Agnostic.com

13 5

Many religions encourage large families, which adds to the population problems facing the world. Cynically you might say that they are trying to outbreed the other religions.

Would you say in general that concern about population coincides with atheist/agnostic views? If you are a non-believer, are you more likely to have a small family or no children at all?

Posted this today in response to the news that the Duchess of Cambridge has just given birth to her third child, making their family above average size. I'm wondering if she'll do the right thing and have her tubes tied while she's in the hospital.

ITguy64 5 Apr 23
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

13 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

0

If the day ever comes that I cross paths with the right woman and settle down, I'd like to have two kids someday.

0

I would think that the 'be fruitful and multiply' phrase in all major world religions stems back to the days when the child mortality rate very high. If one wanted to leave his footprints in the sands of time, many children were the only way to do that. And once the rule goes into the religous doctrines, removing or changing them is impossibl.e

0

When I was "trying" to be a good religious person I was, while not actively trying (actually still trying to avoid it), I was "open" to having kids, ie: if I got pregnant I wouldn't abort.

Since becoming honest with myself about my disbelief, I have also become honest with myself about my pretty strong dislike for children, and am very childfree. I will now quickly go to the clinic should a "miracle" occur. There are many factors that play into why I don't want kids, population issues being one of them.

I personally find Charles hipocritical because, even after find out that they were having number 3, he has the audacity to lecture the world on over population.... but it's ok for him to have lots. I don't know if we'll ever know if she has hertubes tied, or if she even has a choice in the matter. I HOPE she has a choice in the matter, but since the first 2 almost killed her and she still went on to have a third I don't think she does.

Don't think Charles had much to do with it, unless he's been getting jiggy with his daughter-in-law.

@ITguy64 Sorry, I have trouble keeping them straight since they reuse names all the time. William.

1

Overpopulation is more dangerous than other issues (climate change comes to mind). There are plenty of places even today where religion encourage to have as many descendants as God wishes..... What those religions don't tell them is that God will categorically refuse to pay for college, or any other material thing as luxurious as food (yes, sarcasm)..... Overpopulation is the problem humanity will have to solve sooner than later....

Climate change, deforestation, shortage of water, shortage of fuel and other resources, soil erosion, are all occurring, and every one of them becomes more severe as the population grows. If the population was decreasing, we might have a chance of overcoming some of these issues.

3

Considering the nonesense tht mos treligions require you to believe, I think they encourage large families because their best cahnce to increase membership is through indoctrination of young children born into the religion. I mean let's face it most conversions dont' really take over the long term. So, encouraging their members tohave large families is their best hope to increase membership and mor eimportantly to them, to also increase revenues.

1

Giving permission to be supported later in life. To support the church and the parents. Old school.

1

I believe the concern about over population is relevant to those who are concerned about numerous issues. In other words, intelligent open minded people who are more concerned about the environmental impact of over population and what kind of world our offspring are going to inherit. Is anyone familiar with the Malthusian Principle of Population Growth? Robert Malthus’s essay was printed in 1798 outlining how if the population is left unchecked that it will outgrow its resources. Although that has been scoffed at by many skeptics (the majority of whom are probably god fearing individuals), we are seeing the effects of over population. Genetically modified organisms Have been touted as being the answer to all our agricultural problems. And yet according to numerous research studies, this is the first generation of kids who may not outlive their parents. Afolescent rates are skyrocketing which lends to numerous health problems. The desire by religions for world domination aside, bellying up to the food trough at the local buffet after church may be the undoing of at least part of the population growth.

That was part of my point. Free thinking and intelligent people are likely to be agnostic, so possibly more enlightened in terms of population and other environmental issues.

1

well her wanker husband told the world there were way too many humans not that long ago the prick. fuck bringing a child into this terrible planet just to suffer in the future. I don't mind the practice however and will even clean the area first lol. I haven't made any children.

This is what doesn't make sense. Prince William has spoken out on population so understands the issues, so why is he now pro-creating more than his share? Does he think that his elite position in society excuses him from the responsibility to consider population?

probably or obviously, fucking hypocrite.

0

I do think that non-believers are likely to have smaller families. They feel no obligation to breed like rabbits for God and/or country.

0

When you have a following of millions told to give you a tenth of their earnings, wouldn't you tell them to spend an extra hour in bed making new believers?

0

I don’t think most religions intentionally intend to outbreed others, although I’m certain that there are exceptions to this. But I think that a religion or an ideology that encourages certain people to have more and more kids such as national socialism is almost certain to beget more offspring than the converse.
I don’t think that concerns about population issues is correlated with atheism. I see no problem with atheists “breeding out of control.” (Just kidding?). Seriously though, the only thing that we have in common is a lack of belief in a “higher power” of non-natural origin. I believe in the “higher power” of the bottom of the ocean to kill me if I happen to show up there without adequate equipment, but that wound have nothing to do with “god.”

There are examples of this. [cracked.com]

@ITguy64 Historically flat-out genocide has been the preferred method of wiping out the enemy. It’s a lot more straightforward. Outbreeding schemes seem to be Rube Goldbergian.

0

Shd will drown it when it gets to 13 !

1

Hopefully. I'm single without any children. I'm keeping it that way.

Write Comment
You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:64420
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.