Multiply and fill the earth

[Kutte]

Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.

In Genesis 1: 26-28 it is written, God said: “Let us make a man -someone like ourselves, to be master of all life upon the earth and in the skies and in the seas.” So God made man like his Maker, Like God did God make man; Man and maid did He make them. And God blessed them and told them, “Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it; you are masters of the fish and birds and all the animals.”

Seems to me that man has done what man was told to do. Man has multiplied, as of late, in record numbers. From 2 Billion in 1927 to 7 Billion in 2011. (Source: UN data) Projections for 2042 are 9 Billion.

Man also subdued the earth extremely well. Oceans are being fished empty and turned into plastic garbage dumps. What’s left on natural resources is being depleted at an alarming rate.

My question is this: Do we need to put a cap on human population growth?

Kutte

 

[ALoveDivine]

My question is this: Do we need to put a cap on human population growth?

Like in terms of some kind of China-esque two-child policy? No. God forbid.

Should married couples engage in responsible family planning and consider limiting the number of children they have? Yes, that seems to be the responsible order of the day. But no government should ever force their hand in this issue, the birth and rearing of children is between a married couple and God.

 

[Celticflower]

Like in terms of some kind of China-esque two-child policy? No. God forbid.

Should married couples engage in responsible family planning and consider limiting the number of children they have? Yes, that seems to be the responsible order of the day. But no government should ever force their hand in this issue, the birth and rearing of children is between a married couple and God.

I totally agree!

 

[Kutte]

Like in terms of some kind of China-esque two-child policy? No. God forbid.

Should married couples engage in responsible family planning and consider limiting the number of children they have? Yes, that seems to be the responsible order of the day. But no government should ever force their hand in this issue, the birth and rearing of children is between a married couple and God.

Hi ALoveDivine,

There are a few countries which have a negative population growth, Germany for instance. Most of the population growth occurs in countries in the third world, especially in Africa. What they lack is education and access to pills providing pregnancy prevention.
Something needs to be done. If we continue on this path of unlimited population growth mankind will in the end destroy itself once things get to much out of balance.

Kutte

 

[2die]

God told Adam to go into all the earth and to multiply (have babies)
God told Noah go into all the earth and to multiply (have babies)
Jesus told the disciples to go into all the earth and to multiply (make disciples)

The emphasis seemed to change as we went from being in Adam to being in Christ. We no longer look down to earth but rather up to heaven.

 

[ALoveDivine]

What they lack is education and access to pills providing pregnancy prevention.

Be careful here. The pill can at times work as an abortifascient. If we are consistently pro-life we must oppose abortive, or even potentially abortive, conctraception.

That being said, barrier methods and natural family planning should be widely disseminated across the third world. I will always contend that the issue of children is between a married couple and God, and it is moral and responsible to plan one's family size in accord with financial means and a conscience sensitive to the condition of the planet in the context of continued population growth.

The emphasis seemed to change as we went from being in Adam to being in Christ. We no longer look down to earth but rather up to heaven.

Notice though that the generation of new human life was commanded and blessed by God prior to either the Old Covenant or the New Covenant. This would seem to indicate that it still holds good today. That doesn't mean we breed like rabits, we ought to plan our families responsibly, but rather that we continue to see the birth and rearing of children as a blessing from God.

 

[2die]

Something needs to be done. If we continue on this path of unlimited population growth mankind will in the end destroy itself once things get to much out of balance.

I have never read in the bible that the world is going to end that way.

 

[Kutte]

I have never read in the bible that the world is going to end that way.

Hi 2die,

One doesn't need to be a genius to figure out what would happen if the human population continued to grow from 7 billion to 10, 15, or 20 billion. Of course nobody knows if this is going to happen. Some sensible thinking and decision making may set in.

Kutte

 

[dragongunner]

Hi ALoveDivine,

There are a few countries which have a negative population growth, Germany for instance. Most of the population growth occurs in countries in the third world, especially in Africa. What they lack is education and access to pills providing pregnancy prevention.
Something needs to be done. If we continue on this path of unlimited population growth mankind will in the end destroy itself once things get to much out of balance.

Kutte

This is nothing more than a "secular humanist" view that has been around for at least since the 80's when I was in high school….somewhat surprised its still around and believed. What is the next question….if 7 people were in a life raft, and one had to be thrown off so the others could live who would you throw off, the captain,mother,child,priest,doctor,yourself or the mentally retarded….? Secular Humanism at its worse. The world will not end from a path on unlimited population growth…unless you don't believe in the scriptures. And the oceans are not fished out nor are they on the verge of destruction from pollution. And the earth in capable of growing enough food for much more people, the reason for people starving is from lack of wisdom, and lack of love for God, among some.


BY S. MICHAEL CRAVEN, CHRISTIAN POST GUEST COLUMNIST
June 13, 2011|8:06 am
Perhaps one of the most persistent and pervasive myths that have shaped the thinking of many people and, subsequently, public policy is the myth that the world’s population is spiraling out of control and that it will ultimately lead to catastrophic shortages of the essential resources necessary to sustain life.

This whole concept of “overpopulation” can be traced to Thomas Malthus, the British scholar and Anglican clergyman (albeit a very misguided one) who, without any specific knowledge other than his own speculations, predicted in 1789 that the planet’s rapid increase in population would soon outstrip the planet’s ability to produce food, resulting in massive worldwide starvation. Malthus’s predicted famine never materialized, of course; he could not have predicted the industrial revolution or the enormous impact subsequent technological innovations would have on our ability to produce food. Recall that today our federal government actually pays farmers not to grow crops due to the abundance of food produced on considerably less farmland than existed just a century ago.


Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/51113/#5qDUbfqEezPVvkWS.99

 

[2die]

Hi Kutte,
I have been to every state in the U S A except for Hawaii, plus 9 foreign countries and I have seen millions of wilderness acres throughout, lots of untapped resources, the resources that are already tapped into are just the most profitable. I live in an old copper mining town in Arizona. They quit mining here in the 70s, not because they ran out of copper but because other mines produced more. It seems to me that maybe there is too much money to be made today in crying wolf. Maybe?

 

[Neogaia777]

My question is this: Do we need to put a cap on human population growth?

God Almighty already has a system of natural laws in nature (Mother Earth, forces of nature) that he created for that, the more we rape and abuse our Mother (Earth) Mother Nature will get her revenge and our system will not fall because of a terrorist attack, I don't think, 911 was carried out and the towers fell and it didn't collapse, my guess is either increase in frequency of natural disasters in a short period of time, say Katrina, plus a major earthquake in L.A., followed by a tsunami, all crying out for aid and funds and help, in that same year, if something like that happened, it would break us financially, which leads me to the most likely possibility and that is: A financial collapse, due to greed...

My guess is that we'll be faced with something like a sudden 4,000 stock drop in the market (that rumor has it, that one major drop of 4,000 point drop off, is going to happen sometime in this next month of July sometime) But, the point is: It's coming, my guess is that something like this will happen, and then they'll chose to redesign commerce worldwide and redesign the financial market and the way it works, the anti-Christ is supposed to do this, then we'll be in the time of the end...

It's just around the corner...

America is going broke, and that affects the whole world, and when the system crashes, will cause them all come together, form a world government, and cause them to totally redesign the whole financial system. Don't know how their going to exactly do that, but the Anti-Christ will know, and set it up in the world. My guess is that maybe that it will be some sort of world credit/point system, which reduces us all down to numbers... Some sort of credit card will probably be used at first, then. once were all reduced down to numbers that don't really represent anything, anyways, they'll probably move to microchips...

God Bless!

 

[dayhiker]

I think we have fulfilled God's command to fill the earth.
Some population control is naturally happening. Whither it is enough or not is hard to tell just yet.
I think there is a certain stress we area under as a people because of how densely many people especially in poor countries that have millions living in slums.

can't say I have any answers.

 

[Kutte]

This is nothing more than a "secular humanist" view that has been around for at least since the 80's when I was in high school….somewhat surprised its still around and believed. What is the next question….if 7 people were in a life raft, and one had to be thrown off so the others could live who would you throw off, the captain,mother,child,priest,doctor,yourself or the mentally retarded….? Secular Humanism at its worse. The world will not end from a path on unlimited population growth…unless you don't believe in the scriptures. And the oceans are not fished out nor are they on the verge of destruction from pollution. And the earth in capable of growing enough food for much more people, the reason for people starving is from lack of wisdom, and lack of love for God, among some.


BY S. MICHAEL CRAVEN, CHRISTIAN POST GUEST COLUMNIST
June 13, 2011|8:06 am
Perhaps one of the most persistent and pervasive myths that have shaped the thinking of many people and, subsequently, public policy is the myth that the world’s population is spiraling out of control and that it will ultimately lead to catastrophic shortages of the essential resources necessary to sustain life.

This whole concept of “overpopulation” can be traced to Thomas Malthus, the British scholar and Anglican clergyman (albeit a very misguided one) who, without any specific knowledge other than his own speculations, predicted in 1789 that the planet’s rapid increase in population would soon outstrip the planet’s ability to produce food, resulting in massive worldwide starvation. Malthus’s predicted famine never materialized, of course; he could not have predicted the industrial revolution or the enormous impact subsequent technological innovations would have on our ability to produce food. Recall that today our federal government actually pays farmers not to grow crops due to the abundance of food produced on considerably less farmland than existed just a century ago.


Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/51113/#5qDUbfqEezPVvkWS.99

Hi dragonrunner,

There are many forms of denial, some coming from renowned people. But aside from who is to blame, all one has to do is look at the numbers. Man has multiplied, as of late, in record numbers. From 2 Billion in 1927 to 7 Billion in 2011. (Source: UN data) Projections for 2042 are 9 Billion. If nothing changes, in another 100 years there could be 15 billion of us. It does not take an Albert Einstein to figure out what could happen to this heavenly body we call earth if things get out of balance.

Kutte

 

[dragongunner]

Hi dragonrunner,

There are many forms of denial, some coming from renowned people. But aside from who is to blame, all one has to do is look at the numbers. Man has multiplied, as of late, in record numbers. From 2 Billion in 1927 to 7 Billion in 2011. (Source: UN data) Projections for 2042 are 9 Billion. If nothing changes, in another 100 years there could be 15 billion of us. It does not take an Albert Einstein to figure out what could happen to this heavenly body we call earth if things get out of balance.

Kutte

Since you brought up the UN data and have faith in it, then read the following….your worries are over, God is in charge and still on the throne…..not sure about your denial statement…..are you in denial perhaps? I also believe the whole climate warming crap from Al Gore is nothing but a money making venture disguised….the polar bears are thriving, from only 5000 in 1972 to over 25,000 today and still growing….so much for that lie also.

Even the United Nations, historically a rabid advocate of population control, has conceded that the world’s current infrastructure is capable of supporting a worldwide population of more than 9 billion people. Furthermore, according to the most recent estimates, the planet’s population will most likely continue to climb from its current level until 2050, when it will peak at 9 billion; In either case, global population levels will begin a sharp decline sometime during the middle of the twenty-first century. Present fertility rates actually indicate a massive underpopulation crisis is coming, particularly among Western nations.






Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/51113/#67OWlg5YAGi2GTRy.99

 

[Kutte]

Since you brought up the UN data and have faith in it, then read the following….your worries are over, God is in charge and still on the throne…..not sure about your denial statement…..are you in denial perhaps? I also believe the whole climate warming crap from Al Gore is nothing but a money making venture disguised….the polar bears are thriving, from only 5000 in 1972 to over 25,000 today and still growing….so much for that lie also.

Even the United Nations, historically a rabid advocate of population control, has conceded that the world’s current infrastructure is capable of supporting a worldwide population of more than 9 billion people. Furthermore, according to the most recent estimates, the planet’s population will most likely continue to climb from its current level until 2050, when it will peak at 9 billion; In either case, global population levels will begin a sharp decline sometime during the middle of the twenty-first century. Present fertility rates actually indicate a massive underpopulation crisis is coming, particularly among Western nations.






Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/51113/#67OWlg5YAGi2GTRy.99

dragongunner,

I respect your opinion that climate change, overpopulation, all is humbug. Okay, 9 billion people also can be taken care of. But what about 18 billion? Remember that just within 84 years the world population increased by 6 billion, despite wars and natural disasters among others.

Kutte

 

[dragongunner]

Are you saying God is not able to take care of 18 billion….? What is Gods limit and then he isn't able too.

 

[Kutte]

Are you saying God is not able to take care of 18 billion….? What is Gods limit and then he isn't able too.

Hi dragongunner,

This world is full of surprises. I don't expect that God will come to our rescue every time we mess up. What about personal responsibility? Okay, while taking you comment into account, God could, by using some miracle power, take care of 50 billion people on this planet. But, I can't help but think that this won't happen.

Kutte

 

[dragongunner]

The point is "man" thought well over 100 yrs. ago that man was going to die off from starvation because of over population…what was that, like maybe 1/4 of a billion…then it was 1 billion, then 4 billion, ya we all die off from overpopulation, then 9 billion, ya we all going to die now, no food we should all be dead…..and we still pay farmers not to farm. Man and his wisdom is foolish…..so why didn't didn't we all die off in the 1800's like the "experts" said…..? What makes you think the "experts" are right now….? They keep proving themselves wrong…..EVERY TIME.

 

[BryanW92]

But aside from who is to blame, all one has to do is look at the numbers. Man has multiplied, as of late, in record numbers. From 2 Billion in 1927 to 7 Billion in 2011. (Source: UN data) Projections for 2042 are 9 Billion. If nothing changes, in another 100 years there could be 15 billion of us. It does not take an Albert Einstein to figure out what could happen to this heavenly body we call earth if things get out of balance.

Kutte

Who is to blame? Is it the doctors who lower infant mortality rates and increase lifespans through better medicine? Is it the politicians who did not take the Cuban Missile Crisis to a nuclear war to save "Gaia" from the human infestation? Is it the police who reduce crime in populated areas? Is it farmers and agricultural experts who have found better ways to increase crop yields? Or is it that dude from Galilee, who gave us the basis for Western Civilization that we don't follow perfectly, but we do better at helping others than those who do not follow him?

Who do we blame for making the world a better place to live than it was just 100 years ago? How much more death would make Gaia happy? Who needs to die? Gaia would just tell us to stop moving food around the world and let those in areas that cannot grow food be the first to be sacrificed in her name.

As DG points out, I've been hearing for 50 years that the next billion is the critical number that will cause mass starvation and wars over food. As for me, I have produced no offspring so I am part of the solution (if there is any real need of one). How many kids did you produce or plan to produce?

 

[Kutte]

Who is to blame? Is it the doctors who lower infant mortality rates and increase lifespans through better medicine? Is it the politicians who did not take the Cuban Missile Crisis to a nuclear war to save "Gaia" from the human infestation? Is it the police who reduce crime in populated areas? Is it farmers and agricultural experts who have found better ways to increase crop yields? Or is it that dude from Galilee, who gave us the basis for Western Civilization that we don't follow perfectly, but we do better at helping others than those who do not follow him?

Who do we blame for making the world a better place to live than it was just 100 years ago? How much more death would make Gaia happy? Who needs to die? Gaia would just tell us to stop moving food around the world and let those in areas that cannot grow food be the first to be sacrificed in her name.

As DG points out, I've been hearing for 50 years that the next billion is the critical number that will cause mass starvation and wars over food. As for me, I have produced no offspring so I am part of the solution (if there is any real need of one). How many kids did you produce or plan to produce?

Bryan,

Great post. All these worthwhile efforts you mentioned helped to extend our life expectancy, and in many parts of the world, the quality of life itself. But we also have to consider the negative effects of increased human numbers on the planet itself. More and more forests have to make room for cattle ranches, our oceans are being filled with plastic trash while at the same time fish stock is being depleted by giant factory sized trawlers, the air we breath is being polluted in many parts of the world, especially in China. There comes a point in time when we need to consider having smaller families and I think the time is now. How many of us is enough? 10 billion? 50 billion, 100 billion? You tell me.

Kutte