Mitt Romney delivered a message to college grads to have kids, lots of kids, to see God’s full blessing in their lives.
Romney was speaking to graduates at Southern Virginia University , talking about the idea of “abundant living.” In the commencement speech , the former Massachusetts governor and onetime presidential candidate told the crowd that not everyone will be as successful at business as he has been, but all can see God’s blessing if they have kids.
“I know a lot of religious people who think God will intervene to make their investments grow,” Romney said. “Or he’ll get them a promotion. To make their business a success. But life on this earth is about learning to live in a place where God does not make everything work out for good people.”
Romney didn’t just tell the college grads to have kids, he also implored them to be passionate in life .
“You only live one life. Don’t spend it in safe, shallow water. Launch into the deep. If you meet a person you love, get married. Have a quiverful of kids if you can,” Romney said. “Give more to your occupation than is expected of you. Serve God by serving his children.”
Romney seemed to endorsing the quiverfull movement , which calls for women to cast aside all forms of birth control and has as many children as nature allows. The movement’s name is pulled from a bible verse that says children are “as arrows are in the hands of mighty men.”
“You will not all be rich and famous and powerful, but each of you can live an eminently successful, rewarding, abundant life,” Romney told the former students.
The speech Mitt Romney gave telling the college grads to have kids was only the second time he’s spoken publicly since losing the 2012 presidential election.