POPULATION: THE GREAT TABOO

Religion

Even as love of our fellow man and of God's bountiful creation might motivate us to try to create a better world, there are some traditional or unexamined religious beliefs get in the way of discussing human population. Several phrases from the Bible are sometimes taken as invitations to plunder and pillage the bounty of the Earth. Let's have a closer look at three of these Biblical concepts and see waht the Bible really says about our stewardship of the planet.

Be Fruitful and Multiply and Replenish the Earth.

Two times in the period of time covered by the book of Genesis, God said, "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth." Once was directly after the creation, once was directly after the flood that destroyed the whole population excepting only Noah and his family. Considering the tiny population of the Earth at that time (either 2 or a few million depending on how literally you take the creation story) and the population now, almost 6 1/2 billion) we could say that the Earth has been replenished. After all, replenish means to fill again. Now every 12 months we add more people to the planet (77 million) than lived at the time of the Flood.

This was also a standard way to wish someone well. For example in Genesis 28:3 Isaac blesses Jacob: "May God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people." It would seem then that this was a general expression of beneficence towards someone. As if "May you live long and prosper" were to mean that you live a million years and get all the money in the world. Most people would not feel that that is the intent of those good wishes.

It's also rather sad how selectively some people use the scriptures, taking a few words painfully literally, while totally ignoring equally important words right next to them. For one, in Leviticus 26:9, God shows Moses the promised land and does say, "I will make you fruitful and multiply.” But just before he says that, he devotes a whole chapter to work and vacation, giving food to servants and wild animals, about forgiving debts, about ownership of land. None of these words are taken literally in our time.

God says that every seventh year, man should do no work in the fields and the vineyards, and He says that every 50th year all debts shall be forgiven and all houses returned to those that owned them before. It's awesome to think of the wheels of Capitalism grinding to a halt every 50 years, but that is what God said to do in the same breath that he told people to be fruitful and multiply.

Dominion over the Earth

Many scriptures give man dominion over the earth to use the resources as he sees fit. There is some temptation to take this to mean that since we're in charge, we can do whatever we darned well please. But if our Lord and the Creator of all things has given us this beautiful planet for our dominion, he has also been clear that we are his servants and the stewards over this creation. Just as when a parent gives toys to their children, if they find the children ruin thoughtlessly or maliciously ruin them, then they take them away and do not trust them with further gifts. Make no doubt about it, this is God's magnificent creation and it is His, not really ours. In Psalm 50 God speaks that "Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.” So when people cut down the forests and convert the fields to tract houses, we are taking from God's treasure. God has given us permission to use His bounty when in need, but we are not being careful stewards of this treasure. The Gospels often record that Jesus spoke of the need to care for what we have been given as the good servant cares for the lord's treasure.

End Times?

Widespread in evangelistic America is the belief that we are in the End Times - and so we don’t have to take steps to improve the world because God will soon enough destroy it. When you hear or read something like that, it's good to know enough Church history to know that people have been saying that with great sincerity and conviction for almost 2000 years now, and the World hasn't ended yet. That makes it a pretty safe bet that it probably won't happen this time either. And, as Job (and many others in the Bible) discovered, it is blasphemous to claim to know God's Will for the future. Of course none of this means that the world couldn't end now. But if it does, wouldn't you rather face God as one of those good and faithful servants who have kept watch over God's creation and all the beings He has created on this planet? Those who tend well to God's house and are wakeful when the thief comes, will be rewarded like the watchful servants of Luke 12:37 who "the Lord, when he cometh, shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he (the Lord) shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." He will say of them "that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season."

So there is a strong message in the Bible that we are meant to use our dominion wisely with respect for all of God's Creation. Here is a part of Psalm 104, which tells of our love of God's bounty and perfect ordering of all the wonderful beings that inhabit our planet:

1. Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
10. He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.
11. They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.
12. By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
13. He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
14. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth.
15. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.
16. The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
17. Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
18. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.
24. Oh Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
25. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26. There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
27. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
28. That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.
29. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
30. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
31. The glory of the Lord shall endure forever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works.
33. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord.