I have never been one to shy away from controversial topics, and I found this one to hard to resist. I saw a video several months ago that got me thinking about how liberal the “West” has become in the last 40-50 years, and what it has now done to the demographics of the world. Now, I wanted to show the video, but I think that some of the images, music and verbage used, are a little too controversial to show. So, I decided to just give you the facts of the video, and my opinion, and we’ll go from there.
(Statistics are of 2007)
Statistically, in order for a culture to maintain itself for more than 25 years, there must be a required fertility rate of 2.11 children per family. Historically, no culture has ever reversed a 1.9 fertility rate. A 1.3 fertility rate is impossible to reverse because it would take 80-100 years to correct itself, and there is no economic model that can sustain a culture during that time. Why? If every couple has less than 2 children, when there are 1 million people working in 2006, it would be impossible for 2 million to enter the workforce in 2026.
As the population shrinks, so does the culture…
As of 2007, the fertility rates of natural citizens:
France 1.8
England 1.6
Greece 1.3
Germany 1.3
Italy 1.2
Spain 1.1
European Union (31 nations): 1.38
(Remember the fertility rate that is impossible to reverse from above?)
But the population in Europe is not declining…Why?
Immigration.
90% of population growth in Europe since 1990 has been from Islamic countries.
France:
Fertility rate of Islamic families: 8.1
In southern France, there are now more mosques than churches
30% of children age 20 and younger are Muslim
In larger cites, that number is 45%
In 2027, 1 in 5 Frenchmen will be Muslim
Great Britian
In the last 30 years Muslim population has grown from 82,000 to 2.5 million.
There are over 1,000 mosques.
Netherlands
50% of all newborns are Muslims
In 15 years, half of the population will be Muslim
Russia
23 million Russians are Muslims (1 in 5)
In just a few years, 40% of Russian Army will be Islamic
Belgium
25% of population is Muslim
50% of all newborns of Muslim
The Belgium government has stated that 1/3 of all European children will be born to Muslim families by 2025
“The fall in the [German] population can no longer be stopped. It’s downward spiral is no longer reversible. It will be a Muslim state by the year 2050” –German government
“There are signs that Allah will grant victory to Islam in Europe without swords, without guns, without conquest. We don’t need terrorists, we don’t need homicide bombers. The 50+ million Muslims [in Europe] will turn it into a Muslim continent within a few decades.” –Mummar al-Gaddafi of Libya
There are similar trends closer to home as well
Canada
Fertility rate of natural born citizens is 1.6 (2.11 is required to sustain culture)
Islam is the fastest growing religion in the country
2001-2006, there was a 1.6 million increase in population. 1.2 was due to immigration
United States
Natural born citizens fertility rate: 1.6
Latino immigration raises rate to 2.11
In 1970 there were 100,000 Muslims
2008, there were over 9,000,000
“Islam has overtaken Roman Catholicism as the biggest single religious denomination in the world,” –Vatican, March 2008
[you can see the video here, if you like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3X5hIFXYU&feature=player_embedded ]
For me, these statistics are amazing, and scary. I’m worried, not so much about the rise of Islam, although that is a concern to me. My larger concern is the decline and fall of Western Christianity. Just like the Old Testament, God is using different cultures to shame His people. Now it is us here in the West. Muslims seem much more concerned about family than we are. Muslims seem to care much more about passing on their faith than we do. Muslims are much more hospitable than we are (at least in my travels to Turkey). Shame on us, Christianity, for not fulfilling God’s call!
Why is this? I believe there are three main, although not exclusive, explanations as to why are birth rate is low, and that are against God’s will: Homosexuality, abortion, and artificial contraception. Jesus came to give us life, life to the fullest (Jn 10:10). The three reasons I give cut off life, for physical life cannot spring forth; fullness of life can never be reached with those three boundaries in the way. My previous post stated that God wants us to have children because that makes us better people. He also knows that if we don’t have enough children that our culture will die. Is it no surprise that our low birth rate, both a reason for and result of the decrees in quantity and quality of Christians, is leading to the demise of Christian culture in the West as we know it? (Now do you know why I suggested in my last post everyone needs to have at least 3 children?!?!)
As faithful believers, what can we do? First, we need to pray, for ourselves, and for Christians around the country and around the world. I know I need all the prayers I can get! Secondly, share the Gospel. Tell someone, anyone, how good God has been to you. Thirdly, be open to life, in all it’s ways and all it’s forms. It’s not too late for America. We need to be radically for life, both personally and publicly, and against everything that stands in the way of life. This is God’s will for us, and this country.
May God bless you
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Why God wants us to have babies?!?!
As Michelle and I are learning to be parents, one thing is very clear; it takes a lot to be parents. Sure, there is the physical tasks, but it takes much emotional and spiritual strength as well. And as I started thinking about what it takes to be a parent, I couldn't help but reflect on scripture.
Paul gives us a list of, what I feel, are the only qualities needed to be good parents. This can be found in the fifth chapter of Galatians, and are commonly called "the Fruits of the Spirit." But not only do I give the fruits to my child, I actually grow those fruits as I raise Grace. I give love to my baby, but I also grow in love. I show my child joy, but most people know of the joy given by the presence of a child. I try to show patience to Grace, but as I struggle, my patience grows. Grace needs my gentleness, but the more I strive to give, the more I learn to be.
We reap what we sow. I believe that, in God's divine Wisdom, he planted the seeds of the fruits of the Spirit in each child, not so much for the benefit of the child (although they do benefit) but for the parents to reap, and use, the fruits as mature adults. I find that truly amazing. It is a two-fold growing of the Kingdom of God: It grows both in quantity (the birth and raising of a Child of God) and in quality (the maturation, through the fruits of the Spirit, of the parents)!
I then take this leap of faith...Paul's letter is not just written to parents, but to the church in Galatia, and, essentially, all Christians. All Christians are called to cultivate, grow, and bear, the fruits of the Spirit in their own lives, in response to God's grace. By design, those fruits are all found in having children. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that...
GOD WANTS US TO HAVE BABIES!
Why?
So that we can be better people! It's all right there. In scripture and in God's awesome design of creation. It is no wonder that God's first command to humanity was "Be fruitful and multiply,"(Genesis 1:28). God wanted his creation to grow, not just in numbers, but in character. And that same call is placed on all who call on the name of the Lord!
But I will say this...the fruit needs to be watered to grow. I believe this water is "commitment." It is almost impossible for the fruits of the Spirit to grow in the parents lives, through the child, without the commitment of marriage. That is why Jesus' first miracle was the sanctification of marriage at the wedding at Cana in John chapter 2.
But we live in a world of sin. Look at the world around us. Divorce and single parenthood continues to increase along with, what I believe, are people lacking a mature character. Sin has also attacked men and woman physically, making it impossible for some to conceive and bear children. But through the Spirit of Adoption given to believers, the sin of abandoned children and physically abnormalities has been defeated, and God's original plan can be revealed!
So, how many children does God want us to have? I say 3. Why? That, my friend will be answered at another time.
God bless
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23)
Paul gives us a list of, what I feel, are the only qualities needed to be good parents. This can be found in the fifth chapter of Galatians, and are commonly called "the Fruits of the Spirit." But not only do I give the fruits to my child, I actually grow those fruits as I raise Grace. I give love to my baby, but I also grow in love. I show my child joy, but most people know of the joy given by the presence of a child. I try to show patience to Grace, but as I struggle, my patience grows. Grace needs my gentleness, but the more I strive to give, the more I learn to be.
We reap what we sow. I believe that, in God's divine Wisdom, he planted the seeds of the fruits of the Spirit in each child, not so much for the benefit of the child (although they do benefit) but for the parents to reap, and use, the fruits as mature adults. I find that truly amazing. It is a two-fold growing of the Kingdom of God: It grows both in quantity (the birth and raising of a Child of God) and in quality (the maturation, through the fruits of the Spirit, of the parents)!
I then take this leap of faith...Paul's letter is not just written to parents, but to the church in Galatia, and, essentially, all Christians. All Christians are called to cultivate, grow, and bear, the fruits of the Spirit in their own lives, in response to God's grace. By design, those fruits are all found in having children. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that...
GOD WANTS US TO HAVE BABIES!
Why?
So that we can be better people! It's all right there. In scripture and in God's awesome design of creation. It is no wonder that God's first command to humanity was "Be fruitful and multiply,"(Genesis 1:28). God wanted his creation to grow, not just in numbers, but in character. And that same call is placed on all who call on the name of the Lord!
But I will say this...the fruit needs to be watered to grow. I believe this water is "commitment." It is almost impossible for the fruits of the Spirit to grow in the parents lives, through the child, without the commitment of marriage. That is why Jesus' first miracle was the sanctification of marriage at the wedding at Cana in John chapter 2.
But we live in a world of sin. Look at the world around us. Divorce and single parenthood continues to increase along with, what I believe, are people lacking a mature character. Sin has also attacked men and woman physically, making it impossible for some to conceive and bear children. But through the Spirit of Adoption given to believers, the sin of abandoned children and physically abnormalities has been defeated, and God's original plan can be revealed!
So, how many children does God want us to have? I say 3. Why? That, my friend will be answered at another time.
God bless
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (Gal 5:22-23)
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