Should We Worry About Declining Birth Rates?

[@AlisonBenda-zh6ex]

People of faith, PLEASE don't use videos like this to pass judgements on people of childbearing years who don't have children (especially while boasting about your own large families). Many of us are quietly carrying the immense grief of infertility or the lack of a good/available partner to marry. ...also, let's be careful not to judge people who choose not to have children. Instead, get to know them, love them, and listen to their stories. Many are dealing with more pain and lack of family support than we realize.

[@randomperson5817]

@@AlisonBenda-zh6ex why do people act like being judged is the worst thing in the world that ruins their life. Part of being a humble Christian is being OK with being judged. Who cares what the world thinks God knows your story.

[@lindadokey3786]

Hello Bishop Barron, I am 79yrs old and we raised 8 Children. Just to speak of no Children, I cannot phantom. Just yesterday my Children unbeknownst to me purchased a new bed and delivered, put together so I may sleep better. They are all grown with Family of their own, in fact we as immediate family are 95 strong. I am a Great Great Granny of 5 and another on the way. Yes GOD has Blessed us Abundantly and though my husband passed 5 years ago I know he is excited along with all of us. I Love listening to YOU and opening my eyes to so many things. GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS 🙏 ❤

[@arielwertlen6709]

@@lindadokey3786 thank you for your comment. It is heart warming, bless you and your family.

[@Ulrikestier]

The opposite is probably also true. If I don't have a family, God just doesn't like me enough.

[@c.f.okonta8815]

Wow God has blessed you abundantly

[@emperormiguel8327]

@@Ulrikestier God is either permitting your situation for your own good - or you’re not doing enough. If you’re assured it’s not the second option then you have your answer.

[@erinhernandez5087]

Bishop Barron please pray for me. I was a single mother of one child, a son. In April of this year he took his life. Now I am alone and struggling to find my purpose and feel such a loss not only of my dear son, but of all the life and effort I put into his life.

[@Btn1136]

🙏🏽

[@CreezusJighst]

Beware of scams

[@collinskanazache8682]

Be comforted

[@Nrev973]

Praying for you now 🙏🏾

[@andretyson3567]

Praying Dear Sister

[@R_manatee]

Gosh all these people talking about not having $ while having several children... those were times when people can survive in one salary. People can barely survive in one salary now. And then theres childcare costs.... too expensive to sustain one self... even more so to sustain a family. Sad society we live in.

[@chris6344]

I don’t feel bad. This mess is ALL human created

[@randomperson5817]

It’s the small hats

[@randomperson5817]

SMALL 🎩

[@blafonovision4342]

8+ billion people in the world. I think we are going to be just fine.

[@MuskYilong]

yeah, but its the wrong ones who are procreating, meanwhile who should be procreating are paying the welfare for those who do and dont have any ambitions/drive abolish the welfare state first, i dont want dysgenic goblins to breed on my cost

[@thedukeoflegends1981]

How about excess deaths, and no births?

[@blafonovision4342]

@ we’ve got a ways to go

[@dzerres]

You don't understand statistics and demographics but you choose to comment anyway. Typical.

[@dans864]

​@@dzerresit's always strange to me how they can ignore the stats and not realize the precipitous decline coming with absolute certainty in the next three decades yet speak so certainty with well it's fine right now the crazy thing to me is these are the exact same people who will mock a congressman for holding up a snowball and saying well it's snowing outside so clearly there's no global warming

[@TheKyPerson]

My mother and father had 9 children. We had such a wonderful childhood. I had two and would have liked to have had more, but my former husband was so cruel I left him. I wish we'd treat mothers and fathers with the same love we give to celebrities.

[@Rally-tea]

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. The generation who we must now care for pulled up the ladder of success after them. Their example and leadership have gotten us here.

[@janemazzola4454]

Such an interesting topic. Another practical issue that countries of declining birth rates are facing is along w/the aging populations to be cared for, is also the fact of declining workers to work, underwrite taxes & programs. I was shocked to read the acceptance of euthanasia & numbers for ending lives of elderly people, which is legally being more acceptable in some USA States also. On a different note: THANK YOU for listening/reading comments from multiple followers, about the rather disturbing, loud, interruptive music that has been drowning out the last parts of the podcasts/interviews. I noticed it was not there w/this program! :)

[@ellenmckenzie4393]

There are some countries that are having a lot of children. We are approaching 8 billion people in the world, to peak at about 10 billion. There are so many poor children in the world. Let’s feed them and give them hope that they can grow up and have families of their own. Other species don’t mate if they can’t feed their young. We could take a lesson from them.

[@EmpressPentacles]

❣

[@MrGus.1]

​@@EmpressPentacles: In God we trust.

[@randomperson5817]

White people are going extinct and should be having plenty of children regardless of what’s happening in other countries.

[@aaronvt9980]

Perhaps you could speak on the dating crisis as a follow-up? In general but in Catholic circles specifically. I can attest to just how much of a trial it's become for young people and it is a massive factor in less children being born into the Church.

[@CreezusJighst]

Kinda sounds like you're just telling on yourself. No maidens?

[@dawsonehlke1290]

@@CreezusJighstthe “no maidens” comment is hilarious, but the man’s not wrong. I’m married but from what I’ve seen among friends and family dating is rough these days.

[@Veo87]

Yeah, there are plenty of young Christians who want to get married and start families, but single people in general seem to have a harder time dating and finding someone these days.

[@aaronvt9980]

@CreezusJighst I'm not totally unsuccessful. I was engaged in 2020(didn’t work out), my most recent date was back in April. I know quite a few young Catholic men who've been going on dates, but it never seems to work out long term. So, yeah. Things are pretty rough right now and seem to be even worse among Gen Z than Millennials.

[@CreezusJighst]

@@aaronvt9980 that sucks man. I mean we probably don't agree on anything but being engaged and then it not working out? That's hard to go through. Especially for conservative religious types, cause y'all not allowed any "relief" at all. Out here tryna date and act natural while you're all backed up and ashamed that's just no bueno guey. You have my sympathies. Hope you find your maiden some day✌

[@arashikagehayabusa2910]

Anecdotal experience as a Catholic parent, we moved last year to have more room for a bigger family. The high interest rate on homes has absolutely stopped that for us though, amongst other issues with the house and secondary infertility. Now we face the real possibility of not being able to have anymore children. Economic impacts have definitely stopped us from having more children.

[@hiddenhand6973]

Vitamin E, the full spectrum of tocotrienols and tocopherols, check and optimize vitamin D levels, check and optimize ferritin levels. Eat your fresh meat and greens and a bit of fruit. Track your ovulation for several months with those cheap ovulation LH sticks. I apologize if you have done all of this. Just thought I’d leave a comment in case you have not. God bless you!

[@arashikagehayabusa2910]

@@hiddenhand6973 I appreciate your recommendations, thank you and God bless you as well.

[@GremlinsAndGnomes]

God bless you. I'm sorry to hear of your struggle.

[@sierraa5510]

I love "Real food for fertility ". Great ressource to optimize fertility (health). God bless your family 🙏🏼

[@TruthWillprevail13]

Heavenly Father protect my children. I’m overwhelmed because I’m on my own as a single mother. My husband passed many years ago. I have no one to turn to, but you. Heavenly Father. Give me strength Lord my sons are both special needs children. Guide me as I struggle to buy groceries, and as I struggle to pay rent every month. Please keep my sons safe and protect us from the evil ones of this world.💕

[@CreezusJighst]

Scam

[@AvaCherry189]

Lord Jesus please help this little family. Supply their needs and continue to support this mother. Let her turn to your unfathomable mercy.

[@llv5236]

We pray to our creator thru Jesus Christ for the future children to be wanted, loved, loved and educate the love of God.

[@dzerres]

Wow, you are making the case for having less kids. Congrats.

[@SeattleSheila]

Fact is, having children is no guarantee that anyone will be there when one is old and infirm.

[@dianeangel7171]

Life is rough these days

[@Sandralaw1101]

Hi Diane 💐

[@randomperson5817]

Always has been my friend

[@karlstrauss2330]

Declining birth rates are an inevitable result from a skyrocketing birth rate over the last century. What goes up must come down eventually

[@hlurpseed]

The birth rate didn’t skyrocket. The death rate and average age rose. BIG DISTINCTION

[@iamnemoo]

infinite growth is a disaster too

[@cliofaces4937]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed that too.

[@TheDysgraphiaStudyJourney]

It’s declining because of the cost of living - and our morals are “if we can not feed ourselves - should we be bringing life into the world”.

[@WillHerrmann]

I think part of the problem is young people not getting married, and the Church being ill-equipped to deal with that. Most parishes have a high school program, then nothing until you are married with kids. In fact, premarital prep is the first time most will hear the Church talk about how they should form a good marriage. Why can’t we teach those who are single in their 20s?

[@MuskYilong]

most churches dont even bother to teach the biblical truth on women anymore, they all love to bash men and tell men to do better and be a loving doormat to his wife but they never mention that the bible says young women should have children and not go to school until their 20/30s or that they should be submissive, respect their husband etc.

[@garyspencer-salt4336]

I read many moral reasons to have children and agree, but as a business-minded person, any married couple in the West has to now battle the cost of the assets to support that decision over it formative years.

[@deniserodkey8169]

I have severe mental illness in my family and my husband and I meet later in life. We do not have any children. We are happy; however, we are alone and our lives are not full. Have your children; don’t destroy them. Live a full, happy life. Pray for healthy children and cherish the children God blesses you with!

[@erric288]

I think the people making the economic argument have no basis for that. People have been much poorer in the past and courageously had children anyway. Even in very recent times where they had aceess to contraception and abortion. This is a social-psychologically constructed crisis. It is a crisis of hope. Young people today have been raised to believe that the world is ending and that raising a family only serves to harm the children and kill the planet. They have been raised to be incredibly anxious and dependent, and therefore are terrified of the prospect of parenting and the daunting undertaking it represents. It's a perfect storm of secularism, the coddling of the mind (immaturity and stress intolerance), and the effects of social media (anxiety generation).

[@aaronvt9980]

You're right, it isn't absolute level of wealth that impacts birthrates. Economic uncertainty and declining wealth does impact birthrates. Millennials are worse off than the previous generation and Gen Z are worse off than Millennials. And we are in an era of rampant uncertainty and social upheaval. We also have a mating crisis (thanks feminism) so even getting to the starting line is more difficult.

[@kphs5764]

Bingo. And when you combine a generationally typical fear of marriage and parenting with a commitment to chastity, you get the Catholic dating scene.

[@erric288]

​@@kphs5764I got married while away from the Church, so I'm not familiar with the dating scene besides everyone saying it has a limited pool of people and is generally tough. What about the commitment to chastity makes things more difficult?

[@analyticallysound2716]

"courageous" is a funny replacement for "irresponsible". If you are bringing another person into the world under you best provide them with what they need to succeed. People don't live in subsistence farming communities anymore. Children take a huge amount of time and money to raise and we live in a society where single people are living paycheck to paycheck. The economic argument absolutely works and just pointing out that poorer people have had lots of kids in the past is not understanding the changing economic conditions.

[@erric288]

​@analyticallysound2716 I would say that people set their standards for what they need to provide economically far too high. People think they need to provide the absolute "best" for their kids. They think they need to provide a private school education, organic food, luxury cars, a room for each kid, all the latest toys and tech, etc. Just take a look at home sizes for example. During the baby boom, people were raising families with 6 kids in a 1500 sqft home, and now they are raising one or two in a 2500 sqft house. You can see the value shift right there. There has been a lifestyle inflation, and so you see both spouses with professional careers paying for daycare just so they can afford this arbitrary standard. I do grant that there has been a ton of inflation of the monetary supply and so things are economically tough at the moment. But I think my point still stands that people have responsibly had more children in less prosperous times. Fertility rates were still much higher in the late 70s amongst high inflation, low growth, and higher interest rates.

[@Btn1136]

I work in financial services and work with about 200 very wealthy families- combined worth of about 3bil. It is very scary how many of them are committed to causes that support depopulation- it’s essentially eugenics. The organizations they donate securities to have the most ghoulish names.

[@asdfasdf3989]

Do you know who promotes these charities?

[@arielwertlen6709]

Do they themselves have many children?

[@RichardLawNZ]

Quit.

[@katierebeccajackson]

Is the main one Stonewall?

[@katierebeccajackson]

Old people homes will be the new orphanages where the Church will minister.

[@alexandersawdye9181]

I think they missed a critical part of the "economic security" issue. It doesn't just convince some people to forego children completely, it also limits those of us who would have more children. We had our first a year ago and I've been somewhat shocked at how much everything costs. We don't live in any opulent way but I do strive to provide a comfortable and secure life for my wife and child(ren). So there is a limit to how many children we will be able to support. In my parent's generation, a family of four and a stay-at-home mother was standard. I would need to double my salary to support this and remain middle-class where I live. My wife and I are going to give it everything we have but I doubt we will do more than three. All my friends are in the same situation.

[@CreezusJighst]

@@alexandersawdye9181 it's strange to me how many religious people will just straight up deny the math of the situation. There's only so many dollars on a paycheck, and more things cost more dollars, more kids need more things. It's not "the devils indifference to life👹" its just math. It's math that says there is are financial limits to how big a family can be, and in the same way there are limits to how much we as humans can take from this earth without destroying it in the process. You cant keep inflating a balloon indefinitely and expect it not to pop. But people keep denying reality because "muh bible says" or "the church says", both are insane😒

[@kbarrillea6178]

And this is the agenda for the liberals. They are anti-human, except for themselves.

[@MsChitterchat]

Second hand clothes, secondhand nursery furniture, secondhand buggies, secondhand toys, buy the cheap nappies, make meals from scratch, join mums and babies coffee / church groups rather than paid for baby classes. Most importantly, move to a cheaper place so you can live on one income (effects of daycare on our society a ticking time bomb.. attachment issues for the child.. regret and guilt for the parents..you’ll never get that time back with your child before they’re 3). Many ways to do it cheaply. Love and time with your children is what’s important.

[@arashikagehayabusa2910]

@@MsChitterchat As one that bought a home in the last year to have room for a bigger family but can't afford to have that family now, I would not recommend buying a home with the very high interest rates right now in regards to moving.

[@Coastpsych_fi99]

Exactly, some of these thinkers and commenters think we should risk poverty to have big families. No thanks.

[@ologedan4759]

Very nice comments here. This issue always reminds me of Bishop Fulton Sheen's podcast on so called "Birth Control". We praise the Lord, The Truth and The Light for as always, enlightening your beautiful minds to shine out the darkness being shed around such "modern issues" . Keep up the Good Works

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

there is a minority of people of childbearing age who choose not to have children so they don't pass on their own medical issues to another generation I.E. blood clotting disorders or reproductive issues

[@randomperson5817]

Faith is the answer… 😢

[@Red1831B]

“One of the most fundamental statements of faith is this: your life is not about you. You’re not in control. This is not your project. Rather, you are part of God’s great design. To believe this in your bones and act accordingly is to have faith. When we operate out of this transformed vision, amazing things can happen, for we have surrendered to “him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine.” Even a tiny bit of faith makes an extraordinary difference.” From Bishop’s explanation of today’s reading. He nails what is at the heart of the population desert.

[@cng9207]

Exactly what I’ve been asking God for. I pray that every fiber of my being should know it belongs to God, and accept the purpose of God for its life

[@monicapopovici4660]

Right! So making kids with the expectation that they will take care of you when you'll get older it's not good either

[@Christian___]

@@monicapopovici4660 right, but that doesn't change the fact that your kids most likely _will_ look after you in your old age if you have acted in obedience to the word.

[@monicapopovici4660]

@Christian___ My child was born with a lifelong disability

[@cng9207]

@@monicapopovici4660 generally speaking, the younger generation will take care of the older ones, whether they are your biological children or not

[@DawnLapka-c8i]

I learned from Fr. Tony Opem in RCIA when I was returning to the Catholic Church that family size doesn't matter; but being a parent that teaches with consistency and lots of help from grandparents does matter. That's why I tik-tok vlogged about our family story. In short - Fr. Opem said teach our kids the right prayers, stay focused on health and well-being and go to Mass as a family. I wish there were more families like that again. I pray that there will be again.

[@walkitoff117]

IF you believe in an eternal “hell” it is immoral to have children. Period. I grew up being taught the theology of an eternal hell, so I made the decision to not have children. Later in life I learned that the teaching of an eternal hell was not true, but it was too late for me at that point. The western theology of eternal hell and penal substitutionary atonement are not harmless, they need to be abandoned. Shalom

[@davideskridge9242]

Respectfully, these individuals obviously don't live in an overpopulated city or country. I live in Kathmandu, one of the world's most densely populated cities. When you see the impact of high population centers, i.e., pollution, noise, traffic, and, most importantly, the availability of water (a big problem in many cities worldwide), you will understand the problem with growing populations.

[@FoodFreedomUSA]

Move out of the city.

[@joe42m13]

That's a question of resource allocation and efficiency of the infrastructure: where you put the people is important, but we don't have more than we can provide for.

[@CreezusJighst]

@@davideskridge9242 its impossible to explain to the privileged just how privileged they are. I've tried, it's a waste of time.

[@Charlotte_Martel]

So true. I lived in NYC for a few yrs, and the population density and sheer dirty nature of the city were overwhelming. We should not want every habitable space on Earth to become as populated and polluted as these places.

[@PoppinPsinceAD33]

Charlotte Martel, the problem isn’t exactly that.

[@bernob9770]

Have kids and bring them in the faith. Faith starts at home!

[@davidsingh6944]

Why do Catholic overwhelmingly vote for ABORTION, BIRTH CONTROL and DIVORCE? Why is the Catholic Congregation Satanic????

[@davidsingh6944]

Why do Catholic overwhelmingly vote for ABORTION, BIRTH CONTROL and DIVORCE? Why is the Catholic Congregation Satanic????

[@AgainstLife1000]

Faith of what

[@davidsingh6944]

@@AgainstLife1000 Faith that they have Inherent Dignity, the progressive fascist agenda dehumanize people to create better slaves.

[@intricatic]

Kids are gross. I think we need even less of them. Even with declining birthrates, I think we have far too many.

[@phillipkapler8319]

I was the 8th of 12 children, growing up in the 1960's and 1970's. Even in Catholic grade school, I found myself having to deal with other kids saying our family was "irresponsibly large". and that my parents were part of the "overpopulation problem". As a child, I knew they were wrong, and I told them it was impossible for there to be a child that God does not want and love. I was raised in a home of deep Faith, and was never intimidated by such kids. I felt sorry for them, and as time progressed, I realized that in a number of cases, kids who made those remarks were actually speaking from jealously. They could see how tight-knit we were, that we had more people around us to rely upon and to have fun with. Peer pressure to do stupid things never really had a grip on us - if we didn;t think our friends were doing the right thing, we could spin around at anytime to spend time with companions at home. Globally, the consequences of collapsing populations are going to manifest themselves much sooner than most grasp. By 2050, China is going fall from 1.2 billion people to about 600 million. It's locked in demographically. There is nothing they can do now to reverse that, and they are, as a country and civilization, utterly doomed. Sad, and frightening; they will not go gently into that dark night.

[@ThEEnlightenFemme]

I bet your mom wished she had access to birth control. A woman's body is torn up after each child, but that doesn't matter to males women are birthing utilities. Glorifying her internal misery is typical of Religious cult members

[@jesusacantos]

73million/year is really staggering. I think people have become promiscuous and immoral. They want sex but not responsibility. Abortion is a sinful solution to a sinful act in the first place.

[@FoodFreedomUSA]

In America, it’s ONE MILLION per year. We need to focus on what we can do in America, a federal ban on abortion to protect the Constitutional Right to Life of these pre-born Americans.

[@FoodFreedomUSA]

Russians actually use abortion as birth control. The state pays for it as it’s very anti life. All communist regimes are anti God/anti family/anti life. They are all intertwined.

[@joe42m13]

People are no different than they always were. The amount of historical infanticide is appalling.

[@FourEyedFrenchman]

Humans have always been that way. To think the people of our time are egregiously sinful compared to our ancestors is vanity. Technology has given us new and more efficient ways to be human, in all the best and worst ways.

[@jesusacantos]

Abortion is a sinful solution to a sinful act. We should educate the youth more on chastity and modesty. Virtues helps people to live better lives.

[@podawe8051]

Growing up, I was one of 8 kids. And although we weren't poor, we were middle -class and none of us had our own rooms and my parents were very careful about our food budget. I feel like the goal posts have shifted and now people only want to have kids if they feel it won't impinge on their current, comfortable lifestyle which is just unrealistic and selfish imo

[@bluesky7226]

True!

[@rshier8422]

Very true. I am one of 9 and we grew up in third world country with our rooms separated with a curtain. My mom would divide one mango in 3 to ensure everyone had a piece. I always heard her say that she is very blessed to have kids that were content. Bless her heart. Mommy and daddy, may your good souls rest in peace. 🙏🙏📿📿

[@Coastpsych_fi99]

It’s not. Bringing a child into existence for the sake of it is selfish. Whereas taking time to ensure you are financially secure, can provide your child opportunities and the best version of yourself is great. Making sure you want it and have a good and supportive partner is great.

[@concretesandals4501]

I'm a man in my early twenties. Many people my age would like to have children, but living is so expensive that we barely have enough to support ourselves, let alone all that supporting a child entails! We simply cannot afford to give children a good life, so it would be an act of selfishness and abuse to have kids.

[@daviecrocketfromzim6766]

I agree. I have a big family and am now struggling to support them, especially with two being autistic. I find the passionate pro life people around me driven to stop abortion, but have no interest giving practical assistance to the family who is a mess in the pew next to them.

[@Scynthescizor]

Another huge issue is feminism. Trying to find marriageable women is increasingly difficult (not saying guys don't have their own issues too).

[@maryalfiler9834]

@@daviecrocketfromzim6766 Sometimes it’s a matter of “ how do I reach out?” Keep reaching, such as Catholic charities, ask the pastor “is there are outreach of elderly? ( sometimes they are a good help.)” Keep seeking help for your big family. God is always with us/ sometimes we can’t feel his presence.

[@bikecameraaction3334]

Isn't it extraordinary that the scientific and social science communities are often credited as the rational voices on these subjects? Yet, again and again, Bishop Barron and the clergy generally, speak unequivocal sense - and always out of love and for the protection of human life. I'm not a big fan of social media and its nefarious effects on (particularly) young minds, but I thank God for the opportunity for people to see and hear the counter-cultural, sane arguments put forward to a huge global audience by Word on Fire and other channels.

[@kentfrederick8929]

My mother was the last of 8 children and got a fair amount of picking on by her siblings. That's one reason why I'm an only child. My mother said that if I had one sibling, the college would have been cheaper, no law school, no braces, no music lessons or pricy stringed instrument. On the other hand, for people who don't want children, they should ask who will help them in their old age? I wound up cleaning gutters and running errands, when my parents aged. By the time my father died, my mother had dementia. I had to pay her bills, do her banking, order her prescriptions, and oversee her medical care. Frankly, a sibling would have been helpful.

[@GremlinsAndGnomes]

God bless you for caring for her aa you did in her old age. Your reward will be great in heaven.

[@dominictafoya2205]

So you wanted a sibling to help divide work?

[@AgainstLife1000]

For people who claim to believe in a god, u sure have many worries.

[@mariefrench44]

Having children is both a personal good and a common good! They are the blessing of our future.

[@omicron2018]

But let's not waste our taxpayer dollars supporting this "common good," right?

[@dzerres]

feel free but more people - women especially - are choosing sanity and personal freedom insteadof guilt and oppression especially by this cult whose men wear dresses.

[@patrickgormely5684]

Is it possible, Bishop Barron, that a country like Uganda in East Africa, which had perhaps 7 million people in the 1960s and now, a mere 60 years later, has more than 40 million, has more people than can have a decent life on planet earth. Is it possible that contraception allowing parents to have two or three children rather than six or seven might have led to a better situation? What will your response be when hundreds of thousands of poor persons in sub-saharan Africa head across the desert to get to the Mediterranean Sea to try to get to Europe? Will Europeans have an obligation to keep open borders?

[@randomperson5817]

Borders need to close. Obviously.

[@thatsfunny2051]

I'd love to have children. I'm 34 and not yet married, so perhaps it's not in God's plan for me. I love to see families with lots of kids though

[@c.f.okonta8815]

God wants you to have kids. The Bible says none shall be barren in the land

[@thatsfunny2051]

@@c.f.okonta8815 Yeah, well, lots of people are infertile or get married too late

[@AnaMarriia]

It's not too late. It wasn't too late even for Anne and Joachim😊

[@sonicmastersword8080]

Declining birthrates are a consequence of the maladies plaguing modern society, not the cause-though it does cause the aforementioned to be more potent.

[@Christian___]

Childlessness a causes of a bunch of problems too; all your evolved instincts tell you that you should be having children, ignoring or rejecting those instincts leads to serious psychological problems--crippling depression and anxiety, egocentrism, nihilism etc.. Cats are not a replacement.

[@somethingyousaid5059]

Ironically, there isn't the availability of a moral justification for forcing a human being to suffer the horrendous consequences of the act of procreation that produced him. But by all means, let's bring more sinners into the world.

[@Christian___]

@@somethingyousaid5059 How can you 'force' someone who doesn't exist yet? How do you propose to get the consent of a person to be born before they exist? What percentage of people do you imagine would have preferred not to have been born anyway? We procreate because that is the driving force behind natural selection, it serves as a priori purpose and meaning.

[@somethingyousaid5059]

@@Christian___ You're not obtuse. The question of consent has nothing to do with the fact that the existence of the human being in this world is a forced one. And I don't know what the percentage of people who would have preferred not to have been born is. Even so, I certainly don't doubt that there are many human beings who are alive right now who would have preferred to have been spared their births in a world like this. Is human procreation a natural phenomenon? Yes. Does it come at a terrible cost to human beings? Yes.

[@Christian___]

@@somethingyousaid5059 What do you mean by 'terrible cost'? Human life is the most valuable thing we can imagine, so creating more of it by having children makes the cost worthwhile.

[@Victor.Hugo1]

I think this is not to worry about. Nature always takes care of its needs. When the birth rates will need to be increased Nature will take care of it. Perhaps the reason why birth rates are falling is because the Earth is overpopulated. But I am certain that this is not an issue to worry about.

[@EliesVos]

Very courageous to address this subject, a big problem here in Europe... Let us pray!

[@Je-rb7je]

We should be worried that is not higher. Without humans everything will be better. New generation is smart and don't want to be slaves to the system like us. We destroyed everything , it's enough!

[@terrydillon9323]

Are you kidding, the earth is over populated now, it is having a hard time supporting us now and , add all the wars blowing up things and all the oil drilling polluting everything, would imagine the human chapter on earth won’t be lasting that much longer.

[@thelostfrog5174]

One interesting and quite distressing thing to note is that if you look at the western countries, the ones that have the by far worst ferility rate are what has traditionally been the Catholic ones, Poland, Hungary, Italy and so forth

[@Interne73859]

Satan oppresses them

[@PapaLeon2579]

Should we worry yes. What can we do to increase birth rates, that's more difficult. It seems to be as society becomes more secular and consumer based, the less we value life. As an aside we all know about the replacement rate from covid, this also applies to births.

[@jwbjpb1338]

Not your business if people don’t want kids.

[@dee2251]

I’m afraid it is. We’re now being told by politicians that because we aren’t having enough children, that’s why we need mass immigration. Those same politicians promote abortions. Yes it is everyone’s business.

[@Badumtss2468]

I don’t understand why people wouldn’t want kids. Explain yourself.

[@jwbjpb1338]

@ I don’t have to explain a thing to you. Move on. Want kids? Fine but who care if people don’t want kids.

[@Badumtss2468]

@@jwbjpb1338 calm down. Why are you getting worked up so much? I asked a simple question in peace.

[@jwbjpb1338]

@ move along, now

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

The UN hoped that the fertility rate would be stable at 2.1. ( Like in Soviet Union) but they were wrong because South Korea proved in 2023 that it was below the fertility rate It can be at 0.72. With the capital city of Seoul 0.55

[@DDGLJ]

“Talk to God, and listen to the casual reply… Rocky Mountain high.” Growing up Catholic in Wyoming, that line shaped my life. I think John would be surprised at how far we’ve all come regarding the stewardship of nature- Laudato Si being a prime example. It’s such a strong connection here that folks in my parish who don’t make it to Mass on Sunday often explain it as attending the Church Of The Beartooths. Everyone knows what that means.

[@BluemanDrummer]

I’m struggling with my life at 58. My parents and family have all passed. My dreams recently are of my late family haunt me. I need someone to talk to

[@aldente131]

Go to a Catholic church and sit in front of the tabernacle where they keep the Holy Host. Go there and talk to Jesus. And then listen. Just do it.

[@alspezial2747]

So everyone died and now you are alone?

[@BluemanDrummer]

@@alspezial2747 calmly yes,

[@troyschuler186]

I'm saying this with love that KZbin is not the place to have that conversation. I recommend getting involved with a community if you don't have any family. If you are Catholic, get involved by volunteering or joining something like a Bible study so you can both become closer to God and meet new people.

[@CreezusJighst]

Be aware that religious channels get targeted pretty heavily with scams. Some comments are designed to garner sympathy, get you responding to them, so they can ultimately ask for money to steal account info.

[@ambissionzazaridah4112]

I'm jealous of my kids because they dont exist. Life is far from a gift.

[@Uncannysius2023]

It’s not too late bro. You can still escape nihilism and find purpose and the light. Pray and hit the gym every day. Life is hard, but also has so much good in it. May God bless you.

[@mht5875]

Devote your life to more worthy causes. Most people have children for all of the wrongs reasons anyways, the prime one being, to find out if they are going to be a good parent or not

[@MaraGilmore]

I am the youngest of 7 children and have 4 kids myself, growing up we didn't have much money but we knew we were loved. Someone I know told me how she only wanted 2 kids because she didn't want her children to "miss out" and this is her business but it's interesting because I feel the opposite happens, they miss out on a certain independence that comes from being in a big family, the push to go out on your own as an adult is sort of missing when you've been given everything already

[@MaraGilmore]

Adding to that, I remember a woman telling me that she thought it was selfish on behalf of a mother to have a big family because then the older siblings had to watch out for the younger ones. All I could do was laugh the poor misled soul

[@onward2727]

Wow… what an interesting perspective. Thats kinda true. I think for many kids in a big family they do grow up with a sense of independence, but I do think there can be some that become nested in this big family, and also some definitely can be, sort of ‘neglected’, as it’s very obvious and objective that the parents attention has to be split, natural and normal. And also this can lead to that independence you mentioned, as they can branch out and grow independently in a self sustaining way

[@sideshowkazstuff3867]

Some nations population is shrinking but world wide the speed at which the population is growing is slowing and personally I think it will shrink from then till we have a good balance of recourses and population.

[@mry5892]

this conversation is missing half the story. the bearers of children (not producers thereof) are plainly missing, leaving out much that would be helpful for understanding. listen to the women.

[@tapestry6455]

They are human beings speaking on a human issue. It has nothing to do with gender Why women think the input can't be just as right and good is prejudice to say the least

[@mry5892]

​@@tapestry6455respectfully disagree

[@Catholicat]

I’m a woman who has had a baby and I think the conversation wasn’t missing anything of value. Bishop Barron is a spiritual teacher and he has a right to speak about issues of spiritual poverty that come from childlessness and anti-natalism. The fact that people reject the gift of new life and the love that it brings deeply saddens me.

[@mry5892]

​@Catholicat agree with the right to speak. not necessarily in agreement with the idea that there us no difference in understanding vis a vis masculine vs feminine take on what is in essence a difference in perspective.

[@mry5892]

​@@Catholicatin other words, I'm on your side.

[@zachbauman2547]

"Anthropologists have long known that when a tribe of people lose their feeling that their way of life is worth-while they may stop reproducing, or in large numbers simply lie down and die beside streams full of fish: food is not the primary nourishment of man."

[@bookbildr]

When we had our first child, I had no idea what to do and how to be a good mother. I told my husband, "You know, I don't want to have more any time soon because I can't imagine taking away the love and care from this one." He just laughed and said OK. Now, I'm pregnant with our fifth. The love a mother has for her children does not get divided with any new child, it gets multiplied. I think many young people these days are brainwashed by marketing and parenthood tips that interfere with this simple thing. Children are not a burden, they don't need much. Trust me, I know from experience. Oh, and we live in Serbia, in a tiny village, and we're just fine.

[@jarrett7541]

Important topic!

[@captaincommodore8901]

blesses by God with 5 children

[@hermanessences]

Paul Ehrlich Great shock

[@JohnR.T.B.]

I'm an introvert type, but I feel better walking in places where there are many people around, living in big cities where there are always people buzzing about. I find it depressing when you are more on your own. Having a lot of people around has with its own issues for sure, especially when they are not well-governed; unemployment, pollution, etc. Nonetheless, the trade-off of having more people around the neighborhood is worth it. I think, seeing random people's faces even if I don't, or barely, make contacts with them really give some vivifying energy that I don't realize.

[@FoodFreedomUSA]

Get married and have children.

[@outoforbit00]

Many varying comments have been left here. I have another one that may shock some people. I went to school and also worked on the family farm from the age of 5. Im female and some of the work was very heavy. Anyway it took a toll on my health as an adult. But as a child i never objected to it, in fact i quite enyoyed it. I only objected to it when i got ill and had no strength in me. But nowadays, children arent even given housework to do. Its a great way i believe to have a family all pulling together and also to teach children responsibility and the virtue of helping each other. There really seems to be no practice for children in these matters. In fact I would go as far as to say that when you provide everything, every comfort and easy life for a child, you are teaching them, they have no need for God because they can rely on you for everything.

[@carmenhartono3410]

Before talking about being pro-life, we should begin with basic FACTS of life. Without healthcare, one in three pregnancies ends in the death of the mother and/or baby. And even with healthcare, sometimes a pregnancy ends with a miscarriage. And if the body does not naturally abort the pregnancy, the woman will need medical care. Yes, the woman will need an abortion. This is all VERY personal. Losing a child is painful enough without church leaders coming in making us feel more guilty than we already feel.

[@Shevock]

I'm near 100÷ sure John Denver wasn't calling people scars upon the land but the new highways and suburbs and such.

[@chriswatson1698]

Paul Ehrlich was absolutely correct. His warning was common sense. Developed nations heeded his warning and avoided the famine and social chaos that overpopulation causes, by restraining their reproduction. Nations that did not heed Ehrlich's warning, do have social chaos and famine. Observe what happens in Africa. Look at living conditions in India. Sudan is in chaos and hunger because they didn't heed Ehrlich's warning.

[@hall54-q6p]

Glory!!! After so much struggles I now own a new house with an influx of $125,000.00 every month God has kept to his words,my family is happy again everything is finally falling into place. God bless America🇺🇲

[@hall54-q6p]

It is the digital market. That's been the secret to this wealth transfer. A lot of folks in the US amd abroad are getting so much from it, God has been good to my household Thank you Jesus

[@hall54-q6p]

Big thanks to Mrs Kate Elizabeth Becherer❤️❤️

[@hall54-q6p]

Her top notch guidance and expertise on digital market changed the game for me

[@hall54-q6p]

And to think that I started with the sum of $11,500 remains a miracle

[@CrystalPeters-r2j]

Same here, with my current portfolio made from my investments with my personal financial advisor (Kate Elizabeth Becherer) I totally agree with you

[@margoderive2658]

The realm of this conversation stays in the broad sweeping theoretical and macroeconomic. I find again over and over men speaking about idealisms about being “fruitful and multiplying”, in a culture of fatherlessness. The reality is women are the ones with wombs, that bear the fruit, and raise the fruit and take responsibility for the children that are here. Hi divorce rates, fatherlessness, lower salaries for women, and conservative attitudes on restricting allocation of resources that would support the family or women and children, single parent families the biblical “widows and orphans” , are all the realities people face daily to survive. Our country and culture is not pro-child. There are many other dangers and predators for people raising children . Women and feminism get blamed and reproductive rights targeted when, our culture and social practices encourage fatherlessness and the church decline does not support the family in an everyday practical ways. I think this discussion should include the daily struggle and social injustices women deal with to raise children as the primary caregivers. This discussion lacks a general understanding of these daily struggles. And assumes the ideal marriage, and two parent or two income home. Yes we are a broken society, so we should be grateful for the courage and trust in God that women have to raise the current 1.6 birth rate on their own . The birth rate will rise when men commit fully to raising children, “protecting the widows and orphans”.

[@vivekapihl5179]

There are enough people. The only argument defending the growth of birthrate is economical. Our societies are built to survive when the birthrate is steady or slightly growing So now, let's build a society that survives no matter the birthrate. Having more and more people on this planet is not rational and definitely it is not spiritually or religiously beneficial.

[@princeofthekylineskyline2984]

I’m 34 with 7 kids in Canada. My generation lacks faith.

[@SOXONVRY]

You recognize it, you were chosen to change it. May God bless you with the fire of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus's name, amen. ❤️‍🔥💫🪽✨️📯

[@onlinetruth9979]

If this “faith” is used to oppress people then yes they lack it

[@GremlinsAndGnomes]

Canada is such a beautiful country, it's sad to see the decline of the faith up there. God bless you for the witness you are living.

[@onlinetruth9979]

@@GremlinsAndGnomes it’s good to see the decline in faith, and increase in reason and compassion

[@princeofthekylineskyline2984]

@@onlinetruth9979 dem child sacrifices be boomin with compassion.

[@JohnJohnson-oh4zn]

Dear old people: Please support the next generation. Please stop stealing our futures. Please stop.

[@omicron2018]

Don't breed 'em if you can't feed 'em!

[@AnaMarriia]

People don't have children because they don't know what they are missing. The sweetness of loving a child cannot be described

[@Jmersch-ei4qn]

I agree with the statement that an intrinsic evil cannot be justified by an outcome of that evil. However, the greatest evil ever is described as a “happy fault “. This has always been a scandal for me.

[@daviecrocketfromzim6766]

I'm dissappointed at such a simplistic, american approach from someone so well educated. We have had depopulation many times through history. Its just natural law - no ego vs theo drama complication required. Abortion is terrible , selfishness is real - but the root is simply most poor people dont have enough so cannot bring more babies into the world.

[@HoradrimBR]

Wrong. Most poor people in Europe today have more acess to heat, food, sanitation, peace, etc that basically all other generations had. The crisis is cultural and spiritual, *not* material.

[@daviecrocketfromzim6766]

@HoradrimBR the biggest decline in fertility is among the poorest demographics. Because they lack access to the security of future growth that was available in the 1960s - 90s. Rich people are typically selfish. As chesterton put it: "Among the rich you will never find a really generous man even by accident. They may give their money away, but they will never give themselves away; they are egotistic, secretive, dry as old bones. To be smart enough to get all that money you must be dull enough to want it"

[@CyborgZeta]

Having children requires a mate/partner/spouse, and not everyone is capable of finding one. A lot of people, myself included, are getting older and are still single. Some, not for a lack of trying.

[@steveempire4625]

Pope Francis told the Philippines not to breed like rabbits. Now, the Philippines fertility rate has gone down from 2.7-1.9 from 2017-2022 which is a radical reduction and puts them under replacement. It also gave aid and comfort to pro-abortion forces in that country. The Vatican has been focusing on Europe and not on where Catholic growth truly lies which is Africa. With the recent gay blessing controversy, the Vatican nearly created a schism with the African Catholic Church in favor of dying Europe. We're seeing an obsession for inclusion with the LGBT in dying European and American countries and persecution against the more traditional higher fertility regions and the Latin community. Bishop Barron can make his opinion known but the Vatican isn't backing him up in the slightest. If this keeps going, the Pentecostals will sack Latin America, Africa will schismatically leave the Church, and Europe will be a religious wasteland while still fundamentally in charge.

[@bens4446]

Abortions are highest in countries where access to abortion and birth control is most restricted.

[@Danboy0001]

Untrue. Show me your stats / data please

[@truongcahanh8915]

Please cite the statistics and don't just cherry pick the few ones that seem to fit with your view

[@fabiolatorres4020]

That's funny, tell me more.

[@bens4446]

@@fabiolatorres4020 Some facts are funny. This one, not so much.

[@fabiolatorres4020]

@@bens4446 yeah, except that's not a fact AT. ALL.

[@TheHolyOnes33]

What do you do as a Catholic who wants to have many children but is struggling to conceive?

[@ThomasMusings]

I am once again asking you to put the episode # in the description

[@rpd5429]

With the many contraceptive options available today, it’s amazing (and very sad) how abortion continues to be used for this very reason: contraception. And for some, ending a life as a means for contraception continues to be ok…again, very sad.

[@ceciliadreger6319]

Allow women to volunteer in your community and not be abused. Good on Thanksgiving day.

[@mrs.m4002]

As usual, Bishop Barron does a fantastic job on a modern subject, answering objections before they've been made. "Anthropocentric imperialism" and the "stewardship" of humans in the world are excellent ways to think of how to balance reproductive numbers. "Nature is our sister works great" but it's not easy to convince people that 1) nature is not our slave or 2) nature is not our god. BTW, I DON'T think we've crossed a demographic rubicon and it's as irresponsible to say that as it was to talk in the 1970s about a population "bomb"; Bishop Barron had a good, optimistic take on this.

[@joepanther9120]

Do you have any comments on the last presidential debate? One of the candidates seems to have plagiarized Bishop Barrons position - even asking the moderators to be specific in their questions regarding late term abortion. Will you comment and/or take a stance on this? We need courageous direction on this issue. Thank you

[@nicksieben7701]

As a Democratic Technocrat, Who, of course is atheistic, yet I do not discriminate or hate upon anyone who believes in a certain religion, I do see that this is a benefit. Regarding the need for proper change in our world, I Believe this planet needs a global decrease in humans.

[@seannick9944]

Please pray for me. I am having Suicidal thoughts .

[@Khaiell]

🙏

[@asdfasdf3989]

🙏🏼

[@pie-eatingant6432]

Christ loves you so much that you can not even fathom it. Praying for you. ❤️

[@BlueHawkPictures17]

Please get off the internet and seek help, and stop watching/reading the news.

[@commonman9782]

Lord have mercy

[@Horror_Fanatic-v7c]

Max Stirner: "Nothing is More to Me Than Myself!"

[@Conorthedad]

The Winnipeg Statement in Canada led to Canada being the way we are today. If there were more Monsignor Foys and Fr John Fords we would have a different world today.

[@castillodanielle-d3i]

Can you make a short for the time stamp 22:22 about parenthood salvation? I would love to send it to other parents.

[@mariefrench44]

Well said! Because of our cavalier attitude towards abortion, there is definitely a coarsening of our attitudes towards all human life now... as we see with late term abortions and organ harvesting from them WHILE THE BABY IS STILL ALIVE. Dear God, help us!

[@bens4446]

The population panic goes back to Malthus, who I think was a parson, oddly enough.

[@DecentFellowship]

I do enjoy listening to you, Bishop Barron! I must say, however, with every respect, that God's celebratory declaration to unfallen humanity to "be fruitful and multiply" was not intended to be a "do it or else" rule. It was more like God was setting them loose, entrusting these pure, sinless beings to cultivate and tend His creation with the wisdom befitting of His image and likeness...reflecting His glory back to Him. "Go, have fun! Enjoy the bounties of the Garden! Enjoy one another and have babies!" Our good God never intended for procreation to be a "sacrifice", but a joy. And it is a joy, when done properly, despite our sins. However, since humanity is tainted by sin and bears the consequences of that, when we do procreate, we are morally bound to promote this: Every child born on this earth must be fed, clothed, housed, educated, comforted in the night, and given some moral compass, whether they are born Catholic or not. The UN has indicated that the global human population will grow to 11.2 billion by 2100, though this growth will be concentrated in non-western, developing nations. There is an indication that the global population will then begin to fall. Infertility may be the bigger culprit. Bishop Barron, you may be interested in the work of Dr. Shanna Swan, who has written a book called "Count Down: How Our Modern World Is Threatening Sperm Counts, Altering Male and Female Reproductive Development, and Imperiling the Future of the Human Race". There is an interview with her on KZbin if you'd like to look it up. Scientists have identified hormone-disrupting chemicals called phthalates, used in plastics to make them softer. These chemicals are now found in almost every human body, and they are causing low sperm counts in men, and they apparently affect female fertility, as well. There are also distinctly western chronic health problems that are behind this wave of infertility. We shouldn't sweep aside the extinction of other animals committed to our care, as our lives may be dependent on them and their place in our ecosystem, no matter how humble a creature it may be (the honey bee, for instance, among others). If the Church is so concerned about the falling birth rate, it may be a good time to think about whether sworn celibacy is a good idea for Priests and Religious.

[@way_truth_life_of_love]

WHEN WE HAVE CHILDREN, WE GROW IN LOVE❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@itinerantpatriot1196]

This anti-life movement has been going on for a while. I remember seeing this documentary on futurists and some of the hair-brain ideas they had for solving the whole "surplus population" issue. There were the two guys who wanted to put a cap on the number of people then insert a memory chip into them that, when they die, it is removed and placed into the cloned body they have hanging in the closet I guess and the cloned person just carries on like nothing happened. Another guy came up with some computer program that determined the proper number of humans for the Earth's ecosystem was 500,000. He carried on about balance with the birds, the bees, the plants and even the carnivores who would eat us and his little machine decided that 500,000 of us was the most the planet could handle and maintain its balance. The guy asked him what the plan was to get down to 500,000 and that was where he started hemming and hawing, pushing it off on government agencies to sort all the details out. The thing is, at the end of this weird-fest they listed the sponsors who were paying for this futurist "research" and The Ford Foundation, The Gates Foundation, and the rest of the usual suspects you find at these WEF get togethers were all listed. Then, I heard about some WEF paper that pulled out the same 500,000 figure this kid who looked to be about 20 at the time came up with, claiming that would be the optimum number of people world-wide. So when Bill Gates and his pals start buying up farmland and putting it to sleep, ya might wanna start asking some hard questions. I'm not a tin-foil hat guy but there are some things that make ya go hmmm...🤔

[@simonewilliams7224]

Yes, the new population helps support the aging population etc.

[@MrMuugoo]

Considering Jesus stated that For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others-and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it. And Paul who in a heavy opinion bordering on a command for men not to marry, they both seemed not to want men to have wives or childeren.

[@DawnLapka-c8i]

True. I think that's why they teach Deacon bound men the "One and Done" principal. Paul said the same thing to women about marriage as he did to men: if you find a good husband, respect him and be gracious and grateful. If not, you are better off without a man, than with a cheater or beater or both.

[@DRSTrust-k6l]

Abortion aside...that's just not ethical or moral behavior....I'm in my 3rd year of reading about the decline in child births and still not come to firm conclusions. I have 3 grown children, two married, and one single. We are recent grandparents, but I see that we won't have the number of grandchildren that might have occurred 30 years ago. We have a huge government spending problem making life (via inflation) hard on people not only for retirement but for child birth. I dare not say what the cost of raising children was through college, and private schools (because public schools are so poor), and helping them in very competitive environment. I know we could have gotten by for far less, but then again all the children are independent and well educated (and I'm not sure that would have occurred through public use). I don't know how my children will ever be able to do the same. So things have changed and some of this is just a reaction to figuring out how to manage one's total life...given all the changes. As my 94yr old mother-in-law says constantly...don't worry God will provide. I'm convinced God will provide, but not in the sociehtal ways in which we have to rear children. It's a key hole....and the key is still being reformed. .....will it fit when it's done forming??

[@ceciliadreger6319]

Every day there is an abortion. Some people think even your co-worker that abortion is a solver problem. After the abortion, some suffer trauma symptoms like nightmares about God's good children, insomnia, negative emotions of guilt, anger, conscience, shame, and Bipolar. Avoiding this thing that triggers memories about abortion. We need to clean our consciences by going to sacrifice of giving ourselves to God's work without pay.

[@williamwightman8409]

The difference between the liberal narrative and religious narrative is as follows: Liberal - there is no life other than the one I make up, Religious - there is no life other than the one I made up. The only difference is that the former is present tense, the latter past tense. The former is active and responsive to the realities here and now, the latter is dead and became largely irrelevant after the beginning of the Renaissance period. ...Higher birthrates feed more of our youth into a well-tuned religious propaganda system perpetuating really old religious superstition. As such the church is disqualified from expressing an opinion on the matter by reason of conflict of interest.

[@C54WAY]

Not at all. Should be celebrated

[@janestclair3650]

It's just the opposite of too expensive. The Epoch Times had an article about how Social Security Benefits will have to be reduced..I think by 2011. With Depopulation we have less people paying taxes....which creates a serious financial problem.

[@beegum1]

I think the AI is sufficiently advanced to be a life coach to a group of people of the same culture, and thereby, as a partial responsibility steer people who are compatible into meeting one another. I know Bumble might to this to some extent, but dating stuff is inadequate to have partnering as part of the culture. I've heard of exclusive dating apps, but this is not to that, this is a life coach, that guides gently to attempt to yield expected results of yourself and your culture. I think this is possible. Obviously it's gonna be tough for the diversity of larger companies, like Samsung, even if they have the resources, but, we'll have to see how this goes. It's been a wild ride just the last two years in AI. Now with a ton of CPUs coming out AI efficient capable, I'm not sure what we could see, but certainly, I think the Zookeeper's time is near. If I recall correctly the last two pontiffs were clearly in favor of welcoming our robot overlords (jokingly meant, of course)... There's a lot of progress on this front and much to think about and possibly to steer.

[@keymaker2112]

Dr. Edward Dutton has done phenomenal work on this topic and has predicted that the ramifications will be substantial, even on par with the period of the Dark Ages in comparison to it's preceding Roman, and succeeding Medieval eras.

[@Interne73859]

The Dark Ages is an anti Catholic slur on the most Catholic era

[@keymaker2112]

@@Interne73859 Seeing what the, "Enlightenment," gave us, I think that at this point we can clearly say the Dark Ages were substantially superior. One Catholic to another, "It's OUR word."

[@Interne73859]

@@keymaker2112 AGREED.

[@mrsamtheman80]

People literally celebrate death for longer-they now decorate for Halloween for about 2x longer than for Christmas-Halloween decorations go up around Labor Day so they are up for about 2 months; Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving so about 1 month

[@marynlyn]

Children are not celebrating Halloween to celebrate death. They are celebrating candy and silly fun and costumes and having parties. They are children, quite ignorant of and indifferent to the preoccupations of other cultures and to prior generations -- the actual dead people in this picture.