Five Myths About the World's Population...

According to an article on the Washington Post, there are five major myths that get passed off as truth about population (and end up in the middle of many discussions -- both religious and secular).  According to this article the myths are:

1. The world is overpopulated.
2. Rapid population growth keeps poor countries poor.
3. For all its ethical problems, China's one child policy boosts its economy.
4. If your population declines, your economy does as well.
5. The world will have 10 billion people by 2100.

Broad generalizations tend to dominate opinion and discussion -- especially when it comes to things like global warming, population issues, economic issues, and, therefore, issues of morality and faith.

Evidence of the secular mindset is all around us.  People are the problem.  More people are more problems.  People are the intruders who wreck havoc and destruction upon the pristine and more valuable natural realm, the goal of enlightened and ethical behavior is to minimize the human footprint, reduce the human population, and reduce the impact of humanity upon the planet.

It is almost embarrassing then to hear the Scriptural mandate to be fruitful and multiply.  The fact that the generally Christian populace is having fewer and fewer babies is evidence that the secular mindset has intruded into the worldview of Christian people.  So recycling and the "green" movement has become the new gospel for those uncomfortable with the Scriptural word.  Instead of subduing and having dominion over the earth, the earth has become our deity.  Instead of being fruitful and multiplying, it has become noble and enlightened to not have children or to have few of them.  Instead of death being the enemy from which we need saving, death has become friendly and it is acceptable hasten it for those whose lives are not worth being born or living until death naturally comes.

The truth in all of this is that the secular viewpoint is based on cliches as much as fact, on perceptions as much as truth, and on values terribly out of balance.  In the secular view, child birth and child rearing are burdens to be relieved, pain to avoided, and selfishness to be exposed.  It may have begun with the so-called enlightened folks like Margaret Sanger but it has become the mainstream thought of people regardless of their religious preferences.  It is the accepted philosophy of the media elite and it comes to us in the circle of life of Disney movies and in the triumph of nature of mechanized man in Cameron's popular Avatar.

If you do not believe me, ask the average catechism class of youth about such things as man vs nature, green as gospel, the value of not having any or having few children. . .  You might get your eyes opened to how successful the secular world view has been in the indoctrination of our children.  So for years of getting spoon fed the convictions of secular theorists who seem to see people as the main problem and nature as the more valuable residents of the planet, we get a few years in catechism class and a few hours of Sunday school to try and counteract the seeds of secularism planted in them.  Parents need to beware.  Truly we have our work cut out for us...