Welcoming Baby 6,666,666,666: PRI Celebrates the Latest Population Milestone

By Colin Mason
5/29/2008
Population Research Institute (www.pop.org)

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the world's 6,666,666,666th person was born on May 10th. The occasion gave rise to the usual calls for more population control to stave off a demographic disaster.

Despite the 6,666,666,666 people it houses, the planet Earth is still largely unpopulated.

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According to Overpopulation.net, the only thing this number shows us is that we have "passed our sustainability," and that the population crash the world is now experiencing is, in fact, the fault of recklessly breeding humans. These humans are responsible for the downfall of the species because they "have yet to recognize the alarming facts that for the last 16 years we have passed the sustainable food limits that Earth can produce relative to population."

The Sierra Club wants to redouble its promotion of population control. "If we are to achieve a more sustainable future," says its Global Population and Environment overview, "addressing the root causes of environmental degradation-- including overconsumption of natural resources, poverty, and population growth - is paramount." PRI begs to differ.

In fact, the fear of annihilation at the hands of unstoppable population growth is an outdated scientific parlor tale, based in racism, eugencism, mathematical incompetence and demographic ignorance. Men like Thomas Malthus and Paul Ehrlich have long since been refuted. The birth of the world's 6,666,666,666th person should be treasured as a time when the world's population is still climbing.

"Over six billion of anything is a mind-boggling number, and not just for the numerically challenged," says PRI president Steven Mosher, in his newly published book, Population Control�Real Costs, Illusory Benefits. "Few people have the independence of mind to grasp what this number truly represents: A great victory over early death won by advances in health, nutrition and longevity."

This victory is ignored by those who bemoan the birth of babies. But why should it not be cause for celebration that human beings, as Mosher says, have stopped "dying like flies." Contrary to the claims of the population control movement, the numbers show that "the world's population will never double again. In fact . . . it is already close to its apogee."

Although the United Nations would be the first to advocate radical population control measures, their own numbers show the world's population growth skidding to a halt. Like an arrow shot in to the air, the world's population will soon peak, and then plummet downward at an ever-increasing rate. Many countries have already fallen below replacement-rate fertility, with more to follow.

In short, PRI holds that we should celebrate the birth of human babies while there are still human babies being born. PRI celebrates the birth of this milestone baby, and encourages people and governments to look at human beings as resources to be cherished, not liabilities to be destroyed.

Steve Mosher's new book, Population Control�Real Costs, Illusory Benefits, is available on Amazon.com or on PRI's web site: www.pop.org.

Colin Mason is Director of Media Production at Population Research Institute.

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PRI is a 501(c)(3) educational organization. We work to reverse the trends brought about by the myth of overpopulation. Our growing, global network of pro-life groups spans over 30 countries. To date, we have successfully eliminated $790 million in U.S. tax dollars to International Planned Parenthood, UNFPA, and other anti-life aboritionists while redirecting much of this to family friendly programs like Child Survival.

See our current project.

Donate now to directly affect the lives and well-being of mothers and children around the world.

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1 - 3 of 3 Comments

Donna
4 years ago
With what part of Carla's post do you think Africans would disagree, Bob? AIDS has and, it appears, will continue to ravage Africa. Their problem is not one of overpopulation, but of oppression.

God said to "go forth and multiply," not to populate the earth. He gave no specific instructions on when to stop multiplying.

In my opinion, what we need is not population control, but greed control. Why do we need to have huge homes, vacation homes, second and third homes? Why do we need to redecorate them every other year? Why so many clothes? Why a new iPod or cell phone or flat-screen TV just because a new one came out on the market? Why a new car every year? Why all the cosmetic surgeries? If the people of developed nations could set aside just a bit of their grasping, and be *grateful* for what they have, I suspect we'd find we have more than enough to give to those who are in need.

Personally, I find it awe-inspiring to think of over 6 billion people, each one an eternal soul carefully designed and created by God Himself. It's an entirely breathtaking thought!
Carla Murphy
4 years ago
I believe that we need to celebrate because it is life. Since when are we worthless to be born? Every person has a purpose in God's plan. In looking at the recent disasters where over 100,000 people are killled outright like the 2006 Tunamis and the cylone in Myanmar and the Chinese earthquake for example, there needs to be a strong population to offset the bad things that can happen. Other wise we will all die out like the Neandtherthals. No, I am glad to see the numbers.
BOB
4 years ago
I DO BELIEVE THERE ARE 1 OR 2 PEOPLE IN AFRICA WHO WOULD DISAGREE WITH YOUR THEORY SORRY I AM NOT SHOUTING THIS THING WILL NOT LET ME POST IN SMALL LETTERS AND BY THE WAY GOD SAID GO FORTH AND POPULATE THE EARTH WE HAVE DONE THAT ENOUGH ALREADY

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