© Third Millennium, LLC
By Deacon Keith Fournier

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"The first and fundamental step toward (this) cultural transformation consists in forming consciences with regard to the incomparable and inviolable worth of every of every human life. It is of the greatest importance to re-establish the essential connection between life and freedom. These are inseparable goods: where one is violated, the other also ends up being violated. There is no true freedom where life is not welcomed and loved; and there is no fullness of life except in freedom. Both realities have something inherent and specific which links them inextricably: the vocation to love. Love as a sincere gift of self, is what gives the life and freedom of the person their truest meaning." Pope John Paul II ("The Gospel of Life", par. 96)

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Just prior to the end of the Second Christian Millennium an event of great symbolic importance occurred---the birth of the six billionth human person. The press quickly dubbed her "baby six billion". She was born in war ravaged Bosnia-Herzegovina. Her mother and father named her "Fatima".

To the denizens of death, who are the new "chicken littles" of our age, it was a day for fear, panic and loathing for life. But to Christians and all those who love life and cherish freedom, it was a day for great celebration. Another miracle! Another "image of God" made manifest in the world!

To many Catholic Christians, It was no accident that she was named after the purported apparition at which the Mother of the Lord of Life warned of the dangers which would follow the loss of faith precipitated by the errors of communism, and prophetically proclaimed the ultimate triumph of love.

The very same event, the birth of “baby six billion” -- reveals two very different perspectives, life and death, and two different worldviews. Of course, which perspective will frame the world of the Third Millennium is still “up for grabs.” Interestingly, it was not the event that changes the perspective. Rather, it is the worldview held by the person and promoted by the culture they live in, which influences how one perceives the event.

The "United Nations Population Division" (U.N.F.P.A.); "International Planned Parenthood Federation" (I.P.P.F.); "Zero Population Growth" (Z.P.G.); viewed the birth as something to be mourned, since it was not prevented. In so doing they have promoted a lie. They tried to convince the world that this six billionth human person was some sort of a predator.

If we were to listen to their message of fear, "Fatima" and all those born after her, will steal our food, ravage our environment, and propel us all headlong into a spiral of devastation. In short, if we listen closely to their siren song, they sound much like that chicken of the children's fable that shouted, "the sky is falling!"

It wasn't then--- and it isn't now.

But as with the "chicken littles" of times past, the truth that exposes their doomsday message is finally being heard by an increasing number of people. Leaders in the fields of genuine science, demographics, public policy, along with people of faith and good will, those who value common sense, as well as people of compassion are forming a new partnership for life and proclaiming it "from the housetops." The truth is there was plenty of room on the planet for Fatima, we simply need to make room in the modern heart.

In December of the final year of the final month of the Second Millennium, Fr Richard Welch, then President of Human life International (H.L.I), gave a stirring and prophetic speech in London. Refreshingly, in age of "junk science" and anti-life hysteria, he acted like the little boy in another fable, the “Emperor Has No Clothes" story. He stood before the assembled crowd and he simply told the truth. There is no overpopulation problem! In fact, there is the opposite problem, under-population.

What is being promoted by the new anti-life Malthusians of our age is a dangerous ideology which, if left unchecked, could lead to horrors far worse than the bloodshed of the twentieth century. As Fr. Welch astutely proclaimed:

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"The global conspiracy against life begins with a lie-it is the myth of overpopulation generated by international population control organizations… The social and economic consequences of under-population are one of the greatest threats facing the world today…. Governmental control over human reproduction is a form of political tyranny. The use of contraception and abortion is a 'politically correct' form of ethnic cleansing, promulgated in the eugenic campaign against women, children and minorities waged by population control organizations." ...