Recently, I canceled a monthly pledge to a pro-environment cause organization, and I think it's about time somebody explained that there's such a thing as "going too green" and why this can go wrong.
Okay, so there's global warming. And we're wasting so many resources. And because of our carbon emissions and pollution, we're killing the earth. I'm all for saving the environment. I'm all for conservation of natural resources. I care about segregating my trash and recycling and choosing more earth-friendly materials.
Loving the earth is what people should really do. We're only given one earth to use and keep, so let's save it, right? Of course.
What made me stop my pledge was the fact that the organization I was funding does a little something on the side: it promotes family planning.
Whoa, whoa, waitaminute--am I overreacting? It's just family planning...
It's not "just" family planning. It's a whole way of thinking that undermines a new person's right to live. It runs on the premise that "there is not much earth to go around; so, let's cut down on people so that we can have more for ourselves." Promoting the use of contraceptives is a part of it... not to mention the use of abortifacients... and (here goes) abortion.
I can't continue funding an organization that insists that whales and baby seals are more important than human life. Because whales, no matter how majestic, are not more precious than a human being. And baby seals, no matter how cute, are no match to our own babies. If you find this confusing and biased, then perhaps you haven't tried understanding why the Jews were insulted when PETA compared the Holocaust to chickens in a factory.
I believe in saving the environment, but I don't want to mix up the priorities. The earth is here to be of use to people; it is up to us if we're going to use it wisely or waste it. What's marvelous is we have intellect; we can use it to make our resources last longer and conserve the earth. So there's no need to prevent births.
Why should we go against ourselves? It's like eating your own hand just so more rabbits can run free in your backyard.We need to live, so we care for the earth. The earth doesn't need us to deplete ourselves so it can live. It isn't alive the way we are; it doesn't have reason, and it doesn't have a soul. When the human race dies out, the earth will go on revolving without a care.
Finally, here's a question to help you see the irony:
Are you really saving the planet for the next generation if you're preventing the birth of this very same next generation?
6 comments:
These types of environmentalists have gone over the edge. Probably thinks of babies only in terms of carbon footprint. An extremist mentality placing the preservation of nature above the dignity of the human person. Very ironic, I agree. The analogy is similar to killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Only this time, they want to destroy the goose AND the egg.
What's scary is this mindset is slowly creeping up on us, that even the most ordinary people you meet would think twice about whether the whales are more important than human babies. D:
Yes, especially after watching a movie like "Finding Nemo." (I just watched it 2 days ago... still fresh in my memory) :-)
We can really see the innate goodness of human beings -- imagine being so concerned about even the animals that roam the planet. I think it would take a really selfish and hard-hearted person not to give a second thought to the other creatures that were placed on this planet to accompany us humans.
Then there is also the hierarchy of creatures, which is easy to forget at some point. But do some people seriously doubt that human beings are the most important creatures on the planet? Kung baga, tayo ang bida. But that's not about lording it over everyone. To put it simply, it revolves around what Peter Parker's uncle said: with great power comes great responsibility. :-)
Responsibility is knowing how to treat one another as well as other parts of creation with respect, knowing one's place in the universe, being good stewards of what have been given us. Also, always looking for solutions, whether they are preventive or meant to address existing problems.
But responsibility is not about deliberately getting rid of human beings or adopting measures designed to diminish the population. And for what? So lesser creatures can thrive? The world was made for us rational beings, not the other way around.
If we want a better world, we should modify our behavior to lessen pollution, to improve the living conditions of poor families and other such concerns. But we don't eliminate people or regard the presence of people as the problem.
"If we want a better world, we should modify our behavior to lessen pollution, to improve the living conditions of poor families and other such concerns. But we don't eliminate people or regard the presence of people as the problem."
well said!
Yeah, like killing the goose AND the egg to preserve the barn.
Willy J, exactly!
I do admire the creativity of some people when it comes to coining new terms (or maybe they're not so new...?) such as carbon footprint. First, it strikes one's curiosity. Second, it sounds "modern" and so "now." :-) Makes it so easy to believe and pass on the info without verifying or really understanding the concept.
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