BBC News, 17 May 2013 Last updated at 11:13 GMT
The Quiverfull: The evangelical Christians opposed to contraception
Sarah Dawes and her children Sarah Dawes, of Derbyshire, and her "quiver full" of children
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22526252?
|
Showing posts with label Birth control. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birth control. Show all posts
July 30, 2008
Kerala: Decisions on birth control be left to the couples
(published by: Deccan Herald, July 19, 2008)
Editorial
Communal colour
Decisions on children should be left to the couples.
Kerala’s Catholic Church is exhorting its flock to have more children. Church leaders are apparently “very much worried” about the dwindling Christian population in the state. Christians constitute 19 per cent of Kerala’s population today, down from 19.5 per cent a decade earlier. Fifty years ago, Christians constituted 24 per cent of the state’s population. With couples choosing to have only one child and some even opting not to have children, the Christian population in Kerala is falling, the Church fears. And to address this problem it is calling on couples to have more children. It is considering offering them economic and other incentives to have larger families, to reverse sterilisation procedures and so on. Families with more than two children will be given financial support. The Church proposes to take up its anti-abortion campaign with renewed vigour. It is unfortunate that the Church is viewing the population issue along religious lines. It is giving it a communal colour.
The Catholic Church in Kerala is, of course, not alone in looking at population issues through the communal lens. The Muslim clergy and Hindu groups too have raised the alarm from time to time claiming that their respective populations are dwindling vis-à-vis others and hence members of the community should have more children and not practise birth control. Muslim clergy have often warned that India’s population policy and family planning programmes are aimed at limiting the Muslim population and have called on the community to stay away from these programmes. Hindu groups often paint dire scenarios of how the Muslims and their reluctance to adopt birth control measures will one day result in Hindus in this country being swamped by Muslims. Christian clerics too peddle such outrageous ideas. These alarmist calls are flawed in their assumptions, their conclusion and strategies.
If couples are choosing to have small families it is because they would like to provide well for the few children they have. Whether or not to have children, how many and when – these are personal decisions that should be left to the couple. It is not for the clergy or religious groups to interfere in these matters. In a country where lakhs of children are orphans or don’t have homes, families or food, the clergy should be encouraging couples to treat orphans as their own, to adopt children. Calls to “go forth and multiply” will only increase the country’s population problem and deepen the communal divide.
Editorial
Communal colour
Decisions on children should be left to the couples.
Kerala’s Catholic Church is exhorting its flock to have more children. Church leaders are apparently “very much worried” about the dwindling Christian population in the state. Christians constitute 19 per cent of Kerala’s population today, down from 19.5 per cent a decade earlier. Fifty years ago, Christians constituted 24 per cent of the state’s population. With couples choosing to have only one child and some even opting not to have children, the Christian population in Kerala is falling, the Church fears. And to address this problem it is calling on couples to have more children. It is considering offering them economic and other incentives to have larger families, to reverse sterilisation procedures and so on. Families with more than two children will be given financial support. The Church proposes to take up its anti-abortion campaign with renewed vigour. It is unfortunate that the Church is viewing the population issue along religious lines. It is giving it a communal colour.
The Catholic Church in Kerala is, of course, not alone in looking at population issues through the communal lens. The Muslim clergy and Hindu groups too have raised the alarm from time to time claiming that their respective populations are dwindling vis-à-vis others and hence members of the community should have more children and not practise birth control. Muslim clergy have often warned that India’s population policy and family planning programmes are aimed at limiting the Muslim population and have called on the community to stay away from these programmes. Hindu groups often paint dire scenarios of how the Muslims and their reluctance to adopt birth control measures will one day result in Hindus in this country being swamped by Muslims. Christian clerics too peddle such outrageous ideas. These alarmist calls are flawed in their assumptions, their conclusion and strategies.
If couples are choosing to have small families it is because they would like to provide well for the few children they have. Whether or not to have children, how many and when – these are personal decisions that should be left to the couple. It is not for the clergy or religious groups to interfere in these matters. In a country where lakhs of children are orphans or don’t have homes, families or food, the clergy should be encouraging couples to treat orphans as their own, to adopt children. Calls to “go forth and multiply” will only increase the country’s population problem and deepen the communal divide.
March 04, 2007
'Modi Condoms' Population control in Gujarat
[Narendra Modi pic on Condoms Pack Health kits containing contraceptive pills, chlorene tablets, ORS packets and condoms are being distributed by the Gujarat]
Read the interesting post by Shivam Vij at Kafila.[click on the post title above]
December 21, 2006
MP govt targets Muslims for family planning
(ndtv.com)
MP govt targets Muslims for family planning
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
Watch story
http://www.ndtv.com/ndtvvideo/default.asp?id=10131
Thursday, December 21, 2006 (Bhopal):
The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has hit upon a novel method to promote family planning practices among Muslims in the state.
It plans to distribute for free a book on the subject, which has been written by Mumbai-based Muslim journalist Muzaffar Hussain.
The book, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh believes, is special as it will encourage family planning, and it has already ordered 10,000 copies.
It borrows heavily from the holy Quran and is not meant for all and only the Muslim community will be the so-called beneficiaries.
It also has mention of Islamic countries, including Pakistan, that have implemented family planning methods.
The BJP government is using this book as a shield against any controversy, but the Opposition Congress is suspicious of the State government's motive.
"At several places, ignorance is being deliberately encouraged in the name of Islam. The book will be helpful in warding off the misconceptions about family planning among the Muslims," said Ajay Vishnoi, Health Minister, MP.
The author of the book, Hussain, was conferred the Padma Shree by the NDA government in 2002 for writing nationalist articles.
According to the book, Hussain writes columns for 42 national and international dailies and magazines in several language.
Differing opinions
But another Padma Shree recipient, a renowned litterateur, disagrees both with the State government's point of view and the book's content.
"Now, there is a difference of meaning when you say Roko Mutt, Jaaney Do and Roko, Mutt Jaaney Do. It depends how one interprets. This has been going on for the past 1,500 years. The religious leaders and politicians have been using religion to fulfill their own selfish interest," said Manzoor Ehtesham, litterateur.
Manzoor Ehtesham has hit the nail on the head.
A look at the 2001 Census figures for Madhya Pradesh makes it all the more difficult to understand.
Why the government's move is aimed at a community that comprises only six per cent of the state's population.
According to the 2001 Census in Madhya Pradesh, the total population is 60,3,48,000, among these Hindus account for 55, 005,000 (91.2 per cent) while Muslims account for 38,41,000 (6.3 per cent).
But the opposition Congress believes that the decision has more to do with religion and politics than addressing a social concern.
"The Minister's initiative will be useless because it is a step taken to keep the Sangh leaders in good humour and save his chair in the process," said Manak Agrawal, PCC spokesperson, Madhya Pradesh.
By making the book as a tool, the BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh is taking forward its Hindutva agenda, and it is using this opportunity to the hilt.
MP govt targets Muslims for family planning
Kumar Shakti Shekhar
Watch story
http://www.ndtv.com/ndtvvideo/default.asp?id=10131
Thursday, December 21, 2006 (Bhopal):
The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh has hit upon a novel method to promote family planning practices among Muslims in the state.
It plans to distribute for free a book on the subject, which has been written by Mumbai-based Muslim journalist Muzaffar Hussain.
The book, the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh believes, is special as it will encourage family planning, and it has already ordered 10,000 copies.
It borrows heavily from the holy Quran and is not meant for all and only the Muslim community will be the so-called beneficiaries.
It also has mention of Islamic countries, including Pakistan, that have implemented family planning methods.
The BJP government is using this book as a shield against any controversy, but the Opposition Congress is suspicious of the State government's motive.
"At several places, ignorance is being deliberately encouraged in the name of Islam. The book will be helpful in warding off the misconceptions about family planning among the Muslims," said Ajay Vishnoi, Health Minister, MP.
The author of the book, Hussain, was conferred the Padma Shree by the NDA government in 2002 for writing nationalist articles.
According to the book, Hussain writes columns for 42 national and international dailies and magazines in several language.
Differing opinions
But another Padma Shree recipient, a renowned litterateur, disagrees both with the State government's point of view and the book's content.
"Now, there is a difference of meaning when you say Roko Mutt, Jaaney Do and Roko, Mutt Jaaney Do. It depends how one interprets. This has been going on for the past 1,500 years. The religious leaders and politicians have been using religion to fulfill their own selfish interest," said Manzoor Ehtesham, litterateur.
Manzoor Ehtesham has hit the nail on the head.
A look at the 2001 Census figures for Madhya Pradesh makes it all the more difficult to understand.
Why the government's move is aimed at a community that comprises only six per cent of the state's population.
According to the 2001 Census in Madhya Pradesh, the total population is 60,3,48,000, among these Hindus account for 55, 005,000 (91.2 per cent) while Muslims account for 38,41,000 (6.3 per cent).
But the opposition Congress believes that the decision has more to do with religion and politics than addressing a social concern.
"The Minister's initiative will be useless because it is a step taken to keep the Sangh leaders in good humour and save his chair in the process," said Manak Agrawal, PCC spokesperson, Madhya Pradesh.
By making the book as a tool, the BJP Government in Madhya Pradesh is taking forward its Hindutva agenda, and it is using this opportunity to the hilt.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
