Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 33 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds   

Pick Us a Pope Who WIll Address Over-Population

By       (Page 1 of 1 pages)   5 comments
Message Russ Doty
Become a Fan
  (1 fan)
I was proud and humbled when the Catholic Council of Bishops led in calling for limitations on nuclear and other armaments that threaten the survival of life on earth. 
Papal conclave: cardinals hold final mass before Sistine Chapel papal conclave The cardinals who will choose the new pope in the papal conclave hold their final mass in St Peter's Basilica in Rome
Copyrighted Image? DMCA

Papal conclave: cardinals hold final mass before Sistine Chapel papal conclave The cardinals who will choose the new pope in the papal conclave hold their final mass in St Peter's Basilica in Rome by YouTube

Additional threats to human existence, like over-population, now require their wisdom and compassion. So, I petitioned the College of Cardinals: Please give the world a Pope who will address over-population with concrete and vigorous, non-abortive, artificial contraception, family planning, and programs to educate girls to the 8th grade level, something which has prevented early pregnancy. 
Revisit the Humanae Vitae published in 1968. [1] Paragraph 26 of that document blames the world's poverty and injustice entirely "on a lack of wisdom in government, on an insufficient sense of social justice, on selfish monopolization, or again on blameworthy indolence in confronting the efforts and the sacrifices necessary to ensure the raising of living standards of a people." Surely a portion of that responsibility must also rest with ecclesiastics whose pronouncements, which may have had a good faith basis in reason and morality to reaffirm the sanctity of life in one time, ironically and unintentionally no longer promote human survival. 
Instead, they have become a significant contributor threatening all life, sanctified or otherwise. Worldwide population exceeds 7.1 billion. That will be 9 billion by mid-century. This growth has stretched earth's resources beyond their limit likely causing the world population affected by water-scarcity to balloon from 8% in 2000 to 47% in 2030. 
Nations have been over-pumping their aquifers. Most are replenishable. Some are not. For example, in Yemen the water table is falling by approximately 6 feet per year. The quickly declining water tables and rapidly growing population have helped make Yemen a failed state. China's Hai basin is facing a shortfall of approximately 40 billion tons of water per year. When its aquifer depletes, a 40 million ton decline in grain production will follow, leaving 130 million citizens looking elsewhere for food. 
Simultaneous over-pumping may lead to concurrent depletion of aquifers, agriculture cutbacks, and devastating world food scarcity. Fresh water and food production are intricately connected. Producing a ton of grain requires 1,000 tons of water. Water scarcity creates food shortages, raises food prices, and increases a countries' dependence on food imports. Since producing grain requires large quantities of water, countries have begun cutting back on their grain production--opting to import instead. 
In several of the largest cities--including Los Angeles, Cairo, and New Delhi--water consumption can only be increased by reduction of agricultural water use. Unfettered procreation and ineffective birth control make efforts to conquer hunger and poverty futile. Lack of sufficient care and family planning services cause one woman to die every minute from pregnancy or childbirth complications. These women leave behind over 1 million children annually, who then become motherless and vulnerable. 
 Girls younger than the age of 15 are five times more likely to die while giving birth than women who are in their twenties. Likewise, infants are 60% more likely to die in their first year of life with a mother who is younger than age 18. Family planning addresses this issue by allowing young girls to delay pregnancy until they are physically developed enough to give birth in a healthy manner. 
Turning a blind eye to the effects of misguided birth-control policies is not a loving response. Tacitly promoting use of more than one's share of our world's resources is not ethical. We have been fruitful and multiplied to the point where we no longer fill the sea (as Genesis 1:22 admonished us to do) but deplete it. Now we must "interpret the present time," judge for ourselves "what is right" (Luke 13:54-57) with resource efficiency evaluation, and become better stewards of God's earth. (1 Peter 4:10)
 Meeting the need for family planning reduces unintended pregnancies. This, in turn, lowers the cost of providing women with maternal and newborn care by $5.1 billion. The CBS/NYTimes poll reported 71 % of "Catholics " said the next Pope " should favor artificial methods of birth control." If you agree you may sign the petition (using your full or first name or initials) at http://signon.org/sign/pick-a-pope-who-will By the time you sign the College of Cardinals will be voting, but your view can still be relayed to the church and new Pope.

Must Read 2   Interesting 1  
Rate It | View Ratings

Russ Doty Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Great Falls, MT native living in Greeley, CO . Attorney retired from practice in MT, CO & MN. Retired CEO/General Counsel for New World WindPower. Now volunteer with MTCARES.org, an organization committed to enacting a ballot initiative in (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Clinton Foundation Shines In a Different Light

The Clean Energy Market Trumps The War On Coal

Exaggerated Keystone XL Pipeline Jobs Not Worth the Price

Unwanted Consequences of Keystone Pipeline

Ignore Emerging Science -- at Your Children's Peril

Romney would cost businesses, hobble goal of energy independence

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend