her children that their parent be saved. It is quite true, of course, that the death of the parent will harm more people, but there is nonetheless something to be said against favouring parents. Increasing one’s value by having children might be like increasing one’s value by taking hostages.”

“When we think of our family, our spouse, parents, or children, let us see them as a gift from God.”