Stop having so many damn kids; population control, anyone?

[Sunta 5]

Just to clarify..You do know it's not all Christians right...There are so people that fit every stereotype w/every religion.

We don't even know that those people @ the airport were even Christian. They could be any religion. People do put up Christmas trees that aren't Christian.

Oh yes, yes absolutely, not "all" Christians. Just "some". I realize there are decent and loving Christians out there. My best friend, for one example.

We were shopping in an antique store together and the proprieter was going on and on about refusing to say "Happy holidays" to anyone and would only say "Merry Christmas" and how dare the Jews try and ruin Christmas, etc. and I was very offended. We both put our purchases down and walked out.

Regarding that issue, both me and my husband are fine if people say "Merry Christmas" to us, but we wish that "Happy holidays" would be added too. It's just so much more inclusive of everyone. I don't quite understand why a store would choose to use an exclusive greeting when they could choose to use an inclusive one, or to say both together, which would also be more inclusive of everyone's faiths.

Anyway, my point was that my friend, who is a devout Christian, also thinks that store greetings should be more inclusive, and neither of us felt welcome in that store because of the owner's offensive statements.

[skyeblu79 0]

We were shopping in an antique store together and the proprieter was going on and on about refusing to say "Happy holidays" to anyone and would only say "Merry Christmas" and how dare the Jews try and ruin Christmas, etc. and I was very offended. We both put our purchases down and walked out.

Anyway, my point was that my friend, who is a devout Christian, also thinks that store greetings should be more inclusive, and neither of us felt welcome in that store because of the owner's offensive statements.

I agree...And in that situation you specificially heard the person say that they were purposely weren't saying Happy Holidays.

Sometimes I think people just forget. Especially when during the holidays you say to people that do Celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas.

Everyone is never going to be happy. One of my bestfriends is a Jehoviah's Witness and celebrates no holidays. She could easily say that a simple hello will not. Most of the time she says nothing unless someone is asking her to participate in something, etc. And in the 16 years I have known her she's never turned down a Christmas or B-day gift from anyone.

[dotofoz 0]

Then, I was forced to report to the hospital for a D&C to scrape all the remains of a very small little boy out of my uterus.

I'm sure all at some time wonder about the nameless, faceless little boy or girl who might have been.

I didn't think sex could be determined at 6 weeks???? I had my first ultrasound @ 7.5 wks and they had NO idea that my son was a son...Any OB's out there? I am lucky to never of had to make this decision, and hope I never have to. An ex-family member had about 6 abortions. Yes, 6. To be honest w/you, it was just as well these children were NOT carried to term since she is a drug addict, alcoholic, and just plain mental case. Adoption, I know, but she'd never have given them up, she would've just mentally and physically abused them like the 3 she kept! Needless to say, that's why my family member divorced her and has had custody of the kids all along.

[~Jules~ 0]

It is easier to point the finger of blame than worry about what our OWN cell phones, air conditioning, gasoline, alcohol, cigarette, food, paper product, etc., comsumption is costing the earth...

That makes me wonder...what kind of "burden" do cell phones put on the earth's resources...all that infrastructure...plastic...probably taking advantage of some underdeveloped country's labor supply, too....???

I agree with Cindy on this. I think instead of pointing the finger at others, we need to look at our own lives and what we are doing to ruin the environment. How many of us drive SUV's? Do we all recycle? Do a little research on "global warming" and causes of it. I bet then you would lay off the Duggers.

[gadgetlady 4]

Then, I was forced to report to the hospital for a D&C to scrape all the remains of a very small little boy out of my uterus.

I'm sure all at some time wonder about the nameless, faceless little boy or girl who might have been.

I didn't think sex could be determined at 6 weeks???? I had my first ultrasound @ 7.5 wks and they had NO idea that my son was a son

At 6-7 weeks, the genitalia have been clearly formed in the unborn baby, but they can't be seen clearly on an ultrasound.

Most people don't know this, but at 8 weeks the formation of all organs is complete and everything is present that will be found in a developed adult. All the baby has left to do is grow. At 8 weeks, details as small as fingerprints are present. So the sex of the baby at 6 or 7 weeks is not unknown, just unknown via ultrasound.

[Sunta 5]

I agree with Cindy on this. I think instead of pointing the finger at others, we need to look at our own lives and what we are doing to ruin the environment. How many of us drive SUV's? Do we all recycle? Do a little research on "global warming" and causes of it. I bet then you would lay off the Duggers.

I would never drive an SUV.

Yes I recycle and I also work in an office where recycling is mandatory and the entire office uses recycled products and/or environmentally safe products including cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper, and pens.

What causes global warming? People cause global warming. The more people, the more global warming. It's not rocket science I'm talking about.

Let's just take one example:

Each U.S. car requires nearly one fifth of an acre of paved land for roads and parking space. For every five cars added to the U.S. fleet, an area the size of a football field is covered with asphalt.

So, the Duggers alone have caused an area of FOUR FOOTBALL fields to be covered in asphalt, assuming that each of their children will drive a car.

More cars mean more emmissions, which mean a bigger hole in the ozone layer.

If anyone here is a seafood fan, do be sure to check out the dire predictions for mass seafood shortages in the very near future.

I have done my research, and my research tells me that every person contributes to environmental problems. It may not be convenient, and it may not be in keeping with certain religious beliefs, but it's a simple fact. The more people on the earth, the more environmental problems we're going to have. I don't think anyone could debate this.

I already see the effects of overpopulation in my daily life: three hour waits at the doctors office, vanishing open spaces, traffic. It doesn't take a scientist to figure out it's because our population just reached 300 million.

That's 100 million more people in the United States than there were at around the time I was born in 1970. And I really feel it. 100 million people is alot of people, and the effects of it are dramatic, and real.

Maybe it's just me! Maybe no one else around here gets annoyed when they're caught in horrible traffic, have to wait three hours to see their doctor, or are dismayed when the woods behind their house or the farms that surrounded their grandparent's house are destroyed in place of a development.

Is it just me? I guess everyone else is just fine with all of these changes. Overcrowding in public places, not being able to get a medical specialist's appointment for three months, not being able to get a bed in a hospital when one is needed, overcrowing in schools, etc etc and so forth.

Somehow there seems to be this huge disconnect between our life experiences and realizing it's because people who have large familes are one of the causes of these problems.

It's not going to make me popular, but it's the truth.

[skyeblu79 0]

Maybe it's just me! Maybe no one else around here gets annoyed when they're caught in horrible traffic, have to wait three hours to see their doctor, or are dismayed when the woods behind their house or the farms that surrounded their grandparent's house are destroyed in place of a development.

Is it just me? I guess everyone else is just fine with all of these changes. Overcrowding in public places, not being able to get a medical specialist's appointment for three months, not being able to get a bed in a hospital when one is needed, overcrowing in schools, etc etc and so forth.

Somehow there seems to be this huge disconnect between our life experiences and realizing it's because people who have large familes are one of the causes of these problems.

It's not going to make me popular, but it's the truth.

Wow, where do you live? Traffic here can be bad, but I chose to live somewhere that I don't have to get on the freeway to get home. It's really only bad here when people are getting off work. Nothing is really too crowded here. The longest lines here might be to wait for Kanki or Cheesecake Factory. We build more schools all the time here. Three hours to see a doctor. They better be really good!! :faint: And I have never waited more than 10-15 minutes to see my doctor. They even started doing walkins on Wednesdays. Poor you!!!

[the best me 6]

We have 600 acres of Conservancy land behind our property. Yay us! Country living is FINE!

[missy4gordon 0]

I already see the effects of overpopulation in my daily life: three hour waits at the doctors office, vanishing open spaces, traffic. It doesn't take a scientist to figure out it's because our population just reached 300 million.

That's 100 million more people in the United States than there were at around the time I was born in 1970. And I really feel it. 100 million people is alot of people, and the effects of it are dramatic, and real.

Maybe it's just me! Maybe no one else around here gets annoyed when they're caught in horrible traffic, have to wait three hours to see their doctor, or are dismayed when the woods behind their house or the farms that surrounded their grandparent's house are destroyed in place of a development.

Is it just me? I guess everyone else is just fine with all of these changes. Overcrowding in public places, not being able to get a medical specialist's appointment for three months, not being able to get a bed in a hospital when one is needed, overcrowing in schools, etc etc and so forth.

Somehow there seems to be this huge disconnect between our life experiences and realizing it's because people who have large familes are one of the causes of these problems.

It's not going to make me popular, but it's the truth.

Sunta, you should come live where I live. School enrollment is DEclining, absolutely NO traffic, in fact we have one stop light in town. We can see our doctor at a moments notice (usually). People aren't annoyed all the time, in fact, they're rather friendly. And lastly, you can see for miles and miles all the rich farm land.

Come on over!!!

[green 6]

I live in the heart of a large city. We have a great mass transit system which I use when I don't walk. I never bothered learning how to drive. I do end up waiting to see my family doctor but usually only by half an hour and the same holds true for any specialist. And the shopping, movie-going, etc is great in a big city. I love big city life!

One of the problems we do have in this region is really bad smog during the summer months and this is generated in part by people who do drive vehicles.

I guess I should mention that I live in a city that does recycle. We have one box for paper, one for plastics and glass, and a bin for all organic garbage including used paper tissues, diapers, and kitty litter. Garden waste is recycled separately and whatever is left over is considered garbage. This is the right move in a city that numbers almost 2.5 million people.

[gadgetlady 4]

Hmmmm. Sounds like the impact of "overpopulation" is greatly influenced by where one chooses to live.

I live in a huge metropolitan area. I accept the traffic and crowds because I like the weather here. It's a trade-off that I'm willing to make (at least for the time being).

[Wheetsin 714]

Maybe it's just me! Maybe no one else around here gets annoyed when they're caught in horrible traffic, have to wait three hours to see their doctor, or are dismayed when the woods behind their house or the farms that surrounded their grandparent's house are destroyed in place of a development.

You're not alone.

We built our house about 8 years ago. We picked the location, in part, because it was in the middle of nowhere. We could get to the grocery store in about 10 minutes, but when you looked out the window you just saw a few other houses, farmland, and acreage. Now they've added plat after plat, neighborhood after neighborhood, 3 strip malls, several handfuls of large stores, etc. When we moved in we didn't have to close our blinds because there was no one around to see anything. Now we have to drive through about 6 minutes of residential development to make it to the main road.

[gadgetlady 4]

I had an employee once who was fighting for saving the wetlands. She lived on a house that overlooked them. I said to her one day, "Janet, do you know what was below your house before it was there?" She said no. I replied, "Wetlands."

[~Pam~ 0]

Could I ask the fundamentalists here a question? And be honest! Do you truly respect other's religions and think everyone has a right to be represented equally in our nation? (ie, symbols of other faiths being displayed during the holiday season), or do you secretly, deep down, think everyone should abandon their religions and embrace Christianity since it's the "one true/real" religion, and therefor those other symbols should not be allowed to stand next to Christian ones? Do you really want a theocracy?

Well I'm not really sure if I'm a "fundamentalist" or not, but I'd be happy to answer your questions. I guess just to clarify, I'm a fundamentalist Christian in the sense that I believe that the Bible is the inherent Word of God and I believe that Christians are to follow Christ's teachings in the Bible as closely as possible. But I'm most certainly not a fundamentalist as in an "extremist" or "radical" Christian though, by any stretch of the imagination (which actually isn't the accurate definition of "fundamentalist").

Do I agree with the theology of other religions? No. But do I respect other people's religious beliefs? Yes. A person's religious beliefs are deeply, deeply personal to them and I would never purposely show disrespect to their most sacred beliefs. And I most definitely would never, ever show as much disrespect towards any other religion as has been shown towards Christians in this thread.

I also would never pick out examples of "extremist" or "radical" behavior by members of other religious groups and imply in anyway that it represents the vast majority of people practicing that religion either.

As for symbols of other faiths...am I offended if I see a Jewish menorah (those beautiful candelabras that they light during Hanukkah) displayed during the holidays (for example)? No, of course not. Our local mall used to have a banner over their doors that said "Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!". That was fine with me too. And if a Muslim store clerk put a sign up that said "Have a blessed Ramadan", that would be fine too. We all have equal rights to Celebrate our own religious holidays (as we should!).

[Sunta 5]

To all the people who live in the country and state that nothing is crowded, etc:

The effects of overpopulation are coming to your area, just give it time...

Don't worry, I won't say "I told you so", but maybe you could remember this thread and how up in arms some got when that first development rears its gray and ugly head where the woods used to be.