Be fruitful and multiply, Part One

I have hinted a few times in this blog that I feel that the dwindling size of the population is at the root cause of so many of our societal problems today, not just here in the United States, but throughout the world.   It is also causing issues in the Church.  I believe that in addition to being an economic issue, it is also a moral and spiritual one, and that is why I feel it appropriate to discuss this in a Catholic blog.   To be honest, I do not hear this discussed much in other Catholic forums.  I think this issue needs to be discussed more in Catholic circles, and it might be good to hear about it once in a while from the pulpit, as well.   And quite honestly, if one hears anything, one often hears the opposite argument, that we have too many people.   However, I do not believe that is an issue at all, and I believe quite strongly we have the opposite problem.

To begin with, here are some facts.

1)      In 2016, the birthrate of the United States was 12.50.    Out of 226 countries, the United States ranked 159^th.  This is the lowest since before World War II.  

2)      Other major industrial countries had even lower birth rates than the United States.   The following notable countries had lower birthrates than the United States in 2016; China, France, Norway, Australia, United Kingdom, Sweden, Russia,  Thailand, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Canada,  Poland, Spain, Portugal,  Italy, Germany, Greece,  North and South Korea, Japan. (Japan ranked 224’th!)

3)      When the birthrates remain real low, the population cannot stable itself and goes into reverse.  This will happen in America starting in the next few years, experts say.  It is already happening in European and Asian countries.   Between what is happening here, and overseas,   I heard someone say today there are 300,000 less Italians on the earth than there were this time last year.  I would not be surprised if the same could not be said about the Irish, the German, or the French.

4)      The majority of the top 50 countries on the list with the highest birthrates are in Africa and the Middle East.    Countries that were on the President’s travel ban rank all have higher birthrates than the United States.   Somalia ranks 8^th.  Afghanistan ranks 11^th.  Yemen ranks 43^rd. Sudan ranks 44^th.    Syria ranks 75^th.  Iran ranks 103^rd. 

If the United States and other industrial nations supposedly have the best healthcare, the best infrastructure, the best food supply, than why are we not growing?  Why are countries that find themselves on terrorist watch lists finding it easier to grow?  I think we have to ask ourselves some tough questions here.   Why is this the case?  What is going to happen if we continue down this road?  How can we reverse this trend?

Before we continue any further, let us lay out some papal teaching on this issue.   Saint John Paul II said the following in his 1987 encyclical Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, which dealt with the development of people.    One must immediately add that in the northern hemisphere the nature of this problem is reversed: here, the cause for concern is the drop in the birthrate, with repercussions on the aging of the population, unable even to renew itself biologically. In itself, this is a phenomenon capable of hindering development. Just as it is incorrect to say that such difficulties stem solely from demo graphic growth, neither is it proved that all demo graphic growth is incompatible with orderly development.  

Our current Holy Father, Pope Francis, said the following in his 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si, which deals with the environment. Instead of resolving the problems of the poor and thinking of how the world can be different, some can only propose a reduction in the birth rate….Yet ‘while it is true that an unequal distribution of the population and of available resources creates obstacles to development and a sustainable use of the environment, it must nonetheless be recognized that demographic growth is fully compatible with an integral and shared development.’ To blame population growth instead of extreme and selective consumerism on the part of some, is one way of refusing to face the issues.

What do these quotes have in common?  They both say that growth of the population is fully compatible with development of people, and that attempts to blame overpopulation for any ecological or economic problem is not founded.   The real issues we face today are not a result of overpopulation.  We will examine these issues in future posts, and how they relate to the overall population challenge.

Finally, for now, I propose we read some Scripture passages and really ask ourselves if we, especially in the industrialized nations of the world, are doing God’s will in giving birth as so infrequently as we are?  

Genesis 1: 26-31 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.  God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”⁹ God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.  God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Genesis 9 1-7: God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. ⁴Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life.  Whoever sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall that person’s blood be shed; for in his own image, God made humankind.  And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it.”

Genesis 22: 15-18 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”

Genesis 26:  1-5  Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to King Abimelech of the Philistines.  The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; settle in the land that I shall show you.  Reside in this land as an alien, and I will be with you, and will bless you; for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will fulfill the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and will give to your offspring all these lands; and all the nations of the earth shall gain blessing for themselves through your offspring, ⁵ because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

Jeremiah 30: 18-22 Thus says the Lord: I am going to restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob, and have compassion on his dwellings; the city shall be rebuilt upon its mound, and the citadel set on its rightful site.  Out of them shall come thanksgiving, and the sound of merrymakers  I will make them many, and they shall not be few;  I will make them honored, and they shall not be disdained. Their children shall be as of old, their congregation shall be established before me; and I will punish all who oppress them. Their prince shall be one of their own, their ruler shall come from their midst; I will bring him near, and he shall approach me, for who would otherwise dare to approach me says the Lord.  And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Acts of the Apostles 9:31  Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

Acts of the Apostles 11:24   But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents.

Indeed, I think it is clear from the Word of God that His people are to be about growth, both physically and spiritually.   Many nations of the world today are just the opposite, as are sectors of the Church.   When we act against God’s will, problems arise.  We will explore these problems more in future posts.

Many of the titles to Saint Joseph in the litany to him are titles that reflect the theme of birth or growth.   I hope to close each of these upcoming reflections in this area with one such title. For tonight, I chose the title renowned offspring of David.   Joseph was a descendant in a long family tree, as we all are.   Unfortunately today, many trees are withering, and being cut down, for lack of fruit.   Let us pray that there be a flood of life and love to rejuvenate the trees of human life throughout the world, so that this population crisis may reverse itself, and the corresponding crises that result from it may be contained.

Joseph, renowned offspring of David, pray for us.