It’d be nice to see countries outside of Europe as well.
Natural Family Planning´s last blog ..Preserving Your Fertility

Thank you for your thoughtful response.

>> …if everybody had the Utah TFR of 2.6.

Everybody doesn’t have Utah’s TFR. In all of Europe no country comes close. If every country had a TFR of 1.0 where would we be in 200 years? The point is the questions are not based on reality.

>> …even the modest 50% increase forecast for this century will cause serious problems…

Look at this world chart and you will see that for the last 60 years world TFR has been declining. The United Nations projects that “by 2050 the World TFR will stand at 2.02.” The population will still increase as you say but the seeds have already been sown for continued population decreases later in this century.

>> What does God think about the destruction of creation by humans?

God’s command is still in force: “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” (Gen. 9:1). The problem in Rwanda was hatred of one’s neighbor which violates God’s commands.

Apparently “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Gen. 6:5) The problem in Noah’s time was wickedness and corruption of the flesh (adultery, fornication etc.), not environmental. Man can live in peace and righteousness if he so chooses.

>> Choosing to have more children than the earth can support…

There is enough and to spare (D&C 104:17). God knows what the earth can bear, and has warned the people of the world about curtailing their families.

I’m glad that my parents didn’t listen to some theoretical “sustainability” argument and went ahead and gave me life. My five children feel the same way about my wife and I. And no doubt our many grandchildren (born and yet to be born) will feel the same way also.

The way ahead is bright if we would just look at the good news that is all around us. I am excited for the future.

What does God think about the destruction of creation by humans? I think the story of Noah gives a clue. God says, “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.” Genesis 6:6-7

We have choices to make and will be held responsible. Choosing to have more children than the earth can support and thereby destroying the creation the gives us life (the ecosystem or spaceship earth in lay language) is folly and evil.

I’d be interested in your thoughts on sustainability.

The numbers (2.1 and 2.6) come from my post called “United States Total Fertility Rate Increases” to which there is a link in the “Related Articles” section. It is Utah that has a 2.6 TFR to which Mormons likely are the major contributors. For the last 30 years the U.S. population has only grown through immigration. And I am not sure what your objection is to children, we all were children once.

Worldwide the fertility rate is decreasing but we still see a population increase. This is because parents and many grandparents of the children who will likely bear less children of their own are still alive. So even though many countries have low fertility rates, the population decreases are not seen until grandparents and parents begin to die. At that point the population is out of balance such that workers are in short supply, thus lowering everyone’s standard of living.

The culture not being family friendly, that is the traditional family, is a contributor to low fertility. Selfishness and general attitudes do not help either, as you eloquently stated.

I lived in England for 28 years and I well remember the propaganda about the earth being over-populated. That is something of which some governments are reaping as they have sown. It is a lot easier to convince couples not to have babies. Much harder to get them to change their minds afterwards.

I am glad that I have spent my married life in an environment (Utah) where large families are encouraged.