What’s the most loving gift you can give your first child? Well, according to billboards in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, that gift would be to “not have another [baby].” This billboard is one of several scattered throughout Vancouver promoting going “childfree” or only having a single baby. These anti-biblical billboards are sponsored by the group One Planet, One Child.
This group is trying to “hasten progress toward a small family norm, leading to a sustainable world population.” Their stated goal is to “educate that overpopulation is a root cause of resource depletion, species extinction, poverty, and climate change.” Other billboards that are part of this campaign say, “We Chose One!” or “We Chose Childfree!” Their website even contains the slogan, over a picture of a traffic jam, “Congestion Begins at Conception.”
This advertising campaign runs directly contrary to God’s Word, which tells us to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28, Genesis 9:7)—a command which has never been rescinded. Indeed, one of the reasons for marriage (the first institution God ordained) is for godly couples to produce and raise godly offspring (Malachi 2:15).
These billboards and this campaign are just another attack on the family unit by the evolutionary, secular worldview.
These billboards and this campaign are just another attack on the family unit by the evolutionary, secular worldview. In that worldview, earth is all we have (“one planet”), we will continue living here until eventually we go extinct, and there is no ultimate hope apart from humanity changing our ways. Often this worldview basically worships the earth (as seen on the One Planet, One Child website).
Also in a biblical worldview, we understand that humans won’t be on earth indefinitely until our species eventually dies out—Jesus is coming back soon!
But in a biblical worldview, earth was given to mankind and put under our dominion (Genesis 1:28). This means we care for earth and wisely use its resources for God’s glory and our good. We neither wantonly destroy nature nor put it above mankind. It’s a delicate balance that believers must hold. Also in a biblical worldview, we understand that humans won’t be on earth indefinitely until our species eventually dies out—Jesus is coming back soon! He will create a new heavens and new earth. So while we do what we can to be good and wise stewards, caring for his creation and the creatures that call earth home (including helping lift people out of poverty), we also understand that our ultimate hope isn’t here—it’s with Christ in heaven.
Overpopulation isn’t the root of earth’s problems, environmental or otherwise. The sin that reigns in our hearts—including greed, selfishness, and corruption—is the ultimate problem. And it requires the only ultimate solution: the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to save sinners and give us new hearts that love God, love others, and want to obey his Word, including his command to care for creation.
You can learn more about a biblical worldview of stewardship and environmental care in Dr. Gordon Wilson’s book, A Different Shade of Green.
I discussed this item yesterday on Answers News cohosts Dr. Georgia Purdom and Bodie Hodge. Answers News is our weekly news program filmed live before a studio audience here at the Creation Museum and broadcast on my Facebook page and the Answers in Genesis Facebook page. We also covered the following topics:
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Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken
This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.
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