"Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?"

"Do you have children?" I was asked at a friend's Summer party last night. Such questions in Utah are often signifiers for "are you LDS" but the person I was talking to (based on her previous statements was not LDS and not a native Utahanitian) wasn't probing my religious bent, but, as my quick-wits told me, my relationship status. There were many children present as many of the folks there have children and this was a civilized, kid-friendly party. I read the question, therefore, as a flirtation since I had been flirting with her by mentioning that we had met at a previous party.

"No," I said nonchalauntly, dodging a 5 year old who was headed for my plate of hors d'oerves and mug of wine.

"I don't see how people can have children. They are so demanding and self-centered. And look what they have to look forward too!" She then proceeded to launch into a diatribe wondering how people could have children in our day and age what with all the problems and the horrible nature of humanity and the horrible decline that the world is going into.

I felt a bit slack-jawed after her rant and all I could think to say was "Oh I think I can see the appeal in having children." There was a tense moment then and luckilly my interlocutor was pulled away by another acquiatance.