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Demographic Trends: A Warning to the Western WorldA century ago big families were common in the Western world. Today the opposite is true. While the West fails to reproduce, third world countries have high birthrates. The result is a massive migration from the third world to the West.by Melvin RhodesWe were walking through the African bush talking. I asked the elderly African man how many children he had, and he told me 54! "How many wives did you have?" was my next question. "Four," he replied. That still works out to over 13 children per wife. That's quite a contrast to the West, where the average couple has less than two children. They need to have an average of 2.1 for a population to remain constant; fewer than two means the numbers are dropping. It's not surprising that many Western countries make up the difference by importing workers from the third world, including Africa. My wife and I were in southwestern Ontario, Canada, in mid-July. We visited a family there who own an alpaca farm. They have one 14-year-old child, a boy. I asked him about his schooling. In the course of the conversation he mentioned that one of the local schools had recently closed due to falling enrollment. He and his parents wonder where future farmers are going to come from, as the average age of people in the area is quite high. That same evening, the Canadian television news unsurprisingly highlighted the fact that Canada's population is aging. Without immigrants, it would be a lot higher. The same day, our local newspaper in Michigan carried a front-page story asking the same question about the future of farming. The average age of farmers in Michigan is over 55. Few young people are interested in going into farming. The paper asked, Where will our food come from in the future? It's not surprising, in the face of these changing demographics, that America's minority (nonwhite) population is now one third of the country's total population. Earlier this year the total population of the United States passed the 300 million mark. A few weeks later, it was announced that minorities number 100 million. Not so long ago, minorities, then mostly African-Americans, were about 12 percent of the total population. A similar trend is taking place throughout the Western world. In fact, it was pointed out recently that there's only one place in the world where people of European descent are increasing in numbers, and that's Utah, a state significantly populated by Mormons, who tend to have big families. Immigrant population explosion These figures are amazing when you consider that just one century ago people of European descent dominated the globe. Today, many countries in Europe itself may soon be taken over by immigrants and their descendants. People of the Islamic faith in particular are increasing in numbers. From being numerically insignificant 50 years ago, they are now so populous that Muhammad has replaced Pierre as the most popular boy's name in France and is second only to Jack in England. The fastest-growing communities in the United States are Hispanics and Muslims. It hasn't always been this way. America's ancestors had lots of children. The American Civil War has often been described as a war that pitted "brother against brother." That phrase would not mean as much today, as most young men do not have a brother. In the middle of the 19th century people had big families. It wasn't until the 20th century that this changed, with easier access to birth control. The first birth control clinic in the United States opened in 1916. Former President Theodore Roosevelt warned that it would lead to the end of our civilization. Almost a century later, it seems that his prediction is coming true. A major turning point came with the introduction of the birth control pill in 1960. This made the sexual revolution of the 1960s possible. Now women no longer had to fear conceiving a child out of wedlock. They could even initiate sexual activity without worrying about the consequences. Prior to the pill, men generally had to have a good job and be able to provide for a wife and children before they could enjoy sexual relations, but suddenly it seemed they could have sex with anybody, anywhere, any time without fear! A strong incentive for work and marriage was taken away. Family life suffered as well. And over the decades since, the declining birthrate has begun to affect the economic outlook. But this population trend was only in the West. High birthrates continued throughout much of the rest of the world, along with reduced infant mortality rates. The imbalance in birthrates, in turn, is a leading cause of the mass migrations that are taking place, with people from high birthrate countries in the third world moving to low birthrate countries in the West. If this continues, the end result will be the demise of the West as the majority culture changes. Certainly, changing demographics is having a major influence on a number of nations. Rejection of biblical family values The West's population decline relates directly to its rejection of Christianity. Previous generations in some Western European countries understood a great deal about the Bible. They knew what the Scriptures had to say on the subject of sex and family life. Right at the very beginning of the Bible, God says that man is made in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). He instructed the first couple to be fruitful and multiply (verse 28). In Genesis 22:15-17 God promised to bless faithful Abraham with numerous descendants. They would be "as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore." Abraham's grandson, the Old Testament patriarch Israel, had 12 sons. The descendants of those 12 sons, in turn, became the 12 tribes of Israel. One of these sons, Joseph, fathered two children, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were to grow into a "multitude of nations" and a great single nation (Genesis 48:19). Israel's name was to be "named upon them" (verse 16). In Deuteronomy 28, God promised great blessings to the peoples of Israel if they would obey Him. One of the promised blessings was in "the fruit" of their bodies (verse 4), with many healthy children. Conversely, a curse for disobedience was to be a low birthrate (verse 18). A prophecy for Israel at the end time shows the link between a low birthrate and immorality. "They shall commit harlotry, but not increase" (Hosea 4:10). It's ironic that Western countries have never been so free with sex—while at the same time failing to reproduce themselves to ensure their long-term national survival! This is in stark contrast to the days of supposedly Victorian prudery when a high birthrate was a contributing factor to the ascendancy of the English-speaking peoples. In the last days, "no pregnancy and no conception" The prophecies of Joseph's sons in "the last days" make it clear that God has been helping the United States and Britain in their conflicts (Genesis 49:1,22-24). "But his bow remained in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob." Hosea 7:15 adds: "Though I disciplined and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against Me." In spite of God's continual deliverance from defeat, the British and American people have turned progressively away from Him. While ignorance of God's Word abounds, the latest Harry Potter book sold over 11 million copies in the United States and Britain on its first day! Hosea chapter 9 adds: "As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird—no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception! Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!" (verses 11-12). A time is coming, and maybe now is, when God will not give victory to the two descendants of Joseph. "I will break the pride of your power" (Leviticus 26:19), He warns the modern Israelites. A contributory factor to their defeat will undoubtedly be the shortage of manpower due to the low birthrate. Increasingly, we hear reports of how the military of both countries is severely overstretched. Israel: a microcosm One of Joseph's brothers was Judah, the ancestor of the Jews who now comprise the nation of Israel in the Middle East. They also suffer from this birthrate imbalance, which was a major factor in Israel handing over control of Gaza. The United Nations "treats every resident of Gaza as a refugee. It provides housing, schooling and medication for every newborn—whether a first child or a 10th sibling. As a result...a Jewish majority in Israel and the territories has been turned into a minority. "In the over-60 age bracket, Jews enjoy a three to one lead in population. But they lose ground in the younger generations that will wage the wars of the coming decades. In 2005 there were 640,000 Jewish boys under 15, against 1.1 million in the Arab sector. "Many young Jews are their families' only sons, who concentrate on future vocations. However, more than two thirds of the Arab boys are second, third and even fourth brothers. Neither their fathers nor the UN will leave them any property or prepare them for a decent place in life" (Gunnar Heinsohn, "Why Gaza Is Fertile Ground for Angry Young Men," Financial Times, June 14, 2007). The changing demographics will only exacerbate the situation. Israel's problem is just a microcosm of a greater problem throughout the Western world, where Muslims and other immigrant groups have high birthrates in contrast to the majority populations. Based on current trends, the majority ethnic group in a number of Western nations will change within the next 50 years. Immigration is only part of the problem. A low birthrate also contributes. As Western economies expand, people are needed to fill the jobs created. Part of the problem here is that the peoples of the West have lost sight of the joy of family life and children. Many people value material possessions more than they value having children. This is decidedly not the case in other cultures where children are highly valued. To learn more about God's teachings that lead to strong, happy families, request or download the booklet . WNP |
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Keywords: demographics West and demographics birthrate and morality Israel and demographics
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