World Population Awareness

Jesus All About Tolerance

Once again, fear and hatred mask themselves as religion and loudly encourages intolerance in the name of Jesus.

Jesus never mentioned homosexuality or abortion.

Nor did he ever suggest that there was a "right" religion or that the purpose of religion was to judge others and get them to do what we want them to do.

Rather, he taught tolerance for the divinity in all.

He railed against hypocrisy. He realized that the reason we condemn others is to distract ourselves from clearly seeing our own improprieties.

If we sincerely want to heal the woes of humanity, we cannot do it through hatred and intolerance. Our hope lies in our ability to move into acceptance of our own humanity and the humanity of others. Buddha, Lao Tzu, Confucius, Socrates, Gandhi, Jesus and many others all emphasized this simple message. rw

U.S.: Why Do Teen Birthrates Keep Rising?

Teen birthrates rates rose in the U.S. for the second consecutive year. The pro-abstinence camp considers the statistics evidence that their approach is essential. Others said that if you spend $1.5 billion to teach this to young people and then pass laws that limit their access to good information, contraception, emergency contraception and abortion, you shouldn't be surprised at the outcomes.

The evidence has been mounting for those who consider abstinence-only a failure. After a decade and 1.5 billion federal dollars spent promoting abstinence-only, a scientific study authorized by Congress reported no real difference in when program participants first had sex, or whether they had sex before marriage, or in their number of sexual partners.

But the numbers are compiled from birth certificate statistics; all they show is an increase in birth rates among young women. They don't tell the pregnancy rates, or whether or not the pregnancies were intended, or what information these women had ever received about contraception.

It takes a while for a trend to reverse itself, but there is evidence linking HIV education, change in teen sexual behaviors, and the declines in teen pregnancy between 1991 and 2004.

C. Everett Koop's promotion of HIV education during the years following the first reported cases of the virus in 1981 had an impact among teens: they reported a big upswing in condom use and fewer sexual partners. Then, HIV education dropped while abstinence-only programs came into vogue.

And voila. Now recent behavioral data from 2003-2007 suggests declines in teen condom and contraceptive behavior and little change in sexual activity. Those data are consistent with the shift to abstinence-only approaches.

Evidence suggests that sexuality education works. And the abstinence-only camp hasn't produced any compelling evidence to support the notion that keeping teens sexually ignorant will prevent them being sexually active. rw

Philippine Government Unwilling to Fund Family Planning

The Philippine government said that it is unwilling to fund population control programmes, and would focus more on feeding the hungry. The government prefers to promote natural family planning.

The President would rather have the current 1.95% population growth rate maintained instead of spending for artificial birth control.

The President believes the funds would be better allocated to address hunger, poverty and unemployment.

The President was pleased the country's population growth slowed to 1.95% from 2.36% from 1995 to 2000. It plans to improve food for school programmes, so they reach 1.3 million families rather than the 400,000 at present. rw

US Michigan: Detroit, Green City

Urban planners say the best way to turn an industrial city into a green city may be to just leave the city be.

At a presentation three areas were said to become the focal points for future development. The most important was population density and building up is a great way to minimize land waste.

Studies show walkable cities are the goal, so developing the city around pedestrian traffic is another way to gain more density. Mass transit is vital; Detroit is without a system.

Mass transit means that residents without cars could have a reliable ride to work, there would be fewer cars, and a reduced need for parking and a turnaround in air quality. Light-rail stations may help attract investors and mixed-use buildings that house both businesses and people. With people come density, more transit options and a boom for economic development.

Mixed-use buildings are efficient and have proved to be places people want to be. Parking lots are are seldom full, they absorb money and resources. Traditional development leads to lower density and greater infrastructure costs. These practices are not economically feasible. Population density is the key to a sustainable city.

The third aspect to sustaining a green city is reuse and preservation of buildings. The carbon footprint of demolition, waste transportation, and rebuilding is enormous. Building preservation and adaptive reuse are the best ways to employ sustainability.

The recent emphasis on being environmentally responsible and the financial benefits may spark investors to build green.

There is increasing evidence that green buildings cost less in the long run, mainly through better energy and water efficiency, but also by reducing waste, improving indoor air quality and through lower operation and maintenance costs. A change in lifestyle is necessary for green urbanism. rw

High Infant, Mother Death Rates Cause Anguish in Afghanistan

Some 600 infants and 50 mothers die per day in Afghanistan, which has the world's second-worst rate of mothers dying during labor at 1,600 per 100,000. The worst is Sierra Leone.

Some 135 children die within the first year of life out of every 1,000 born. Another 220 will die before they reach 5 years of age.

A quarter century of war and Taliban rule destroyed Afghanistan's meager health services. Deep poverty, under-spending, restrictive social customs and illiteracy have compounded the crisis.

"After three decades of conflict, war and infighting we have problems and challenges, particularly health," said Dr. Abdul Salam, director of the Indira Ghandi hospital.

Almost 90% of the hospital's patients come from remote provinces. Access to health care is limited by insecurity and the isolation of communities.

Another obstacle is poor education, particularly among women.

Women have no right to leave their homes due to village traditions, so they remain inside even if they are having pregnancy complications.

Afghan Health Minister said most births are not attended by trained medical staff and training 12,000 community health workers half of them women and 6,000 midwives by 2010 is a Health Ministry goal.

Afghanistan's poverty must also be addressed if health indicators are to improve. Chronic malnutrition for children under 5 in Afghanistan runs at 54%, behind only Burundi at 57%.

Sixty-year-old Alam Gul lives with his wife who is roughly half his age, and their nine children, in a tiny room without electricity, running water or gas. "My children are very sick because of the dirty water, diseases and unclean state of everything," Ghutai said. rw

Africa's Expected Population Bulge Threatens Future Sustainability

Sub-Saharan Africa is among the places where the population is expected to grow over the next 50 years. By the year 2050, demographers predict there will be 1.7 billion people living there, up from the current estimate of 752 million, a leap from 12% to 20% of the world's total population. Population growth is so fast that they cannot provide services, especially education, health and, employment. African birthrates are the highest in the world due to a variety of factors, certainly the desire for large numbers of children. The population is rural and dependent on the land. Governments in Africa have not been efficient in making reproductive health services available. This bulge is coming despite high morbidity rates due to AIDS. Massive population growth assumes there will be a decline in fertility in some African nations and demographers call this "global demographic transition." That is the transformation of populations from short lives and large families to longer lives and smaller families. This has not happened in Africa, and experts warn how overpopulation will add pressures to countries that are too poor to provide basic services. One of the major responsibilities of governments is to look at those trends and integrate into their development plans so that they can plan well ahead of time for the social services, but it's also to create the opportunities to be able to take care of their families. The key is family planning and people in rural areas must have access to contraceptives. Communities want change. But they don't have the services and women are not empowered to make their decisions. The government of Niger is going to give out free contraceptive services and raise the legal age of marriage. But demographic momentum is such that you can't change something overnight, you have to start doing something about it about a generation ahead of time. rw

Turkish Court Reduces 'Honour Killing' Sentences

A Turkish court has reduced prison sentences to the brother and two cousins of a victim of an honour killing. The sentences are likely to attract protest from women's rights campaigners. Allak, 35, was stoned to death by family members in a small village in Mardin province, after she became pregnant out of wedlock. She survived the lynching and died five months later in hospital. No one from her family claimed her body. The 55-year-old man who got her pregnant was killed in the same attack. The court in Mardin first sentenced Allak's brother to life over her killing, and to 27 years in jail for the murder of her lover. The judges immediately reduced his total sentence to 20 years and eight months, on the grounds of his good behaviour and that his action had been provoked. Under the infamous practice, relatives convene a family council and task a clan member to murder a female relative considered to have stained their honor. In a major overhaul of its penal code Turkey toughened penalties for honour killings, which are now punishable by a life term, but courts can make use of a penal code article that allows for sentence reductions for crimes considered to be provoked. rw

Two-child Policy Stalled in Filipino Congress; Lack of Support Cited

Proposed legislation in the Philippines that would impose limits on the number of children that families can have appears to have less support in the Congress than was once reported. But it remains on the calendar and a threat despite the fact that the proposed act is very unpopular in the majority Catholic country. Some Filipino legislators introduced a bill that is strikingly similar to the one-child policy of Communist China. It includes a preference in education for two-child families, free access to abortifacients, mandatory sex education for children as young as 10 and imprisonment penalties for health care providers who refuse to perform or provide sterilization services. The act was not debated by the Filipino House. Nevertheless, supporters of the "two-child" policy have pressed on and it can be brought up for debate and a vote at any time during the next few weeks. If passed the act would provide for a bureaucracy that would be run by three non-elected officials from NGOs. They would oversee the implementation of the legislation. Filipino President is likely to veto the proposed act if it passes both houses of Congress. The act would then return to Congress where it must receive two thirds of the vote in both chambers to override the veto. rw

Birth Control Fits the Bill in the Philippines

In the case of the Philippines population growth is out of control.

You can argue from superstition, from authority or from fact (science). Where religion is involved many folks in the Philippines are going to appeal to No 2: authority, which winds up being the Pope.

But the Pope doesn't have the right to speak for the Philippines as a whole. Catholics predominate, but there are lots of Muslims, breakaway Christians and mainstream Christians who happen not to be Catholic.

Father Joaquin Bernas, priest and former president of Ateneo de Manila University is supporting the Reproductive Health Bill, despite vituperative denunciations.

The bill, RH4244 or "An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and For Other Purposes", establishes means of educating school kids on sex and their choices ahead and provide non-abortive methods of birth control. Governments would ensure the availability of reproductive healthcare services, including family planning and prenatal care.

Most countries would have no problem with this bill. And Catholics almost nowhere else give a hoot what the Pope or church say on birth control.

Now that the president, the most authoritative ex-president and numerous writers and teachers are on board in support of RH4244, things are changing.

But, meantime, one reads arguments attempting to show that more mouths to feed doesn't mean more mouths to feed, but more people to farm the (almost disappearing) soil. Or that the overflow people should move to uninhabited areas in the archipelago, even uninhabited islands. Are there roads into these places? Schools? Hospitals?

Supporters of the bill are being threatened with excommunication. Some proclaim a condom is a "murder weapon".

In 1970, the Philippines and Thailand were about equal in numbers and wealth. Thailand introduced family planning; the Philippines maintained its voodoo attitude. Thailand stabilized not much above the 1970s level and doubled its income relative to the Philippines.

It is funny that Malta just voted to permit divorce while only the Philippines remains. Most of my younger friends grew up not knowing their fathers, who just drifted off to start a new family somewhere else. So much for the status quo protecting the family.

The fact that the president who has proposed this bill is the son of late president Cory Aquino, protégée of Cardinal Sin and dead set against family planning, may be good news enough.

The overall majority popular support for the bill may finally just be enough to give the Congress enough teeth to withstand the clawing of the church and its advocates.

Ethiopia: Water Project 'Led to Malnutrition'

A project that provided tap water to remote communities in S. Ethiopia has increased population growth, which has led to an increase in childhood malnutrition. Women used to walk for up to six hours to collect water but now the task takes 15 minutes. After tap water became available, women had more energy, and gave birth to more children, but the amount of available food was unchanged. Children born after tap water was introduced had poorer nutrition. The increase in malnutrition could be partly due to women having more time to spend caring for their children, which, with improvements in the water supply, has led to more children of low-birth weight surviving. Prior to the study, contraception was something they "just weren't interested in". Traditional values dictated that larger families were better, so family planning was considered undesirable. But during her study, attitudes were changing and the villagers wanted to know how they could limit the number of children they had. rw

U.S.: Religious Voices Support Access to Abortion

Capitol Hill should be a reflection of the needs and values of all Americans -- not just those with the loudest voices or the strongest lobby. Often, religious voices are used to impose or support the most conservative policies, despite the diversity that exists among people of faith.

The Catholic Declaration on Religious Freedom declares "the right of all citizens and religious communities to religious freedom." Though we come from different backgrounds, all of us share the belief that women should have the right to make their own choice about abortion, in particular, and reproductive health choices in general.

These choices are under fire in Congress. Even though Catholics disagree fundamentally with positions that the bishops have taken on these matters, the U.S. bishops have been the greatest obstacle to women exercising these choices.

For Catholics, the preferential option for the poor calls us to protect the least among us. The 'No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act' (S. 906/H.R. 3) would permanently bar any federal money from being spent on abortion, thereby singling out those women who depend upon Medicaid, Medicare, or the Indian Health service, or are in the military or receive healthcare from other federal healthcare programs.

U.S.: Utah May Be One of Fastest-Growing States

The Census Bureau said that Utah's population is expected to increase 56%, or 1.2 million people, between 2000 and 2030. Nevada and Arizona are expected to double in population, and a gain of 80% is projected in Florida and almost 60% in Texas. In Utah at least 70% of the 2.2 million residents are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the church's emphasis is on big families. Utah's fertility rate is 2.56 - the highest in the nation. The state also has the nation's highest average of people per household, 3.13, and the lowest median age, 27.5. Its 65-and-older population has climbed 27% in the past 10 years, and will rise another 28% in the next decade. Retiring baby boomers are moving to Utah, often drawn by the red-rock beauty of the southern part of the state. Benefits include: outdoor activities, five national parks within short driving distance, theater, concerts, a new hospital, and attractive housing prices. New subdivisions astride Utah's Wasatch mountain range are creeping closer to the hills framing the Salt Lake Valley. Florida, California and Texas will account for 46% of the nation's growth between 2000 and 2030, with each gaining more than 12 million residents. The highest population growth - 88 percent - is projected in the South and West, according to the Census. rw

Mormon Reasons for Pill Avoidance

A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life included an article on natural family planning by a Mormon physician who does not prescribe contraceptives because of her belief that "the pill could act as an abortifacient" and "any form of contraception had detrimental effects on marriages."

Ghana: Polygamy Is Deep-Seated Cultural Practice

The Northern Regional Population Officer of Ghana has attributed the growing polygamy in the area to socio-cultural practices coupled with misinterpretation of religious doctrines by some people that by giving birth to many children, one was fulfilling a religious obligation. The prevailing poverty and illiteracy could be traced to polygamy as most of the parents were poor, and could not cater adequately for their children. The Northern Region had a fertility and population growth rates of 7.0 and 2.8% respectively against the national rate of 4.4 and 2.7%. A $25.3 million programme would commence next year and end in 2010. The main focus would be in reproductive health, population, development and gender issues. Islam abhors irresponsibility and enjoined all Muslims to be socially and morally upright and take care of the family. He expressed concern over the number of beggars in the metropolis pointing out that, "it is not right to use disability as a cover to beg." Even though awareness on the HIV disease was high, people were yet to change their sex behaviours. He, called on HIV campaigners to redesign their messages to make it more meaningful in changing peoples' perception and attitude towards sex. Contraceptive use among adolescents was 6.4% with an unmet need of 50%. HIV prevalence rose from 2.3% in 2000 to 3.6% in 2003, dropping to 3.1% in 2004. The female-male ratio of HIV infected persons, was 6:1 in 1987, was now 2:1. rw

Malawians Changing Attitudes Towards Family Planning

Malawi's contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) for modern methods has risen from 1% in 1986 to 26% percent in 2000, and 28.1% last year - a positive indication that Malawians are changing their attitudes towards family planning. The increase in contraceptive rate and reduction in total fertility rate indicates that significant progress is being made towards realizing the reproductive health goal. However it is unlikely that reducing maternal mortality rate by 75% will be achieved due to weak health delivery systems, particularly at primary health level, traditional practices that encourage early marriages, cultural beliefs that prevent women from using modern contraceptives and less male involvement in family planning. It was disappointing that the increase in contraceptive rate and reduction in total fertility was not reflecting in the maternal mortality which has increased by 80% since 1992. This ranks the country as the seventh worst in the world. rw

Evangelical’s Focus on Climate Draws Fire of Christian Right

Leaders of Christian groups have sent a letter urging the National Association of Evangelicals to force its director in Washington to stop speaking out on global warming.

They are not convinced that global warming is human-induced or that human intervention can prevent it. They accuse the director of diverting the evangelical movement from more important issues, like abortion and homosexuality.

This underlines a struggle between conservative Christian leaders, whose priority has long been sexual morality, and challengers who are pushing to expand the evangelical agenda to include issues like climate change and human rights.

The letter says, "that Cizik and others are using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time."

Those issues, are a need to campaign against abortion and same-sex marriage and to promote the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality to our children.

Mr. Cizik has long served as one of the evangelical movement's agenda-setters. He said last year that he experienced a profound “conversion" on the global warming issue after listening to scientists at a retreat. Evangelicals have recently become a significant voice in the chorus on global warming. In interviews, some signers of this latest letter said they were wary of the global warming issue because they associated it with leftists, limits on free enterprise and population control, which they oppose.

What is being done here, is a concerted effort to shift the focus of evangelical Christians to these issues that draw warm and fuzzies from liberal crusaders. rw

Kyrgyzstan: Rising Teen Pregnancy Blamed on Ignorance

Sex education remains a controversial topic in Kyrgyzstan, where abortion is usually the solution to unwanted pregnancies. When 15-year-old Myskal left rural Kyrgyzstan she found a boyfriend and, just six months later became pregnant. The baby's father disappeared and Myskal opted for an abortion. Myskal was ignorant; she did not know what sex is at all. One in every ten women has at least one termination, as the operation is available on demand during the first three months of pregnancy. Those on the frontline like gynaecologist Kubanychbek Askuliev blame the rise in teenage pregnancy and the abortions on a lack of information about safe sex and contraception. Girls from the country, who are ignorant, come to us in the early stages of pregnancy. Sex education is non-existent in Kyrgyz schools and any attempts to deal openly with the issue are met with embarrassment by many in society who feel the girls themselves are to blame. Secondary school teacher Tattygul Samudinova admits teenage pregnancy is a problem but teachers blush at anatomy lessons in the 9th class and sex education is given in one to two lessons once a year. There have been efforts at sex education including the Healthy Lifestyle book published two years ago for use in Kyrgyz schools. But the book caused a storm of controversy and was called depraved by groups including the conservative Committee for the Protection of Honour and Dignity who said "Our children are being taught depravity: anal, oral and other types of sex. This book goes against the Kyrgyz mentality, traditions and customs." Kyrgyzstan's ombudsman, Tursunabi Bakir uulu, said “Children shouldn't be told about this". The authors of the book used real cases from the lives of Kyrgyz teenagers, many of whom had been raped several times. How can we say no to such topics as AIDS, rape and undesired pregnancy? It is long overdue to forget about embarrassment and time to learn. In the past women stayed home to look after their children, but today are forced to go out and earn a living. A housewife and mother of four, said, “No one brings up the children. The mother and father are busy earning money. Children are left to themselves, on the street and watching television." While the head of the society of Muslim women Mutakalim urges a national family planning campaign to address the problem, others think restricting access to abortions is the answer. "This type of medical services will simply go into the shadows, even more than it is now," said the deputy head of the department of gynaecology and obstetrics at the Medical Academy. rw

More Than Nine Out of 10 Americans, Men and Women Alike, Have Had Premarital Sex

More than 9 of 10 American men and women have had premarital sex. This is normal behavior for the majority of Americans, and has been for decades.

The study, examining how sexual behavior before marriage has changed over time, was based on interviews with more than 38,000 people in 1982, 1988, 1995 and 2002: 99% had sex by age 44, and 95% had done so before marriage.

Even of those who abstained from sex until 20, four-fifths had had premarital sex by 44.

The likelihood of Americans having sex before marriage has remained stable since the 1950s.

The study found women as likely as men to engage in premarital sex. Among women born between 1950 and 1978, at least 91% had premarital sex by age 30, while among those born in the 1940s, 88% had done so by age 44.

This calls into question the government's funding of abstinence-only- until- marriage programs. It would be more effective to provide young people with the information they need to be safe once they become sexually active.

A conservative group which strongly supports abstinence-only education was skeptical of the findings. "The numbers are too pat."

An organization promoting abstinence-only education contended that increasing numbers of young people were open to remaining chaste until marriage. rw

A Response to ALL's Ms. Brown, David Pimentel, Professor of Agricultural Sciences, Cornell University Writes:

"Certainly, all of us desire freedom to reproduce. However, while we are protecting our freedom to reproduce, we are losing our freedoms from malnutrition, hunger, poverty, pollution, and disease. In addition, we are losing our freedom to enjoy our natural environment. Adding nearly a quarter million people daily to the world's population reduces everyone's freedom -- now and for the generations of the future."

American Life League: USAID Responsible for AIDS Epidemic, AIDS Orphans; Genocide Hidden in AIDS Relief Package

[Can you believe this?] "For the past few decades, funding for condom distribution abroad has fueled the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus," said the American Life League, attacking Clinton's $54 million HIV/AIDS relief program for Africa-a program titled "Leadership and Investment in Fighting an Epidemic," or LIFE.

"AIDS mortality has skyrocketed over the past decade and a half, concomitant with USAID's massive condom distribution campaign. ... by occasioning promiscuity under the false guise of 'safe sex,' condom distribution has created genocide in the name of AIDS relief. .. By USAID's own admission, over one billion condoms have been provided to men, women and adolescents throughout the developing world over the past few decades."

Tennessee Commission Gives Family Planning Contract to Religious Health Group

The Shelby County commission has voted 9 to 4 to take their Title X funding away from Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region and instead give it to Christ Community Health Services, which promises "high-quality health care to the underserved in the context of distinctively Christian service."

At the clinic sermons may accompany health screenings and birth control pickups. One Christ Community patient testified at the commission that,she was told: ‘If only my relationships with people and God were right, I would have fewer health problems.'"

Emergency Contraception will be offered through a "third party," which will delay the amount of time it will take for a woman to get the medication, making it much more likely she will miss the window of the few days that the preventative drug can work. Even though EC is not an abortifacient, it will not be available on site due to "religious objections."

No abortion referrals will be made. Christ Community Health Services' lead physician made it clear that “staffers will not direct patients to abortion clinics or make formal referrals to providers who terminate pregnancies."

Nigeria: State Outlaws Condom Advocacy

It is now illegal to encourage the use of condoms in Nigeria's Anambra State. The state government has also banned the advocacy and distribution of other forms of contraceptives. "Instead of teaching children how to use condoms they should be taught total abstinence," the state commissioner for health, Amobi Ilika said. Many sociologists, family planning and AIDS support groups disagree. More than 3 million people, 3.9% of the adult population, are living with AIDS in Nigeria. The rate is rising by 300,000 people a year, according to a joint UN program.

Condoms are available throughout Nigeria because the federal government, in partnership with family health organisations, has programmes to distribute and sell them.

Many religious groups back condom use, having recognised that abstinence has failed to yield the desired results.

Anambra State has a history of political instability and violence and is now making "a desperate attempt to uphold morals".

Commissioner Ilika also railed against abortion. He said. "All fetuses must be allowed to live no matter the circumstances that led to the pregnancy, even rape."

He added that medical practitioners in the state will face stiff penalties if they are caught carrying out any 'anti-life' activities. "The state government will withdraw the license of any medical personnel who flouts this directive". rw

U.S.;: The Quiet Campaign Against Birth Control

Mitt Romney set out to convince anti-abortion leaders he was their candidate. He wants to overturn Roe v. Wade and supports teaching only abstinence.

But Mr. Romney was acknowledging something more. He implied an opposition to the birth control pill and a willingness to scale back access to contraception. He defines life as beginning at conception. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists defines pregnancy as starting at implantation. Anti-abortion advocates want pregnancy to start at the moment sperm and egg meet. They'd like you to believe that the birth control pill prevents that fertilized egg from implanting in the womb.

Romnwy told the crowd he had some practice redefining contraception and had vetoed a bill that gave young girls abortive drugs without prescription or parental consent.

To the anti-abortion movement, contraception is the ultimate corruptor. And so candidates seeking the support of anti-abortion groups must offer proof they are anti-contraception too.

Brownback, Republican of Kansas, co-sponsored a bill to de-fund the largest contraception provider, Planned Parenthood. John McCain has voted against taxpayer-funded contraception programs and reports that his adviser on sexual-health matters is Sen. Tom Coburn, who leads campaigns claiming condoms are unsafe and opposing emergency contraception.

Another candidate, Rep. Tom Tancredo, says emergency contraception uses a woman's body to dispose of the child instead of a doctor.

The new wave of anti-contraception activism makes it much easier for politicians to appease the anti-contraception base. The candidates for the Right to Life endorsement are doing their best to avoid directly answering mainstream voters simple questions on the subject. rw

US Agrees Not to Fund Abstinence Programme

In response to a claim that government funds were used for Christian proselytizing, the government agreed to stop funding The Silver Ring Thing programme which won't be eligible for more funding unless it ensures the money won't be used for religious purposes. The programme, related to a Christian ministry based in Pittsburgh has received more than $1 million in federal funding during the past three years. In The ACLU complained that the ring given to teenagers was inscribed with a Biblical verse exhorting Christians to refrain from sexual sin and group members testified how accepting Jesus improved their lives. The organization said teenagers can chose between religious or secular programmes. rw

U.S.: Conservatives Step Up Activities Overseas

U.S.-based conservative groups are engaged in abortion and family-planning debates overseas. U.S. advocacy groups are now waging their culture war worldwide as they try to influence other countries' laws and wrangle over how U.S. aid money should be spent. Pro-lifers feel there's an opportunity to stop the U.S. government from promoting abortion and sex education and population control in the Third World. NGOs have been the playground for the leftist activists, and it's only been during the Bush administration that there has been an opportunity to be on a level playing field. Liberal activists acknowledge that U.S. conservatives have gained clout overseas and intimidated some foreign advocacy groups because of their influence on Bush administration policies. The Bush administration has implemented foreign-aid restrictions demanded by the religious right. At issue are conservative allegations that the U.N. agency contributes to coercive abortions in China. Several prominent U.S. groups are helping prepare for a World Congress of Families in Poland in May 2007. The chief organizer said U.S. conservatives view Poland - where the new president staunchly opposes abortion and gay marriage - as a rare holdout throughout the European Union. In Peru, the Population Research Institute contended that two local groups had violated U.S. policy by using American funds to promote legalization of the morning-after pill. Both groups were warned, and one will have to return some funds. Women's rights activists plan to seek to end Colombia's status as one of three Latin American countries prohibiting all abortions. Several U.S. conservative groups have been helping rally opposition to family-planning legislation in the Philippines. American conservatives have supported Bush policies emphasizing abstinence in overseas HIV/AIDS prevention programs. U.S.-based groups focusing on abstinence have received grants for work in Africa, in some cases drawing criticism that political ties overcame their lack of expertise. With Bush as president, they feel empowered and have been particularly active in Latin America. rw

Tanzania: Catholic Bishops Oppose Teaching of Condom Use

Roman Catholic bishops in Tanzania have condemned as "unacceptable" a new science syllabus for primary schools that incorporates the teaching of proper condom use. Cardinal Polycarp Pengo, the archbishop of Dar es Salaam, said "Teaching children, some as young as 12 years old, the use of condoms is disastrous." The disputed syllabus is a section that lists means of preventing the spread of HIV. The Episcopal Conference has remained steadfast in its opposition to condoms, despite the fact that at least two million Tanzanians are HIV positive. The Conference said the church was obliged to defend the dignity of human beings and, had to speak out. However, Halima Shariff, an official of the Tanzania AIDS Commission said: "The clerics say the only way to check further spread of HIV/AIDS is to abstain from sex or having a single partner, but what do you do with those who cannot manage to abstain or stick to a single partner?" rw

Australia: Anglicans: We Have to Acknowledge and Respond to Population Issues in Order to Care for Life

At a time when the Catholic church is so often in the news for appalling attitudes to population, it is heartening to see the Anglicans making informed and moral observations about the need to reign in population growth.

The General Synod has now endorsed the viewpoint of its Public Affairs Committee. We have to acknowledge and respond to population issues in order to care for life. The Anglican General Synod of Australia recently held its three-yearly meeting, at which a motion about the need to acknowledge and respond to population issues in order to care for life on our planet was warmly supported.

The Lambeth conference of bishops from the world-wide Anglican communion reaffirmed a decade ago that the divine Spirit is in Creation and human beings have a responsibility to make sacrifices for the common good of all life.

This year the Public Affairs Commission of the Australian Anglican Church presented a discussion paper on population issues which formed the basis for the attached motion recently passed by the national Synod.

The Synod has called on Anglicans to grow in understanding of global and national environmental challenges and the fundamental role of human population growth and consumption in contributing to them. It has encouraged individuals and the church to reduce their levels of consumption, and to contribute thoughtfully and prayerfully to public debate about how to achieve justice for future as well as current Australians and to nurture life on this fragile land with all its beauty and diversity. It emphasized the need to share in a world of finite resources, showing concern particularly for neighbours who live in the poorest two-thirds of the world.

The Synod called on the Australian Government to avoid any reliance on population growth to maintain economic growth; to determine a sustainable population policy for Australia; to consider carefully any incentive aimed specifically and primarily at increasing Australia's population, while continuing to support low-income families; and to contribute more generously to improving the welfare of people in the least developed nations, and other life in their environments, in particular by including support for family planning and women's reproductive health programs with aid for development. rw

Church Sex Education Program Preaches More Than Abstinence; Our Whole Lives Takes Broader Approach Than Other Faith-based Classes

Our Whole Lives, a product of Unitarian-Universalists and the United Church of Christ, has proved popular at both churches, each has trained more than 1,000 teachers.

Unitarian and United Church of Christ youths will lobby their congressional representatives for more money for comprehensive sex ed programs in public schools.

Our Whole Lives stresses of abstinence, also includes birth control, safe sex practices and sexual orientation.

These are done within the context of a loving, committed relationship. Only one family has ever opted out. In another case, the parents took the materials home and taught the course themselves.

Many say the misinformation that abounds in the schoolyard mandates a pre-emptive approach.

Although 15- to 24-year-olds make up a quarter of the nation's sexually active population, they account for nearly half of all new sexually transmitted infections a year. People are going to develop sexually whether ready for it or not.

One of its goals is to open communication, so that children can chat comfortably with parents about intimate issues.

The state requires schools to give only HIV/AIDS education, once in middle school and once in high school. A 2004 California law calls on schools that do offer broader sex ed to make sure the courses are medically accurate, age-appropriate and free of religious ideology.

In choosing to teach about condoms and contraception, the state passed up millions of dollars the federal government makes available to abstinence-only programs.

More than half of Americans believe that teaching teens how to obtain and use condoms does not rush them into sex. A survey found nearly two-thirds of adults and more than three-quarters of teens calling on faith institutions to do more to help prevent teen pregnancy. rw

Protect Our Waterways From Pesticides

Pesticides in our waters are linked to higher cancer rates, hormone disruption and other serious health effects in people. Fish and amphibian populations have been devastated by these toxics, which can be the last straw for endangered species already in crisis.

Right now chemical and agribusiness lobbyists are pushing a radical revision of our clean-water laws - H.R. 872 - that has already passed in the right-wing-dominated House of Representatives but we may be able to stop this disastrous polluter bill from passing in the Senate.

Our water supply is too precious to poison. Please take five minutes to call your senators and tell them to protect the Clean Water Act. Senate Bill 718 is a hazard to all life in the United States, and should be rejected, along with any companion bill to House Resolution 872, proposed by Sen. Pat Roberts. Tell them to support the EPA's safeguards against pesticides through the "pesticide general permit" process. This protects our environment and public health.

Click here to find the number for your senator: http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/getLocal.jsp Let us know you were able to get through by clicking here: http://action.biologicaldiversity.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=6391

U.S.: Mothers' Pesticide Exposure Linked to Kids' IQs

Three independent studies published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives indicate that children exposed before birth to a common class of pesticides can have lower IQ levels when they reach school age. The pesticides, known as organophosphates, are widely used in agriculture.

One of the studies, from California, involved several hundred women and children who live on or near farms where pesticides are sprayed on crops.

The mothers with the highest pesticide levels during pregnancy had children with IQs 7 points lower - the equivalent of lowering the mental age from 7 to 6-1/2 - than those with little or no exposure.

The effect on developing brains is similar to high lead exposure.

Another study indicated that the IQ's of children of city dwellers were affected by a specific pesticide named chlorpyrifos, which was found in many household products. Chlorpyrifos is now banned for household use.

A third study found that about 1 in 3 people is more genetically susceptible to the pesticide risk than others. But there's no easy way to tell who they are.

Some of the crops are more likely to retain traces of pesticides. That includes fruits such as apples, strawberries and blueberries, and vegetables like celery, sweet peppers and potatoes.

Opinion: the Elephant in the Room

All this about Global Warming and Climategate (from both sides) seems a bit pitiful while we ignore the elephant in the room.

The Earth's population is increasing inexorably, and this trumps every effort to save resources and the environment. Without population control, the environment is literally doomed.

Catholics are among the biggest offenders, but Pagans, Muslims, and some protestant sects also participate.

I hate anecdotal examples, but here I go with one anyway. I use it because it illustrates in microcosm the problem in much of the world.

One of Ben's and my wards is a Maasai, the star student in a school far from the beaten path on the edge of the Serengeti. The Maasai culture is traditionally pastoral and (in hard times) nomadic, but development and national boundaries have made them more sessile.

They have religious taboos against eating wild animals, bless them! - although killing a lion with a spear has been a rite of passage. But the lion does have a chance. When we visited, the weather had been kind of dry and the cattle were skinny, but people were getting along.

The drought has continued and worsened. The cattle are starving and the people will follow suit. In the old days, the village might have picked up stakes and moved to greener pastures. Or if the famine were widespread, many would have perished, reducing the overpopulation for a generation or two.

We are facing a dilemma. Our ward emailed us recently asking us to support his family in the crisis. How many? Well, there are his mom and dad. And five brothers and sisters. And 24 half-brothers and sisters and five other wives. (Maasai are polygamous. Don't even mention family planning.)

Get the picture? About five kids per mom, a massive generational increase in an already stressed resource base. Some could move to the City ... and do what? Beg?

So. We or the Tanzanian government could provide food to bring them through the current famine. That leaves everyone poised on the edge of the Serengeti, in an area already defoliated and overgrazed.

Or we and the government could ignore the issue. Some would move to Arusha and Dar es Salaam, abandoning their families and culture. Imagine the Amish being forced to move to the slums of Philadelphia and Baltimore. The rest would remain at the traditional homeland, and some would starve.

Wouldn't birth control have been a better solution? Why don't people talk about this?

Steve Parks

Philanthropist and Media Pioneer Ted Turner and the Jacoby Group ...

Ted Turner will be the recipient of the 2008 Lindbergh Award in recognition of his dedication to the environment. The Jacoby Group will be the recipient of the Lindbergh Corporate Award for their commitment to sustainable and environmentally sensitive development. "As the largest landowner in the country, Ted Turner is making a huge contribution toward not only protecting the environment from development, but also promoting the conservation and re-introduction of native species on his land," said Foundation Chairman. His efforts on behalf of the environment combined with his endeavor to provide clean energy make him an ideal recipient for the Lindbergh Award which is presented annually to individuals who have made significant contributions over many years toward improving our quality of life by balancing technological advancements and the preservation of our environment.

Turner established the Turner Foundation which supports clean water and toxic reduction projects; clean air through improved energy efficiency and renewables; wildlife habitat protection; and equitable practices and policies aimed at reducing population growth rates. "We have a beautiful, fragile planet where all people and all things are interdependent and interconnected," says Turner on the Turner Foundation, Inc., web site.

Turner launched a clean energy business venture to provide clean power solutions to several U.S. markets, including California. Turner believes our future depends on changing the way we use energy, and recommends moving away from fossil fuels and developing long-term energy solutions that work. rw

Fertility Rate, Religion, and Conflict

The 15 nations of the world with the lowest total fertility rates are predominantly Catholic countries. In addition, the data indicates that the outlook of Muslims is changing toward contraception. Imans and Mullas are more willing to put forth favorable fatawas on that issue.

All the non-Muslim nations that border on the Muslim world will be delighted, since that interface is where many of the armed conflicts are taking place, or have taken place in recent decades. Elsewhere on the website is data that shows armed conflict increases markedly with total fertility rate.

Follow the link to reach this data.

U.S.: As Landfills Close in Big Cities, Garbage Travels Farther

The trains from the Harlem River rail yard are filled with garbage and are part of an armada that performs a nearly constant exodus of waste from the nation's largest city. Each day, they carry 50,000 tons of trash from New York to landfills and incinerators in New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and South Carolina. In 2003, nearly a quarter of all municipal trash crossed state lines for disposal Congressional Research Service. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is now pushing to extend his city's trash, putting garbage on barges that could be shipped up and down the East Coast. The plan is fueling a fresh round of debate in places that could be potential destinations. At issue is the smell and the threat to the environment. New York transports more than 1,300 tons of garbage each day to Fox Township, Pa., 130 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Living near the landfill isn't bad because it's hard to smell or see from the street. But the landfill's protective liners won't hold up forever and 50, years from now, they'll be saying, 'What were those guys thinking, allowing this to be built in this community?. New York's new disposal plan is being watched in Virginia, which imported 7.8 million tons of garbage last year, up 67% from 1997. The issue has been contentious since laws to slow the importation of trash were struck down by the courts. Officials in the Portsmouth area are considering a port that could receive up to 2,500 tons of waste a day from New York with a fee for every ton brought in, generating $1 million per year, plus $7 million more if enough went to an existing incinerator. "We're rich," executive Keller said, noting the township has bought new police cars and fire trucks with trash tipping fees. "We have millions of dollars in the bank." The risks for these communities are few, said Mickey Flood, chief executive of IESI Corp., a Fort Worth company that owns landfills throughout the eastern part of the country. Standard landfills don't accept hazardous materials and waste is also transported in sealed containers that are designed to be leak-proof. All water that touches garbage is required to be treated for pollutants. Still, problems arise. In December 2003, two schools near a landfill in Pennsylvania temporarily shut down when an overwhelming stink made it impossible for students to concentrate. Investigators blamed decaying gypsum board and made adjustments to a system that extracts vapors and burns them off. "Transporting garbage so far away means that the people that generate it don't have to deal with it, and where is their incentive to create less of it?" rw

Religious Group Attacks Religion in U.S. Health Care

A coalition of religious leaders took on the Catholic Church, the U.S. Supreme Court and the administration with a plea to take religion out of health care in the US.

Last week's Supreme Court decision outlawing a certain type of abortion demonstrated that religious belief was interfering with personal rights and the U.S. health care system in general.

The group said it planned to submit its proposals to other church groups and lobby Congress and state legislators.

Concerns are being raised in religious communities about the ethics of denying services.

The group also complained about Catholic-owned hospitals that refuse to sterilize women, refuse to let doctors perform abortions and do not provide contraception.

Doctors, pharmacists and nurses are also increasingly refusing to provide essential services on moral or religious grounds. The government is codifying these refusals, through legislation and the recent Supreme Court decision, where five Catholic men decided that they could better determine what was moral and good.

The group includes ordained Protestant ministers, a Jewish activist, an expert on women's reproductive rights and several physicians.

Health care decisions ought to be made freely, based on medical expertise and individual conscience.

Allow doctors to use best medical practices, providing comprehensive counseling on sexual or reproductive health and honor advance directives -- including "do not resuscitate" orders.

Refusal to provide health care would be balanced by alternate service delivery so that no one would be victimized when another exercises his/her conscience. rw