Danielle Bean wrote an article for the Washington Post recently rebutting Jennifer Aniston’s claim that women don’t need husbands to bring children into the world nor do the children need fathers. (Firstly, good for Danielle getting an article in a big-time newspaper!)
I’ve been a fan of the band Everclear for a long time, and one has to only listen to a few of their songs to get the idea that the lead singer, Art Alexakis, had a tough family life. Father of Mine is probably his most well-known (and blunt) rebuke of the father who walked out on his family when he was a young boy, but Wonderful is even more powerful in my opinion:
Art Alexakis
Just now reading wikipedia about Art Alexakis I was saddened to see that he has been married three times, has children from multiple women, and has mismanaged his money so badly that he declared bankruptcy. I’m not saying it is all his father’s fault, but there is probably a lot of truth in the songs he sings that apply to his own life. Fathers teach children to be committed and faithful and that marriage is for life. They teach children how to be good stewards of their money as well.
Fathers have the incredible responsibility and honor of being the image of God the Father for their children. There simply is no replacement for them. When fathers go bad, the family suffers and children are rudderless. Jennifer Aniston is not only wrong in repudiating fathers, she is egregiously and completely wrong.
Danielle Bean corrects her with wit and wisdom.
I correct her with Everclear songs.
I now have Everclear stuck in my head.
, But so true of the fatherhood rationale. It would be nice if he broke the cycle instead of continued to do what his father had done. Maybe his children will be the ones to do so.
Thanks for your comment, Kiera–yes, hopefully his children can break the cycle. With God, all things are possible.
it depends on the mom too; his was messed up so his life and pattern of behavior shouldn’t be blamed solely on his father.