Catholic opposition to contraception is based on Genesis 38:8-10:
8 And Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and marry her, and raise
up an heir to your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the heir would not be his; and
it came to pass, when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he emitted on the
ground, lest he should give an heir to his brother. 10 And the thing which he
did displeased the Lord; therefore He killed him also.
Henceforth Onanism was known as use of some form of contraception, such as Coitus interruptus, and became the foundation for the Vatican’s opposition to not just abortion, but the pill and condoms as well.
http://www.catholic.com/tracts/birth-control
We only have to look to the slums of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the effects of Catholic instruction, where children live in filthy squalor, picking through trash and stealing, because their priests tell them family planning is a
sin. Ironically a quick flip through of that same chapter reveals a lot of other nonsense the church conveniently chooses to ignore today.
The truth is that more adherents equates to more power and influence. Many countries where religions are in competition for influence, like India and Nigeria, populations are exploding. Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, or Buddhist, efforts to curtail population have met with severe ecumenical resistance usually one side accusing the other of trying to snuff out their side.
Africa set to have 40% of the world’s population by the end of the century. It’s a place where real education, not missionary work, could do some solid good for improving people’s lives. Instead we hear
reports of modern witch hunts and female circumcision, more superstitious garbage interpreted straight from the holy books. Instead of good common sense, we send them a pope who teaches condoms spread HIV.
UNICEF Report: Africa's Population Could Hit 4 Billion By 2100
http://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsoda/2014/08/13/340091377/unicef-report-africas-population-could-hit-4-billion-by-2100
China has come under fire (sometimes for a good reason) for its population control efforts by the governments of western culture. International pressure to repeal its One-Child program has even this behemoth relinquishing.
Efforts to stop birth control and family planning by influential religious groups have complicated real aide efforts. They see family planning as an attack against their religion and equated to the racist eugenics trend of the early 20thcentury.
Media outlets are concerned with upsetting sensitive portions of society, and so reports of overpopulation are usually tailored towards what technology can do to ease the burden, rather than focus on the root cause, people having too many babies. Ignored are the statistics that birth rate far exceeds the death rate as longevity increases. People are living far longer than we used to. Instead we glorify geniuses like the Duggars, a family of independent Baptists whose mother believes that it’s her duty to God to reproduce like locusts. Reproduce just as fast and furiously as you can to serve your god. He can take care of the earth in His usual way – I guess by ignoring it.
Romanticized notions of large families have outlived their usefulness since child death has been brought down to decent level thanks to science and medicine. No longer do we have to reproduce like rabbits to ensure the next generation’s survival. A few children, wonderfully brought up, with nurturing parents, is the best thing we can do for future generations.