If everyone followed Church teaching...

prodigalson2011 · #1 May 23, '12, 8:11 pm

If everyone (Catholic and non-Catholic alike) followed Church teaching on contraception, what do you think would happen?

I know that the current "overpopulation" hysteria is completely fabricated and that we currently face no such danger, but if all 7 billion people on Earth were to follow the Church's guidelines on family planning and be always open to life, do you think overpopulation would become a problem?

Do you think reproductive rates would stay roughly the same? What's your opinion, and why?

Stratocatholic · #2 May 23, '12, 8:41 pm

Forums like this would have fewer questions to answer. There would be fewer abortions, more babies born and more people would be living in the sacrament of marriage. Abortion might even be illegal, because Catholics would actually vote their faith rather than placating their friends, families and the rest of society with their politically correct heretical opinions.

Credo in Deum · #3 May 23, '12, 8:47 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by prodigalson2011

If everyone (Catholic and non-Catholic alike) followed Church teaching on contraception, what do you think would happen?

I know that the current "overpopulation" hysteria is completely fabricated and that we currently face no such danger, but if all 7 billion people on Earth were to follow the Church's guidelines on family planning and be always open to life, do you think overpopulation would become a problem?

Do you think reproductive rates would stay roughly the same? What's your opinion, and why?

No, I don't believe overpopulation would be a problem since it wasn't a problem before artificial contraceptives showed up. .

prodigalson2011 · #4 May 23, '12, 8:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Credo in Deum

No, I don't believe overpopulation would be a problem since it wasn't a problem before artificial contraceptives showed up. .

To play devil's advocate, it should be noted that the quality of medical care and technology today has increased the average lifespan and has resulted in a far lower mortality rate than in previous centuries. Of course, it could be argued that with a major leap in population, the quality and availability of such care could decrease again.

To clarify, I'm not arguing any particular side in this thread. I really don't know one way or the other. I just think it's the kind of question for which we, as Catholics, should have a well reasoned response. It is my hope that this thread will work towards just such an end.

LaSainte · #5 May 23, '12, 9:25 pm

I think there would be massive famine, poverty and disease within a couple hundred years, if that. Lots of warring over the less populated areas-lots of killing off of indigenous peoples. The middle class would probably more or less cease to exist, with a few wealthy people and a massive number of impoverished people. Whole slews of people would die because of unsanitary conditions and disease, leaving those left to rebuild society. This would happen over and over again until a breaking point is reached.

Veronica97 · #6 May 23, '12, 9:35 pm

If everyone followed Church teaching, I think we would see a rise in population, but I just think it would be another "baby boom", not the "ruining of Planet Earth" as many predict! A lot of babies are born out of wedlock today. Out of those people who are having babies out of wedlock, some would marry and have babies IN wedlock, and some would remain single and chaste, having no babies. Those who did marry would use NFP with discernment and prayer and would have an average of 3-4 children. There wouldn't be such a need for welfare b/c fathers would be in the picture. There would be more people to pay into Social Security and more people to take care of the aging population. In short, I think it would be great.

The Holy War 11 · #7 May 23, '12, 10:16 pm

I don't know my friend, but I do know this. I will follow Christ to death and beyond, and His Church.

St Francis · #8 May 23, '12, 10:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaSainte

I think there would be massive famine, poverty and disease within a couple hundred years, if that. Lots of warring over the less populated areas-lots of killing off of indigenous peoples. The middle class would probably more or less cease to exist, with a few wealthy people and a massive number of impoverished people. Whole slews of people would die because of unsanitary conditions and disease, leaving those left to rebuild society. This would happen over and over again until a breaking point is reached.

I don't think so, and the reason is that if everyone followed Church teaching, a lot of people would follow the vocations God gave them and become priests, nuns, and monks. There would no longer be a need for the government to carry out the work of charity because charity would once more be a task of a freely-functioning Church.

If everyone were a practicing Catholic, employers would treat their employees better, and employees would treat their employers better. "Capitalism" as it currently exists would fade away to an economy that was more fair rather than what we have now.

Of course, all this will not come to be until after Christ returns... but it is nice to dream a little.

TheRealJuliane · #9 May 24, '12, 1:38 am

I think that all of life was created by God, including the way we reproduce. Why, if we are following His teaching, would He allow us to over-grow our home (for now)? I believe that things would balance out somehow, because God smiles on those who follow His Word (Jesus). Everything we do that is against His commandments, goes terribly awry. He will never bless our nation while we continue to kill his precious children.

Out of those 50 plus million children who have been killed through abortion since 1973, how many would have been scientists who solved our energy problems, cured cancer, invented new ways to feed people? How many would have been politicians or humanitarians who would have helped establish friendship and cooperation among warring nations? As the previous poster stated, how many nuns and priests have we also killed through abortion?

**LilyM** · #10 May 24, '12, 2:43 am

I don't think we'd have massive overpopulation. For starters, those who had genuine reason to avoid having children, due to poverty and lack of resources or other reasons, could and would, the vast majority of them, practice NFP with not much less success than most contraceptive use has.

prodigalson2011 · #11 May 24, '12, 11:38 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilyM

I don't think we'd have massive overpopulation. For starters, those who had genuine reason to avoid having children, due to poverty and lack of resources or other reasons, could and would, the vast majority of them, practice NFP with not much less success than most contraceptive use has.

Good point. I guess I kind of undercredited the efficacy of NFP. I'm sure most people who were following Church teaching would be using it, not just having babies willie-nillie.

Brendan · #12 May 24, '12, 12:50 pm

By definition, it would be impossible for the Earth to have too many people.

There can only be as many people as God actively desired there to be. A human person cannot exist without God creating and infusing an immortal, rational soul.

This means that God has to actually DO something for a human to be created, it is more than God simply allowing something to happen ( as God allows sin). God is an active participant.

Thus, since it is impossible for God to err, there can never be too many people on Earth.

'Overpopulation' will always be a myth.

Buck Crosswhite · #13 May 24, '12, 1:20 pm

God provides. If all of us lived the way he wants us to there would be no problems.

FromTheAshes777 · #14 May 24, '12, 1:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brendan

By definition, it would be impossible for the Earth to have too many people.

There can only be as many people as God actively desired there to be. A human person cannot exist without God creating and infusing an immortal, rational soul.

This means that God has to actually DO something for a human to be created, it is more than God simply allowing something to happen ( as God allows sin). God is an active participant.

Thus, since it is impossible for God to err, there can never be too many people on Earth.

'Overpopulation' will always be a myth.

Amen! Absolute best post on this thread.

Chrono13 · #15 May 24, '12, 2:17 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brendan

By definition, it would be impossible for the Earth to have too many people.

There can only be as many people as God actively desired there to be. A human person cannot exist without God creating and infusing an immortal, rational soul.

This means that God has to actually DO something for a human to be created, it is more than God simply allowing something to happen ( as God allows sin). God is an active participant.

Thus, since it is impossible for God to err, there can never be too many people on Earth.

'Overpopulation' will always be a myth.

Interesting point. But it actually works in case of NFP as well. If God creates human beings, tracking fertility is useless.

Also, is it possible to say that denying overpopulation is denying the real problems Church has to answer?