Overpopulation Justifies Contraception?

[TotallyConfused]

No, you won’t roll eyes. You just insult those of us with large families and accuse us of ruining the planet and wiping out humanity. I consider children to be blessings, not environmental hazards.

What? Where did I say that?
My posts were all speaking about a big, global picture. If you wanna take that personally, go ahead…Lord knows it happens a lot on CAF!

 

[1ke]

Global Warming, for one.

Jury is still out on that one.

Over population forcast figures. Natural resources, etc…

The **only **predictions thusfar made in this area have been completely erroneous time and again-- from Malthus to Ehrlich.

Not even finances to care for the children is enough reason to postpone pregnancy.

That’s pretty funny, and pretty untrue.

 

[TotallyConfused]

That’s pretty funny, and pretty untrue.

Glad you think so…a preist councilled this message to a friend of mine.

 

[1ke]

Glad you think so…a preist councilled this message to a friend of mine.

That does not mean he was right in his counsel.

Financial hardship may certainly be a valid reason to space/postpone children.

From Humanae Vitae:

If therefore there are well-grounded reasons for spacing births, arising from the physical or psychological condition of husband or wife, or from external circumstances, the Church teaches that married people may then take advantage of the natural cycles immanent in the reproductive system and engage in marital intercourse only during those times that are infertile

 

[TotallyConfused]

Wow, for a “catholic” church, there is certainly a lot of incorrect councils given by priests…this is just one of the areas.
How many priests council people to use ABC?
I have heard priests council people that they do not have to go to Sunday Mass if they can make Wednesday morning service.
I have heard countless priests advising people to use a variety of ABC.

 

[mark_a]

Is there a limit to the Earth’s population? If there is, then how can this limit be reconciled the Holy Scripture’s instruction to “be fruitful and multiply” and the Church’s prohibition of contraception?

Some say that the Earth’s resources can only sustain a population of approximately 9 billion inhabitants and that to exceed this limit will lead to widespread starvation, misery, and death. According to Wikipedia, the population of the Earth is currently 6.72 billion and is projected, at its current growth trajectory, to reach 9 billion by 2042.

I once heard Rev. Swaggert say that the Earth could support 100 billion.

 

[mark_a]

Wow, for a “catholic” church, there is certainly a lot of incorrect councils given by priests…this is just one of the areas.
How many priests council people to use ABC?
I have heard priests council people that they do not have to go to Sunday Mass if they can make Wednesday morning service.
I have heard countless priests advising people to use a variety of ABC.

Whatever happened to the good ol’ days when even the reformers agreed with the Catholic Church about contraception?

 

[tptram]

. . .
Some say that the Earth’s resources can only sustain a population of approximately 9 billion inhabitants and that to exceed this limit will lead to widespread starvation, misery, and death. . .

This reminds me of The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov.
In this Solarian society, they restrict their population in order to sustain great wealth per capita. They are a collection of self-centered individualists, not a supporting society.

The book focuses on the unusual traditions and culture of Solarian society. The planet has a rigidly controlled population of twenty-thousand, and robots outnumber humans ten-thousand to one. People are strictly taught from birth to despise personal contact. They live on huge estates, either alone or with their spouse only. Communication is done via holographic telepresence (viewing, as opposed to seeing).

I really like Mr Asimov’s writings and read most of his novels but too bad that he is an atheist.

Tak

 

[RWMorris]

But, God’s command to Man was to Multiply and fill the earth.

When do you guys n gals think we fulfilled that command? I think we have already fulfilled and completed that command. He was speaking to a very small group of people at the time.
And, reading some threads here, I don’t know if NFP is all that effective…at what point are we doing more damage than good ?

We will never fulfill that Commandment. Children create wealth and efficiency, they do not destroy. With current technology levels the carrying capacity of planet earth is around 16 billion. As technology improves, resource efficiency increases and the carrying capacity of our planet increases. Besides, there is a whole universe out there that God has given us. Issac Asimov predicted that even without light-speed travel, mankind will populated our Galaxy in about 100,000 years. Even an atheist can find an acorn of truth, sometimes. Tell the Godless ZPGers to stuff it. Let’s go for it. Let’s spread the Gospel and Gods’ Love throughout the universe.

Big Families Rock!

 

[gavanhe]

Rather odd that the western world is obsessed with birth control where populations have trouble retaining normal replacement levels let alone overpopulation, whilst the largest overpopulation problems exist in the underdeveloped world where normal development would bring their perceived overpopulation problems into control.
In fact it is considered by some demographics experts that the worlds population will peak mid century followed by a decline.
Methinks that the drive for all this ABC is to remove perceived restrictions on our western life styles.
As a catholic there are no circumstances where abc is permissible.
Gerry

 

[grandfather]

Global Warming, for one.
Over population forcast figures. Natural resources, etc.

 

[Ruthie]

“Effectiveness” is not the basis of its morality. For those with very serious needs to avoid pregnancy, there is continence.

Which, by the way, is 100% effective.

TotallyConfused, you need to look at *both *sides of the “global warming” debate. Weather (which used to be my job) goes in cycles. Most weather changes have to do with sunspots, not some global phenomenon. Until you can prove to me that the Earth is actually moving closer to the Sun, I will take a neutral position on global warming, or cooling - which was the big fear in the '60s(and was “proved” just as well as global warming).

As for overpopulation - with modern technology, properly used, the USA has the capacity to feed the world. When the “overpopulated” countries catch up, they will have no problem feeding their people.

Did you know that nice, clean ethanol is causing starvation? Yes, the price of corn has increased due to its use in producing ethanol. Since ethanol production happens in developed countries, we’re not exporting as much; what we do export is more expensive; the poorest of the poor in underdeveloped countries can’t afford it, and go hungry.

A truly global outlook needs to take things like this into consideration.

God bless us all,

Ruthie

 

[Geremia]

Contraception is immoral.

Abortion is an intrinsic evil, too.

 

[Geremia]

Is there a limit to the Earth’s population?

Of course there is! Earth only has a finite amount of area on which people can live.

If there is, then how can this limit be reconciled the Holy Scripture’s instruction to “be fruitful and multiply” and the Church’s prohibition of contraception?

We are not experiencing overpopulation right now. In fact we are experiencing underpopulation, primarily due to contraception and abortion. ([THREAD=283880]Read this thread.[/THREAD]) Had we not aborted those future scientists who would have helped us colonize Mars and expand humanity beyond the finite confines of planet earth, we would be able to bless God more abundantly.