Is “overpopulation” an excuse to murder the unborn?

The short answer is “no!” Murder is never justified by God.

“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come – sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:21-23)

Using “overpopulation” as an excuse to murder the unborn is no more valid an excuse than starting a war to reduce population. Why not start fires to kill people to reduce population? Why bother with putting older and disabled people in long term care homes? Why not just execute them to reduce population?

We know that murder is wrong. Even atheists admit this – in most cases. But today, popular thinking among many is that abortion – legal murder of the unborn – serves the purposes of humanity in general – to reduce population.

Abortion violates the two most important commandments. “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39) Why?

God says life is sacred and murder is wrong. Loving one’s neighbor as yourself would preclude murdering your neighbor. And that includes your unborn neighbor.

Why is it that people often think the earth is overpopulated?

1.       Humans are not capable of ruling themselves: “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” (Jeremiah10:23)

2.       Humans in general have rejected God’s rulership and his wise guidance: “The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the Lord, what kind of wisdom do they have?” (Jeremiah 8:9)

3.       Human rulership is often foolish and short-sighted: ” There is an evil I have seen under the sun, the sort of error that arises from a ruler: Fools are put in many high positions.” (Ecclesiastes 10:5-6a)

4.       Human values are often misplaced, distorted: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isa 5:20) “There are those who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground.” (Amos 5:7)

5.       Human knowledge is very limited, whereas God’s knowledge is unlimited: “You do not know what disaster may come upon the land. ” (Ecclesiastes 11:2b) “How great is God – beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.” (Job 36:26) “The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power; in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.” (Job 37:23)

6.       Human greed causes many problems, such as: “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.” (Ephesians 4:19)

7.       Human selfishness causes many problems, such as narrow-minded nationalism: ” An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels.” (Proverbs 18:1) “Has not the Lord Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing?” (Habakkuk 2:13)

What does all this have to do with the so-called problem of “overpopulation?” A lot! The list of problems that people mistakenly attribute to “overpopulation” is virtually endless. Just to name a few: overcrowded big cities, extreme poverty, global warming, pollution, rising global sea levels, species extinction, economic woes, malnutrition, disease, drug abuse, crime, violence, misuse of land, ruination of land, famine, starvation, etc.

The intrinsic problems listed in points 1-7 above are paid scant attention to, and are nowadays oversimplified as “overpopulation.” This “overpopulation” problem is then used as an excuse to abort unborn babies.

God does not change: “I the Lord do not change.” (Malachi 3:6a) He has now “entrusted all judgment” to his Son, Jesus: “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.” (John 5:22) Jesus does not change: ” Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Murder has been a very serious wrong since before God convicted Cain of the first murder: “While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him…. The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” (Genesis 4:8b, 10) Murder of unborn babies would still be wrong, even if the earth was overpopulated. “God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day,” even if many humans do not perceive it. (Psalm 7:11)

“May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you. Let the whole world sing for joy, because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world. May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.” (Psalm 67:3-5 NLT)

One day all on earth will praise and serve God: “Then the earth will yield its harvests, and God, our God, will richly bless us. Yes, God will bless us, and people all over the world will fear him.” (Psalms 67:6-7 NLT)

The result of that will be that “the earth will yield its harvests” in rich abundance. No more famines or other problems that people may misinterpret as “overpopulation.” And no more murders disguised as abortion.