Religion And Starvation

[Rani]

Okay, so once again I've been reading..... And I came across some interesting kind of esoteric information and came up with a hypothesis for discussion..... Kind of circular so bear with me.......

Some time ago, 1148 approximately, there was this Archbishop Armaugh in the Catholic Church by the name of something I can't remotely pronounce since it's Celtic, however he ended up being Saint Malachy. He kind of predicted what some people think is the end of the world. I don't think it was the end of the world, but potentially a dramatic change to religion as we know it. Remember at the time he lived, the Catholic Church essentially was the government..... And his predictions happen to coincide with recent studies that came out.

The statisticians and mathematicians came out with a prediction that in as little a two years, our food production will be unable to sustain world population due to population growth and that starvation may dramatically impact the world, even in the wealthiest countries like the US. They encouraged transfer to a vegetarian diet in order to at least help delay the eventual starvation of most of the world.

Now..... The Catholic Church and other fundamental churches have always been against birth control. They have through their teachings actually substantially contributed to over-population and don't seem to be willing to back down anytime soon. In fact, should world starvation occur, it's entirely possible they will be the focus of blame. Now back to Malachy........

Malachy visited the Vatican and fell into a trance in which he envisioned the line of popes from his time forward. He stated that the 112th and last pope would see the end of the world (church). He has been apparently rather accurate so there's some thought that he'll be accurate on that as well. Pope Benedict XVI (current) is the 111th pope in his predictions. The 112th was to be the last. His exact words were (translated of course):

[color=#000000][font=sans-serif][size=3]"In the extreme persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit [i.e., as bishop].[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=sans-serif][size=3]Peter the Roman, who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations:[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=sans-serif][size=3]and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills will be destroyed,[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=sans-serif][size=3]and the terrible judge will judge his people.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=sans-serif][size=3]The End."[/size][/font][/color]

So we have world population currently reaching what the experts tell us is the starvation point at the same time this prophesy from the 1100's says the Catholic Church will end. He thought it was the entire world, I think it likely references his world, which would have been the Church. By the way, part of my reading and studies recently in which I came across this little tidbit were about the world seed vaults in which supposedly billions of viable seed stock is being held in the event we have to literally reseed the earth.

Do I buy into end of world scenarios? Not necessarily. I do think science in some ways is out of control, genetic manipulation of food sources, etc Could be we're very well setting ourselves up for our own demise. And with the fundamental Catholic Church being the most center-front focus of the "no birth control" movement, I just find the synchronicity very, very interesting in light of his prophesy........ One of those things that make you go "hmmm?"

'Rani

[Stuie]

Wish I didn't read that. It's just end of time stuff, no matter the source, when I start to read into. Depression ensues.

According to Revelation in the Bible, in the end there will be one world religion that will dominate the globe more than the Catholic Church ever did. So it could be both, end of Catholicism and End of the World.

Off to find my Prozac.

[gramps]

Is the world over populated? If everybody, all 7 billion of them, moved to the state of Texas, each person would have 32 square feet of living space. Not much space to be sure, but then the rest of the world could be used for growing food to feed them.

We don't have a food production problem so much as we have a food distribution problem. Add to that the fact that we waste enough food each year (1.3 billion tons worldwide) to feed half a continent.

We can solve the problem.

[Rani]

[quote name='gramps' timestamp='1347922225' post='556573']
Is the world over populated? If everybody, all 7 billion of them, moved to the state of Texas, each person would have 32 square feet of living space. Not much space to be sure, but then the rest of the world could be used for growing food to feed them.

We don't have a food production problem so much as we have a food distribution problem. Add to that the fact that we waste enough food each year (1.3 billion tons worldwide) to feed half a continent.

We can solve the problem.
[/quote]

7 billion now.......In two years? According to the experts, we will begin having food shortages as soon as two years. Now, let me say I'm not the one who rushes to trust the latest expert advice, but I do find all these things coming together interesting.

'Rani

[gramps]

Okay. Include Arizona.

It's not just Catholics; the Muslim population is growing pretty fast, too. Good luck getting them to slow down.

[Rani]

[quote name='gramps' timestamp='1347927033' post='556583']
Okay. Include Arizona.

It's not just Catholics; the Muslim population is growing pretty fast, too. Good luck getting them to slow down.
[/quote]

Islam, Mormons, Hindi, yep, Catholics are far from the only ones endorsing the problem. And if you needed one more reason not to vote for Romney, there is a Mormon prophesy that Joseph Smith will return for the end when a wealthy Mormon is elected president. Add all this to the Mayans and Stuie's gonna need a lot more Prozac.

'Rani

[Stuie]

Doubling my dose now.

[headhunter]

excuse me as i just go cry in a corner from pure sadness and fear....honestly this makes me depressed as hell as well, im right there with you sutie

[gramps]

Why should I fear the end? Everybody dies, some sooner, some later.

It would actually be interesting to see whose eschatology was right. Or, as Spock would say, "Fascinating!"

[Urloc]

I whish I got 1c per each end of the world prophecy out there.

But out of that one... people died from starvation in the 1000's in the 1500's, they die nowadays and will die in the future.

The difference is they didn't have TV back then to show it to the people.

[Skoozle]

Take a walk through wal-mart or a waterpark and then tell me we are on the verge of starvation.

US Census projects another 155M people by 2014. Sounds like a lot of mouths to feed, but it's about a 2% increase. I don't consider myself to be obese, but I think I could get by on 98% of what I currently eat.

I think we would be ok for another couple of years without any increase in food production.

[url="http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/worldpop/table_population.php"]http://www.census.go..._population.php[/url]

Edit: The rate of growth is also declining despite all those horny religious folks.

[Rani]

I actually kind of enjoy the whole end of world stuff for a couple reasons....

1) Come on, people are like cockroaches, we're everywhere. Unless we complete incinerate the earth, we're still going to be lurking in the corners;
2) I actually feel really connected with what people call God or Source, so death of body to me doesn't mean ceasing to exist; I figure one way or another, nobody is really going anywhere. We're just joining those who have gone before.

As far as starvation in the US, contrary to what we observe, 27 million children are malnourished in the US alone. And like most industrialized nations, we're doing better than most. That whole "breadbasket of the world" thing? Crock. You really think they hate us around the world just because our government can't keep it's mitts out of their affairs? Nope, it's also because they're starving and their perception of us is that we have everything. Even in the worst recession since 1929, we're better off than 90% of the world. Kind of hard to watch your own children dying before your eyes when arrogant bastards across the ocean are too busy ordering their next custom car to help you, meanwhile meddling in your hope for a better future. If the experts are correct, the danger isn't going to be people here starving, it's going to be attacks from those who are starving elsewhere and desperate for survival.

But back to Saint Malachy....... And an interesting footnote as I wrapped up my study of his prophesy.......The last pope, Peter the Roman according to his prophesy was the only one in the list what was not actually numbered. Some scholars think maybe that means there will be any number of popes after Benedict before we get to the final one. Hope springs eternal and all that jazz. But I think there's a really important lesson in all the end of world scenarios:

There's really nothing you can do about it if there's going to be some great catastrophe. And asking God for help at the end is probably not going to do much good. He or She is probably pretty skeptical of those last minute conversions. So live your life fully, doing your part of make the world a little better and ease what suffering you can when the opportunity arises. Live with integrity and honor so that if you are around at the end of the world, you go with the peace of knowing you did everything you could. And if it doesn't end? Then your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren have something to remember you for: You did something to try and make the world a better place.

'Rani

[Stuie]

We just need another world war A BIG ONE... boost economy, reduce population, and those that survive will be much more appreciative of life and what we have.

[Rani]

[quote name='Stuie' timestamp='1347983145' post='556654']
We just need another world war A BIG ONE... boost economy, reduce population, and those that survive will be much more appreciative of life and what we have.
[/quote]

Well there goes that make the world a better place thing for you Stuie........ No more Prozac for you.

'Rani

[Stuie]

It's just one solution.

Monsato has there own. GMO will have us all sterile in a couple of generations anyways.... "Children of Men" come True.

[Rani]

[quote name='Stuie' timestamp='1347984013' post='556656']
It's just one solution.

Monsato has there own. GMO will have us all sterile in a couple of generations anyways.... "Children of Men" come True.
[/quote]

GMO actually worries me more than just about anything else. Nature mutates, that's what she does. Constantly refining and improving species. Including bacteria, which is used in almost all GMO foods as the transfer agent. So our scientists, think they're going a good job tweaking a bacteria, graphing it onto say corn DNA to make it drought resistant, and then nature keeps doing her thing and suddenly we have poisonous corn and nobody catches it until it's been processed into thousands of food products. Just because science can do something, doesn't mean they should.

'Rani

[gramps]

GM food is bad news in more ways than one. I can't think of one good reason to have it.

[headhunter]

very true, i just really hope that it never comes to the Children of Men scenario, i mean i know i try damn hard not to eat GM food, its tough but its my choice because to be honest we don't know what the genes we are adding can do to the food. I mean yes we know that it will be more drought resistant and maybe be more resistant to a certain bug. But what about the other processes that the Gene's DNA can do? or even better what if the corn (for instance) somehow mutates to Rani's idea and becomes [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color][font="helvetica, arial, sans-serif"][color="#282828"]poisonous and thousands die before we know what is happening. We should just leave well enough alone in this area and instead focus more on how to solve our energy problems. I know sure as hell if we spent the money we spend on GM of food that we would have full spectrum solar panels and electric cars that could go hundreds of miles without a re-charge.....but hey who cares about renewable energy when fossil fuels are so abundant and cheep? Not the Government, not the big businesses because both of them are filling their pockets with money from the oil. So that leaves what? A hand full of Scientists and Environmentalists that have little to no funding to create these things? Bahh the Government is corrupt and no longer has the interest of the people in mind, only self preservation and how much money they make.......right rant over time to go smoke a bowl of tang and unwind..... [/color][/font]

[gramps]

Modifying the genes in a plant is bad enough, but genes don't stay put. We're already seeing herbicide-resistant weeds.

[gramps]

I'm glad I'm my own Pope. Edited September 27, 2012 by gramps

[TheScotsman]

[quote name='Stuie' timestamp='1347983145' post='556654']
We just need another world war A BIG ONE... boost economy, reduce population, and those that survive will be much more appreciative of life and what we have.
[/quote]

That seems to be the answer that has saved us so many times in the past. Can't be a digital age conflict, but a real trenches & bullets, guts flying like confetti sort of war.
Maybe add a new virus into the mix somewhere along the line.

As for food shortage in the USA, maybe the people I see walking around playing with their new iphone could learn to put it down, and plant a few carrots. I would have a hard time feeling sorry for the average citidiot starving to death in the world they did their best to create. The world has a way of putting the brakes on any species that floods the place with bodies that are incapable of providing their own food.


Good luck on avoiding GM corn. The crap has "escaped", some farmers have been sued by Monsanto and Bayer over having unlicensed genes in their corn. Would make me cry if it weren't so insanely stupid.