Skipper, I am still a little confused about the post you chose to share of John's. As everyone surely knows, I am much too serious, and a side-effect of that is I also take everyone else quite seriously, unless I can see them laughing or something, or see the little smiley face at the end or the giggle sign. I felt the animosity between Johnny and Freddy was quite real, and would only change my mind if Freddy said that it was good natured. As I recall, he was trying to make a point and Johnny kept rebuffing him. I had a pretty easy time telling when Johnny was joking, however!! He was so straight out front with his feelings, and that was something I really miss about him.
I am having a very hard time understanding your position, which is also Father Terrence's--that more people are inevitable. And I'm not sure whether it is lack of belief that population can be controlled, or an abiding interest in conquering/living in outer space or on another planet, that drives this belief. I would assume it is a rationalist belief??
I wish you could talk to me a little more about this, in any event. I think the earth itself is an organism, and that at some point a complex system of factors will quickly halt population growth at a sustainable level. Look at Europe, where people are content and socially secure, and are barely reproducing themselves. Look at Africa and Asia, where many millions will die of the AIDS virus. There are many things which affect population growth, some of which are unknown at this time.
I guess the most important thing I want to understand is what all this has to do with rationalism. |
