Genesis 1:26-28 - 26 God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth." 27 God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God's nature. He created them male and female. 28 God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth." (THE MESSAGE )
It's an amazing thing how all it takes to get most people to believe something is to repeat it over and over again, throw out a few statistics and then let time and the mainstream media do its insidious work. In particular I am speaking of the myth of OVERPOPULATION that has been foisted upon the human race for the last 4o years or so. Many of us have actually come to believe that having children is a bad thing for creation and that birth control and abortion are not only necessary, but our duty for the good of the race!
The problem with this idea is the simple fact that it is in direct opposition to God's command to "be fruitful and multiply... and to take dominion" of the earth. These two commands are linked together and seem to indicate that multiplication and dominion are a package deal. Children, the Scriptures declare, are a "blessing", "reward", and evidence of God's covenant keeping power.
The true problem in many nations throughout Europe and in Japan is
UNDER-POPULATION. Yes, you heard me right, UNDER-POPULATION is quickly
becoming a crisis that threatens both the economy and way of life for
many around the world. In some of the previously mentioned nations,
the government is actually starting to pay couples to have children due
to the necessity of producing more taxpayers to provide for a rapidly
aging population.
Here in the United States, the only thing that is keeping us from
depopulation is legal and illegal immigration. No, I do not think our
current approach to illegal immigration is good for the country, but
legal immigration is necessary because of abortion and small family
size. What this means of course is that those groups which have a
tendency to have more children will become the more populous and over
time the majority rather than the minority.
Over the course of the next century America will become far more
Hispanic, Slavic, Filipino and Asian in its demographic. These facts
will bring immense changes to our society, some of which will be very
positive. The encouraging side of this is the reality that many of
those mentioned are followers of Jesus Christ. The negative side to
this equation is simply that much of America's rich European Christian
influence will be lost as those of European descent have fewer children
and continue to kill the inconvenient ones through the evil of
on-demand child-murder (abortion)!
Children are living laboratories of divine potential and creativity
who become adults who make new discoveries in medicine, agriculture,
science, the arts and business. Only heaven truly knows how many great
people with earth shaking abilities have perished at the hands of
abortionists in this nation and many others! As Marvin Olasky points
out in his OP/ED article in WORLD MAGAZINE, the MULTIPLIER EFFECT is
a key to industry, prosperity and making a difference as Christians in
our world. May God give us a revival of fruitfulness and family
industry as we once again recognize our divine call to "be fruitful and
multiply."
READ MARVIN OLASKY'S ARTICLE IN WORLD MAGAZINE BY CLICKING HERE
Psalms 127:3-5 - 3 Don't you
see that children are GOD's best gift? the fruit of the womb his
generous legacy? 4 Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children
of a vigorous youth. 5 Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your
quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against
you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep. (THE MESSAGE )
When we had cable we watched this incredible story about a family who have 16 kids (and they we're not finished). Most people hear the 16 and go into hysterics... "Why would any woman do that to her body?" was a response I received when relating the story to someone. I loved this story, and everyone I've tried to tell loses desire to hear any more after the # of children comes out. The mother on the show said something similar to what you did in your post. "How could I say no to potential? No one knows what an infant is created by God to do. The potential to create, to discover, to see what is make-believe as real and find ways to bring it to pass... how do you say 'I am more important because I'm already here.' and then abort or choose to never have children at all. Children are like flowers, and there are never too many of those."
ReplyDeleteLet me tell you the other cool things: They homeschool.
They are strong Christians.
They do nothing that takes them in debt, yet have and do more than most people I know.
They and all 16 kids just built their own 7000 sq ft home.
They are more organized and loving than most smaller families.
Not quite the concept that forms in your mind when you think of a large family... Ma & Pa Kettle, eat your heart out!
It is so apparent that once again, people are always trying to find an excuse to make life easier for themselves. I bet if the root of this was traced, it would be traced back to the me, myself and I syndrome.
ReplyDeleteIt always strikes me as funny how the easiest way is still and always will be "GODS WAY". People just do not talk about, or just bury it, the internal consequences of going in the opposite direction of HIS WORD.
Me and my wife have regretted many a times not having more children. Truly they are a blessing from the Lord!
ReplyDeleteAs a the seventh child of a family of eleven, I couldn't pass the opportunity to post a comment. I must admit that as I was growing up, especially during my teen years, I was a little embarrassed to be from such a large family. It was mostly due to all of the comments that I got, and my poor parents got even more than us kids did! And some of them were from fellow Catholics who opted out of the large family philosophy. While our family was far from the type of family that Deea was referring to in her comment (I saw the same show), I have to say that I have many, many wonderful memories and experiences to fall back on. Just this last Christmas our family got together which consisted of 53 people, and this was just our immediate family! I could go on and on about the socio-economical, pychological, biological, philosophical, and all the other -icals that would apply to the benefits of large families, but time does not permit. Suffice it to say that God's way always works best! Doug, you've said many times that you're glad that my parents didn't stop at number 6 and with that I must agree!
ReplyDeleteI have been in the secular college system for almost 2 years now (I graduate in June!)for a lot of my classes they have taught me that we are running out of room and resources and that we need to control the population. I have said many times we don't know really how much this earth can hold and it is probably way more then what we could ever think or imagine. We cannot exactly quote the Bible in class because most people would discount it saying it is not true. I can't wait, (and this is probably wrong thinking)until God proves them wrong!
ReplyDeleteWow Peggy, that is amazing! I would have never guessed!
ReplyDeleteI could see how having family reunions requires calling out the National Guard for traffic control to the designated location!
Just out of curiosity; what'd your Dad do for work?
Good post. You are right, over-population is a myth. I get very frustrated with these doomsday prophets. Can they not see what’s happening in Western Europe?
ReplyDeleteWell, I am from Bangladesh, the most densely populated country in the world and here over population is often siad to be the numbe 1 problem for the country and root of many other problems like unemployment and poverty. Anway, yes, USA will soon face the problem of under population as Europe and Japan are facing now. There should be a well thought plan to fight with this problem from now.
ReplyDelete