Christianity and Overpopulation

[Estro Felino]

Do you think that the world is overpopulated? I certainly do

From the Genesis:
"And you, be fruitful and multiply, increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it.”Well, I guess that God by this sentence meant "You can multiply on my planet, as long as you don't overpopulate it"
Christ came to Earth to teach us how to give value to mankind. Man is a very valuable being, because he has infinite potentialities, and he can love profoundly. Even if globalization tends to spread the message that loving is symptom of weakness, whereas being individualistic is symptom of strength.
So people tend to increase the quantity rather than the quality of mankind.
If we all were focused on becoming pure and divine, overpopulating the planet would be the last of our thoughts.

 

[Sees]

I've read this a few times and feel like I'm missing something still. Do you think Christianity encourages it, discourages it, or...?

I doubt it was a concern anyone in the Bible would have considered. Civilization itself is the main contributor.

 

[Estro Felino]

I've read this a few times and feel like I'm missing something still. Do you think Christianity encourages it, discourages it, or...?

I doubt it was a concern anyone in the Bible would have considered. Civilization itself is the main contributor.

Christianity discourage overpopulation. I am absolutely sure that Christ would say: "Instead of making new children, that is, creating new lives, you should worry about the people who already exist and that you need your help"

That's the reason why Jesus had no children

 

[Skwim]

Christianity discourage overpopulation.

Care to cite a source for this?

 

[ChristineES]

Yeah, the world is overpopulated. People appear to be born with an innate want and need to have children.

 

[Skwim]

Yeah, the world is overpopulated. People appear to be born with an innate want and need to have children.

And an inability to practice birth control.

 

[Vinayaka]

And an inability to practice birth control.

You can't find or purchase birth control in some countries without considerable effort. In Dominican Republic, lots of families are 10+. With some education and help, many people probably would practice it.

 

[Estro Felino]

You can't find or purchase birth control in some countries without considerable effort. In Dominican Republic, lots of families are 10+. With some education and help, many people probably would practice it.

Well...I guess people from underdeveloped countries should learn to control themselves and practice abstinence. However...there are also lots of sexual activities which are fun and safe, excluding vaginal intercourse.

 

[ChristineES]

You can't find or purchase birth control in some countries without considerable effort. In Dominican Republic, lots of families are 10+. With some education and help, many people probably would practice it.

I think there would be a way to make it available and to teach them how to use it.

Birth control is not always easy. I am unable to use birth control pills (not that I need them anymore) because of the mood swings I get when I take them. Condoms don't always work. There are many, many methods, though. What we need more of is education and the ability for people to listen to this education.

 

[LuisDantas]

One can easily argue that the Bible no more demands every generation to multiply its numbers than 1 Timothy 6 demands Christianity to embrace slavery.

For good or worse (probably good) social perception and meaning have changed along time. As they should. The world today will of course have very different troubles and needs than that of 2000 years ago.

 

[LuisDantas]

You can't find or purchase birth control in some countries without considerable effort. In Dominican Republic, lots of families are 10+. With some education and help, many people probably would practice it.

There are still many people who not only avoid birth control, but flat out state that it would not make any difference in their fertility. At least here in Brazil there are many such people. Boggles the mind.

 

[Vinayaka]

I think there would be a way to make it available and to teach them how to use it.

When I was there for my son's destination wedding, we chatted it up with the locals. They were still pretty Catholic, and we heard the same story over and over ... "It's against our religion." But maybe only 6 or 7 locals isn't a fair sample either. I'm not actually sure.

 

[Estro Felino]

When I was there for my son's destination wedding, we chatted it up with the locals. They were still pretty Catholic, and we heard the same story over and over ... "It's against our religion." But maybe only 6 or 7 locals isn't a fair sample either. I'm not actually sure.

I guess Catholicism has nothing to do with it. Italy is the most Catholic country ever, but with one of the lowest birth rates in the world (among the last ten).
Which implies that Catholics do practice birth control or\and abstinence

 

[ChristineES]

When I was there for my son's destination wedding, we chatted it up with the locals. They were still pretty Catholic, and we heard the same story over and over ... "It's against our religion." But maybe only 6 or 7 locals isn't a fair sample either. I'm not actually sure.

It's hard, but I don't think we can force it on people who believe it to be a mortal sin. The best we can do is education.

 

[yoda89]

I'm pretty sure Jesus would not have condoned sticking weapons to people's head to convert none believers. Different regions of the world place different importance on individuality compared to the needs of the many.

I've had this debate and discussion with a lot of people. Most people will agree that most of the world problems occur because of overpopulation. Of course most of the same people will agree that the world is over populated and go ahead and have 5 kids. People do not care. Never taking into account that each kid costs about a quarter of a million to raise. Then complain that they have no money to do things.

 

[Vinayaka]

I guess Catholicism has nothing to do with it. Italy is the most Catholic country ever, but with one of the lowest birth rates in the world (among the last ten).
Which implies that Catholics do practice birth control or\and abstinence

Catholicism has everything to do with it in Dominican Republic and elsewhere. Maybe in Italy the average lay Catholic just disobeys the pope???? I know what you're saying is true for Italy, so there must be some other factors going on here.

For the record, I see distribution of wealth and poor (economically silly) agriculture practices as being larger causes of poverty than overpopulation itself.

 

[Estro Felino]

I'm pretty sure Jesus would not have condoned sticking weapons to people's head to convert none believers. Different regions of the world place different importance on individuality compared to the needs of the many.

I've had this debate and discussion with a lot of people. Most people will agree that most of the world problems occur because of overpopulation. Of course most of the same people will agree that the world is over populated and go ahead and have 5 kids. People do not care. Never taking into account that each kid costs about a quarter of a million to raise. Then complain that they have no money to do things.

I totally agree on everything you said. I'd say almost all the world problems are related to overpopulation. For example: US has a quite high birth rate, but it's because Americans can afford children. Italy has a low birth rate, because Italians can't afford children.
What about India? Overpopulation there produces poverty, and despite this, they still make babies.

 

[Estro Felino]

Catholicism has everything to do with it in Dominican Republic and elsewhere. Maybe in Italy the average lay Catholic just disobeys the pope???? I know what you're saying is true for Italy, so there must be some other factors going on here.

For the record, I see distribution of wealth and poor (economically silly) agriculture practices as being larger causes of poverty that overpopulation itself.

Well, actually Christian countries are the the ones where overpopulation is less intense. What a coincidence: overpopulation is present in most non-Christian countries.
And I think that's because Christians are more aware of the value that human beings have, so they try to focus on the quality of life, rather than the quantity of life.

Take a look at India. Certainly not a Christian country, and people make babies as if it wasn't a big responsibility.
Making a baby is something that remains carved in History and that makes you responsible. Because it changes History, Society, Economy, Environment.
As for redistribution of wealth, that doesn't justify overpopulation. Firstly people need to stop making children, and then think of how to adjust economy

 

[LuisDantas]

Not a Brazilian, I see.

We are not India, but we are doing our best to emulate their demographical and poverty problems.

As it turns out, we are also the biggest Catholic population in the world.

 

[Bunyip]

I would argue that Catholicism has played a significant role in the spread of poverty and over population across the earth. It astonishes me that the Vatican still prohibits contraception.

The spread of aids in Africa is also at least in part a consequence of the Vatican's position on condoms.

The benefits of contraception should be obvious to any person alive today, how such a powerful and influential organisation could take such a destructive stance on a basic social necessity is frankly shocking. The time has come for the Vatican to move with the times and leave such an anachronisic cruelty in the past where it belongs.