Religious control of human reproduction
Religion, primarily organized religion, controls, or tries to control, the reproductive rights and practices of the human species. This is patently obvious, so obvious that despite some modern rampant rejection and non compliance with the grasp of the iron fist that religion has always wrapped around human genitals, reproductive control of humanity is still widely assumed to be within the purview of cultural religion. And why is this? Well in my opinion, it is a product of survival, survival of ancient human tribes, survival of cultures, and survival of organized religions. The human intensive sex drive, both independent of and dependent on reproduction is key to cultural and biological survival. If a religion can succeed in controlling the cultural expression of sex though god sanctioned “marriage", and controlling the production and education of offspring through the culture of belonging to a religiously controlled community, then that religion survives, and the human genome that makes up that society also survives. And those that survive make up the future of that species. The religious promise of a wonderful afterlife is hugely dependent on submission to the reproductive control of sex and offspring by strict religious tenets promulgated and enforced by organized religion. And with a few more exceptions today than than is typical in human history, that is how it is and that is how it always has been. The woes and wars of the world, driven now by the engine of overpopulation, are threatening to turn religious reproductive control from societal survival into the destruction of modern civilization. An overreach? Perhaps, but extend our current world situation 50 to 100 years into the future, and what do you see there?
Martin Moe
I’m not sure which religious controls you’re referring to. I’ve always thought it was just the opposite…most religions have some form of “go forth and multiply” in them. The exact opposite of what you’re talking about and THAT’S a problem.
Well of course you’re right. The Christian Bible does say “go forth and multiply" and in Islam “Marry the one who is loving and fertile, for I will be proud of your great numbers before the nations on the Day of Resurrection." In both Christianity and Islam, sex outside of marriage is prohibited, and the purpose of marriage is have progeny and (very important) to raise your children within your faith. So there are religious prohibitions against procreation outside of the “true faith", prohibitions against marrying outside of the “true faith", prohibitions, actually it is forbidden (haram) to abort the fetus in Islam, and abortion wars rage in Christendom. And so the “controls" I mentioned are the religious laws that foster the propagation of children to believing parents in order to grow the faith and certainly not to control childbirth. Which is what apparently you thought was my point.
I'm not sure which religious controls you're referring to. I've always thought it was just the opposite...most religions have some form of "go forth and multiply" in them. The exact opposite of what you're talking about and THAT'S a problem.Yes, that is the problem and it's exacerbated by those who would control less multiplying, as well, but the ones in power won't get off the control train. They want to be in charge of both reproduction and holding back on it. And they also insist on controlling virginity and marriage. Once a force gains control there is no stopping them. This is the reason we have millions of people facing famine and other crises of overpopulation. It will only end when individuals can control their own reproduction and sexuality. Churches have been among the worst offenders--the Catholic Church at the top of the list. Lois
Religious control of human reproduction Religion, primarily organized religion, controls, or tries to control, the reproductive rights and practices of the human species. This is patently obvious, so obvious that despite some modern rampant rejection and non compliance with the grasp of the iron fist that religion has always wrapped around human genitals, reproductive control of humanity is still widely assumed to be within the purview of cultural religion. And why is this? Well in my opinion, it is a product of survival, survival of ancient human tribes, survival of cultures, and survival of organized religions. The human intensive sex drive, both independent of and dependent on reproduction is key to cultural and biological survival. If a religion can succeed in controlling the cultural expression of sex though god sanctioned “marriage", and controlling the production and education of offspring through the culture of belonging to a religiously controlled community, then that religion survives, and the human genome that makes up that society also survives. And those that survive make up the future of that species. The religious promise of a wonderful afterlife is hugely dependent on submission to the reproductive control of sex and offspring by strict religious tenets promulgated and enforced by organized religion. And with a few more exceptions today than than is typical in human history, that is how it is and that is how it always has been. The woes and wars of the world, driven now by the engine of overpopulation, are threatening to turn religious reproductive control from societal survival into the destruction of modern civilization. An overreach? Perhaps, but extend our current world situation 50 to 100 years into the future, and what do you see there? Martin MoeI agree with the religious regulation of sex part of your post, but there are more factors involved than just religion and overpopulation. There is alot of misogyny and greed in the mix. The available resources in combination with the effects of climate change are going to hasten the catastrophe you predict. If by modern civilization you mean the amount of resources a civilized member of our culture uses up, then that version of modern civilization's days are certainly numbered.