Let's face it: studies show that mankind exercises regularly his freedom to procreate. This is evidenced by the continual population increase of the world. In just 40 years, from 1959 to 1999, the population doubled - going from 3 to 6 billion people! And according to Sachs, the United Nations Population Division has predicted that the world population will reach 9.2 billion by 2050. With the plant already this crowded, will the population increase create problems? Science says yes.
More people means more consumers. More consumers produces more carbon emissions and greenhouse gases. This results in air and water pollution as well as contributing to global warming. Environmental issues will exponentially increase with the influx of the population. The negative impact on the environment affects endangered animals. In an already crowded planet, we have limited resources. It cannot sustain so many people. Sachs suggests 8 billion people should be the target range in order to live successfully with our natural resources.
Although population control is widely accepted as one of the best solutions to most of our environmental crises, it is not often discussed. Establishing forced birth control methods or disincentives is a controversial subject. We certainly do not want to follow China's example of limiting families to one child, encourage abortions, or take away the freedom of our people. However, if the population continues to rise at this rate, all mankind will be in serious trouble. I think that educating people in developing countries where the fertility rate is highest would be extraordinarily beneficial. Also, providing birth control resources to everyone can help. There are less children per family in the average American household than in the families of the poorest countries of the world - perhaps this is because of our education and the availability of contraceptives.
More people, however, would mean higher incomes due to increased economic activity. However, this will not be beneficial if we are killing our planet in the process. Too many negative side effects will occur with the substantial increase of population.
You can check out articles about this topic on my delicious site - http://www.delicious.com/Chrissy.Lairson
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Ghetto Preacher and Great Expectations
Willy Ramos, "The Ghetto Preacher," came to my academy for a week of spiritual emphasis. His last evening with the student body, he shared his remarkable testimony. This rapper/pastor was raised in South Florida in a tough family situation. Predictably, he fell in with the wrong crowd. Drinking, drugs, and theft consumed the life of this gang member. He even recalls beating a person with a baseball bat in anger. It wasn't until he hit rock bottom and had a gun to his head that God sent someone to come save him and answer his pathetic pleas. He calls himself a prodigal son, and his mission is to help the prodigal sons and daughters of this world find their way back to their forgiving and loving Father. Once he converted to the Adventist faith, he had to leave the gang. He was stabbed in the stomach 21 times with a ball point pen. Thankfully, God spared his life so Willy could impact the lives of young people with his testimony. He tried all of the things of the world - drugs, drinking, money, sex, and general self-pleasure. Instead of being happy, he realized like in Ecclesiastes, "...for all is vanity and a striving after the wind" (Ecc.2:17). I'm sure he did not understand at the time why he had to go through all of these experiences, but now, because of what he lived through and who he became, he is able to reach the lives of so many teenagers (Ecc. 3:17 says that man cannot know God's ways.... how true I have found that to be even in my own life.)
Pip from Charles Dickens's Great Expectations learns a similar lesson, however he does not find God in the end. As a young boy, Pip does not have the best life - being raised by his abusive sister in a small town. However, he has a meaningful relationship with Joe, his brother-in-law and the local blacksmith. This is enough to make Pip happy until he meets Estella. She convinces him that he is not good enough. Like Ecclesiastes 1:17 - 18, the more Pip gains wisdom, the more upset and discontent he becomes. He is hard on himself when he makes mistakes, just like the writer of Ecclesiastes is hard on himself. Pip attempts to improve himself, but he is not successful, because he is trying to achieve it in all the wrong venues. He decides he would only be happy if he becomes a gentleman, then he would surely win over Estella and live the life she glorifies, but it is all vanity (Eccl. 12:8). The more he gets, the more callous he becomes to those who truly had cared for him like Joe and his friend Biddy, and it never brings him closer to his obsession - Estella. Eventually, Abel, Pip's benefactor, reveals himself. Pip realizes the lack of foundation of his gentleman livelihood after meeting the former criminal. He realizes he has lost everything that matters, and it is only when he hits that rock bottom like Willy Ramos that he turns his life around and pursues the things that really matter. The writer advises you to enjoy life with the one you love in Ecclesiastes 9:7 - 10. Pip puts his efforts into meaningful relationships with Joe and Biddy, as well as Herbert. He gives up on finding happiness through acquiring material possessions, status, and sinful experiences.
When I read Ecclesiastes, I felt how the author pointed out the futility of pursuing things of this world, because ultimately they are meaningless, bound by the constrains of time and mortality. Eventually, I will become dissatisfied and question the very point of my being here just like Willy and Pip. Instead, I need to concentrate on what is important - my relationship with my Savior. Only then will I find the fulfillment I crave. Pascal mentioned a "God-shaped vacuum" in our hearts, I am not going to try to fill it with "wind."
Pip from Charles Dickens's Great Expectations learns a similar lesson, however he does not find God in the end. As a young boy, Pip does not have the best life - being raised by his abusive sister in a small town. However, he has a meaningful relationship with Joe, his brother-in-law and the local blacksmith. This is enough to make Pip happy until he meets Estella. She convinces him that he is not good enough. Like Ecclesiastes 1:17 - 18, the more Pip gains wisdom, the more upset and discontent he becomes. He is hard on himself when he makes mistakes, just like the writer of Ecclesiastes is hard on himself. Pip attempts to improve himself, but he is not successful, because he is trying to achieve it in all the wrong venues. He decides he would only be happy if he becomes a gentleman, then he would surely win over Estella and live the life she glorifies, but it is all vanity (Eccl. 12:8). The more he gets, the more callous he becomes to those who truly had cared for him like Joe and his friend Biddy, and it never brings him closer to his obsession - Estella. Eventually, Abel, Pip's benefactor, reveals himself. Pip realizes the lack of foundation of his gentleman livelihood after meeting the former criminal. He realizes he has lost everything that matters, and it is only when he hits that rock bottom like Willy Ramos that he turns his life around and pursues the things that really matter. The writer advises you to enjoy life with the one you love in Ecclesiastes 9:7 - 10. Pip puts his efforts into meaningful relationships with Joe and Biddy, as well as Herbert. He gives up on finding happiness through acquiring material possessions, status, and sinful experiences.
When I read Ecclesiastes, I felt how the author pointed out the futility of pursuing things of this world, because ultimately they are meaningless, bound by the constrains of time and mortality. Eventually, I will become dissatisfied and question the very point of my being here just like Willy and Pip. Instead, I need to concentrate on what is important - my relationship with my Savior. Only then will I find the fulfillment I crave. Pascal mentioned a "God-shaped vacuum" in our hearts, I am not going to try to fill it with "wind."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)