Are Fathers Necessary? – Jerry de Gier vision.org

While many today attack, degrade and blame men for all the world’s troubles, what seems to be lost is how important the role of a good father is. Many of this world’s problems can be traced to men, men that have neglected their responsibility as loving husbands and fathers. Several studies sited in this article link absent fathers with higher levels of behavioral issues. Issues from emotional problems to deviant, self-destructive behaviors and crime – including that of rape. It’s stated that 80% of rapists were openly motivated by displaced anger due to living in fatherless homes. On the other side, with in a good father/child relationship, much of the benefits to children have been known and established for years; what hasn’t been are the neurological effects on those fathers that embrace their role. Researchers are finding that committed fathers gain their own benefits. Active fathering improves his ability in having goal-oriented behavior, including planning, foresight, judgment, and the prediction of behavioral consequences. A strong father/child relationship benefits all. What’s needed most for our time is education and the Bible is ripe in the subject of fathering in love.