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Deaths are on track to outpace births in the U.S. within eight years, but we could turn it around if our society would embrace the God-designed, pro-life plan for marriage and family.
A recent report highlighted a looming demographic crisis in the United States, as annual deaths are expected to exceed annual births by 2033.
“A predicted significant decline in illegal immigration as well as many women choosing to delay motherhood are two contributing factors,” it continued. “After peaking at 2.12 births per woman in 2001, fertility rates have been slowly decreasing, dropping to 1.62 births per woman in 2023, according to CBO’s data. The report estimates this number to fall to 1.60 by 2035 and remain steady through 2055.”
This trend is not unique to America. Several Western Europe countries, along with Asian nations, including South Korea, Japan, and China, have already experienced similar challenges.
From a biblical perspective, the family is the cornerstone of society. Scripture underscores the sanctity of life and the significance of procreation within the confines of marriage.
In Genesis 1:28, God commands, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”
This directive not only emphasizes the importance of bringing forth life but also highlights the role of families in nurturing and sustaining societies. Marriage, as instituted in Genesis 2:24, is depicted as a union between one man and one woman, forming the foundation for family and societal stability.
Deviations from these foundational principles have contributed to declining birth rates and weakened family structures. But it’s more than just divorce and other social pathologies that underlie the declining birth rate.
The rise of ideologies that devalue traditional marriage and family and corresponding policies that undermine the sanctity of life are at least partially rooted in the belief that there are just too many people on the planet.
The push for population control can be traced back to Thomas Robert Malthus, an 18th-century scholar who posited that while the population grows exponentially, resources such as food, increase only linearly. This imbalance, he argued, would lead to widespread scarcity and suffering — a concept known as the “Malthusian catastrophe.”
In modern times, neo-Malthusian ideologies have permeated various movements, advocating for population reduction to prevent resource depletion and environmental degradation. These perspectives have influenced policies and cultural shifts that devalue procreation and traditional family structures.
Western European nations have already experienced significant birth rate declines, leading to demographic and economic challenges. Countries such as Germany, Italy, Spain, and France have fertility rates well below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman, often hovering around 1.3 to 1.5. This decline is driven by factors like delayed marriage, career prioritization, high living costs, and shifting societal values that place less emphasis on family formation.
The consequences of these trends are profound. Fewer babies skews the population to a higher average and median age. A society with more older people than young strains healthcare systems, causes a shortage of labor that conversely slows economic growth, and social welfare structures become increasingly unsustainable.
Governments have attempted to reverse these trends through incentives like parental leave, childcare subsidies, and tax benefits, but the results have been mixed. Without a cultural shift that reemphasizes family and child-rearing, Western Europe faces a long-term population decline that could lead to economic stagnation, shrinking workforces, and potential social instability as younger generations struggle to support an aging population.
In the late 1970s, China implemented the one-child policy to curb population growth. The long-term consequences have been detrimental. The nation now faces a rapidly aging population, a shrinking workforce, and gender imbalances due to a cultural preference for male children.
Japan and South Korea are grappling with some of the lowest fertility rates globally. Japan’s population has declined since 2008, with projections indicating a continued downward trend. The societal implications include a shrinking labor force, increased healthcare costs, and challenges supporting an aging population. Similarly, South Korea’s fertility rate has plummeted to a reproductive rate of .78 children per woman, leading to concerns about this critical regional economy and the sustainability of its social welfare systems.
Within certain ideologies, particularly on the political left, a narrative exists that advocates for population reduction to address global challenges. This perspective is intertwined with movements supporting abortion rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, assisted suicide, and strict climate change policies. The underlying assumption is that a smaller population would alleviate pressure on resources and the environment.
The promotion of abortion and assisted suicide is often justified under the guise of personal autonomy and alleviating suffering. However, these practices contribute to a culture that devalues life, leading to demographic declines and ethical dilemmas concerning the sanctity of human life.
While advocating for individual rights, the LGBTQ+ movement challenges traditional concepts of marriage and procreation. This shift has implications for birth rates and family structures that have historically underpinned societal stability.
Some positions within the climate change movement argue for population control to reduce carbon footprints. While environmental stewardship is important, using climate alarmism to justify a decreased population size leads to policies that undermine human dignity and the value of life.
In contrast to the detrimental effects of population decline and the ideologies that promote it, a Christian worldview affirms the intrinsic value of life, the sanctity of marriage, and the importance of the traditional family.
Encouraging traditional marriage and supporting families are crucial for societal health. Policies that provide economic incentives for married couples, parental support, and family-friendly workplace environments can alleviate pressures that deter individuals from forming families.
Vice President J.D. Vance has been an outspoken advocate for Americans to marry and have children, offering a different approach to the nation’s future. Speaking at January’s March for Life in Washington, he called for “more babies,” a plea he has made on multiple occasions.
“Our society has failed to recognize the obligation that one generation has to another is a core part of living in a society to begin with. So let me say, very simply, I want more babies in the United States of America,” Vance said.
“We need a culture that celebrates life at all stages, one that recognizes and truly believes that the benchmark of national success is not a GDP number or our stock market, but whether people feel that they can raise thriving and healthy families, in our country.”
Vance’s words have found an audience among the pro-life community and other Americans who value family as the key to the nation’s future.
Some of the benefits of a culture where children are raised by a father and mother are clear.
As the Heritage Foundation’s Emma Waters wrote, “Such children are far less likely to [commit] crimes, to drop out of school, and to suffer from depression and other psychological problems. We also know that adults in such settings do better on average on almost all measures than do single parents. Married women with children, for instance, report higher levels of happiness than either single mothers or unmarried women with no children.”
While current trends paint a grim picture of America’s demographic future, this trajectory is not set in stone. The nation can turn things around by re-emphasizing the importance of family, marriage, and the value of children.
History has shown that cultures and societies flourish when they prioritize strong family units and a commitment to life. Rather than resigning to the declining birth rate as an inevitability, the U.S. can choose a different path—one that embraces the biblical principles of children and family as the foundation of a thriving society.
Reversing this decline will require more than government incentives or economic policies. A cultural shift is necessary—one that reinstates marriage and child-rearing as noble and fulfilling pursuits rather than burdens or obstacles to personal success. If America rediscovers the value of life and the blessing of children, it can avoid the social and economic crises faced by nations that have ignored these principles.
The statistics may be concerning today, but America’s future is not written yet. If families again embrace God’s design—life, marriage, and children—then the nation can experience a revival, ensuring a legacy of strength, growth, and prosperity for generations to come.
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