Sense Abandons Arguments

In the argument of children or childfree, I've come across a blog from a Catholic writer of quite a - how should I put it - radical breed. Naturally the man was absolutely against the Childfree Movement, and, from what I've got, childfree people in general. We were called "Evil". Hell, I haven't been called that since my slasher days, when Roo and I mastered the NC-21 level, when NC-17 was really NC-17, and not the badly worded PG-13 these days passes for R or NC-17 in the Fanfiction communities. But he wasn't aiming at my slashing skills and my hability to make any kink, no matter how impossible or sordid, to come out fluent and powerful, but to the decision, the personal decision people make to have no kids.

In a completely uninformed way, he labeled Childfree choosers, baby-haters and life-haters. Sure, I'm a Childfree chooser and I think babies are freaking ugly, but that doesn't make me a maniac, ax in hand, chopping children in the streets in the best Herodes personification. Lets step away in here from all those parents who mistreat or kill their babies, those mothers who have some children, let them grow and then kill the rest and keep them in the fridge, or the parents who lock in their kids, deprive them from social contact and rape them. Lets not go back to Austria and the torment of that poor girl who gave birth to seven of her own father's children, some of whom were brought up to the surface, some died and some were forced to live in a rat maze.

We'll also step away here from the arguments Childfree choosers and advocates made, asking the writer and his acolytes whether then the Dalai Lama, Mother Theresa of Calculta and Jesus himself, were evil, for they had no children. Or the pointing out of the faith of catholic children sexually abused my priests protected by the Church.

No, the point here will, actually detach from the Childfree argument, and towards the argument itself.

At one point the topic went about how Childfree Advocates argued that there's too much people in the planet, and that the reduction of the population rates were needed in order to avoid mass deaths due to it. To this, Catholic acolytes reacted saying they "didn't believe in the Global Warming", and that "overpopulation is a myth". I was flabbergasted to say the least. The added comment that China was lacking of women due to the childfree people (Dude, really), was just a cherry on the top. Personally I wasn't aware of the fact that Global Warming was a matter of believe or Overpopulation. For me it was perfectly clear given the changes in the climate, these "crazy weather" blows, the augmentation in the hurricaine rates and the damage they are now causing. Flood, tsunamies, food shortages due to floods or drought, winters that seem more like springs, summers that take on bipolar bahavior, one day flooding the city and the next drying it to the bone. The ice of the poles is melting, the world is becoming warmer and warmer and you don't need the news to realize that, just look out of the window. What's there to believe or not?

As for overpopulation, lets start with the well known fact that the planet has the exact same size it has ever had. Might have gone from flat to round, but the size hasn't really expanded or shrinked. Well, except in Holland, where they do the leeves into the see to gain some more square miles to build on, but only they do that. The rest is the same size... when it hasn't been sucked in by floods or breaken off with earthquakes. However, now there's a freaking bigger amount of people on it. Look a the amount of people in the cities, the traffic jams, the number of people in the public transportation system, housing solutions - going upwards because sideways we won't fit -  the disappearing of free lands, forests, all of them being filled with buildings now and parking lots. And you don't believe in overpopulation? And this coming from people who believe in the devil and demons and such? For real.

Okay, let me get this clear: you believe in the existence of the Devil - Satan, Lucifer, Belzebub, Sam Winchester, Ozzy Osbourne, whatever name you give to it -  and its power, which in your believe is quite great, and to be feared, and his legion of demons... all of them which you can't really see, or experience, BUT you choose not to believe in things that happen around you and affect you, such as global warming and overpopulation. Really, where on Earth do you live!?

Or is it that perhaps the consequences of global warming and overpopulation (consequences at the same time of irrational consuming, environmental destruction and uncontrolled human population growth) are all the work of the Devil and his peers? Wanna add the financial crisis and the inflation to the Devil's tab too? And you'll take it as God's punishment for the world being the way it is, while you keep breeding like mice, consuming non environmental goods, plugging on all your electrical equipment, and disregarding recycling because "the power of prayer will help you", and those who suffer, in this shared planet for your irresponsible behavior, "had it coming because they made a pact with the devil"? We are a tenth into the XXIst century and this kind of Xth century mentality still spreads. It's almost as if Science didn't exist, as if all that has been accomplished would mean nothing.

Some acolytes happily sneered that Childfree choosers wouldn't breed and therefore wouldn't pass their philosophy to others, while others pulled their hair horrified that we would target their kids, that the public education system as corrupted, and we had leaked everywhere bringing our Evil Gospel to the classrooms. Some congratulated themselves of being smart enough and choose to homeschool their children, to keep them safe from the Devil. Then, how can you keep your children safe from the Devil, when you preach it at home? Sooner or later your kids will hit the road, will mix with the world, and then some of them will see what we all see.

At this point,  I realized that there isn't much sense in arguing. How could you argue with someone who would declare facts "void" because they "don't believe in them", and instead bring up all kinds of made up, factoids, and position their own misguided conceptions as truths? We are evil because they say so, and if we say "we are not, we are people like you, only we choose not to have children, and it doesn't bother us if you do", they reply "Satan is speaking through you", or "you are a demon trying to confuse us". We, simple people like them, are made into witches in a witch hunt that brings back the days of Salem. It's not even our words - AIDS as a blessing? Really? When radical conservatists said AIDS is the punishment of the gay, and God's way to get rid of them? - it's their twisted minds pinning their poisoned "arguments" and accusations, their fears on us, making us into something we are not.

It's sad when accusations come from those who are uncapable of constructing a decent argument, nor are willing to engage in an intelligent debate of the matters.

On a final notice, I have never known a single person who had become Childfree chooser on the bidding of others, particularly when society is filled with elements egging people to have children. I do have met a lot of people who got children by the pressure of society and lived to regret it. My point here is, we have turned ourselves into Childfree, so your church raised kids could also join our ranks, and no preaching from you will make them change their mind. It is a personal choice, based on what we see of the world and what we decided to do with it. We don't scare people out of having children, don't bully them like you do. We simply are, and support those of us who have taken this path and are being bullied. We stand next to them to tell them that it's okay and they are not alone. Do you do the same, or is your "Christianity" all about mistreating your peers in the name of the Lord? We do not judge your lifestyle and choices, so please give us the same respect.

It's a human choice, not the devil's work. Ease up and read a book.