How responsible should we hold the pope(s) for overpopulation and starvation ?

Question

The use of condoms - Not if your catholic

Birth control pills - no way

This in undeveloped poor nations has surprise surprise - lead to massive over population - that in turn lead to starvation disease and horrible existences

How much of this can we lay at the feet of the Papacy and their "teachings"?

How much human suffering is a direct result of these policies they have been teaching to othertwise uneducated persons around the globe ?

wefmeist…

I wasn't aware one had to be in charge to ask a question or offer an opinion or to begin a discussion ....or show signs of independant thought

Answer 1

GRANNYOF5 - you are so right!

Answer 2

Overpopulation is a flawed concept; yes, there are more human beings on the earth, but globally we have the ability to feed everyone with plenty left over. The U.S. by itself could feed the whole world, with today's technology.

Starving and suffering in underdeveloped nations has more to do with tribal or ethnic groups hating and starving out others, corrupt governments who do not distribute relief food and sabotage their own economies for personal gain, and natural disasters that no one has any control over and from which there is inadequate immediate and long-term relief work -- again, with corrupt local government as an impediment.

In the face of that, holding contraception up as the solution for everything is naive. It's easy to point to the Catholic Church's position on contraceptives as the problem; far more difficult to make a commitment to working on the real roots of the problem. The Church has always condemned those who oppress others and cause their suffering, and its missions are doing some of the most consistent but largely unrecognized relief work in underdeveloped and oppressed countries -- with no fanfare or celebrity spokespeople or "aid" concerts.

We in the West want a quick, painless fix; ship 'em cases of contraceptives and feel better about ourselves, right? But the problem goes so much deeper than that. Unfortunately, most of us don't bother to check out the facts.

Answer 3

Since 5/6ths of the world's population isn't even Catholic and since 40% of the Catholics don't pay any attention to those strictures, where do you guys get the idea that it's the pope's fault?

Are you the same ones who blame George Bush for all the world's secular ills?

His Holiness gets the shaft for all the world's religious woes?

PUHLEEEZE! Have you people never heard of "responsibility" and applied it to yourselves? Or considered applying it to others? Or do you just think that everyone is a cretinous puppet to be jerked about at the whims of a few?

*shaking head in unbelief*

Answer 4

It's evolution, not reason, that makes still a lot of people think they have to breed like rabbits to be the largest and strongest tribe, so they can make the other ones do what you want them to do. Religion only put another wrapper around it, thus no contraceptives.
As long as the major part of the worlds population sees suffering as something that is laid upon by god, there will be not enough people around that are willing and able to release that suffering. The problems of the world are also not seen as human problems, but "gods" problems. He made problems and suffering with a goal, and he will have his way with it. It's this kind of fatalism that might eventually destroy the world and humanity as we know it today. But again, some of the "beam me up Scotty" rupture freaks, are only longing for the day something terrible happens, because they think Jesus will be back for them to pick them up to go to heaven or something like that. It's all so ridiculous, but how do you get it out of their minds?

Answer 5

Although this is bad for the world as a whole, the prevention of birth control increases the numbers of the Catholics. Quality of life aside, the more Catholics there are the more power the pope holds. Since his personal power is his primary goal, I think that the pope is acting in his own (selfish and self destructive) best interests. So what else is new?

Answer 6

Most of this world's over population is NOT in Christian areas. It's China, and India.. Rethink your objections to the Roman church. Jim

Answer 7

Who put you in charge?

Answer 8

quite a bit of it....... but but they get so much power in controling that many people.....they cant be stoped by human means.

Answer 9

exactly! spread the good word! one child per parent!