135 Do discussions concerning natural methods refer us, then,
        to an in-depth reflection on human development?

If the ideal of human development is conceived like a race for consumerism and ease, the so-called "modern" methods of contraception are certainly going to be understood in this sense.

a) Nevertheless, just as we have already illuminated, these methods have had and currently have as their result, a catastrophic fall in the birth rate and an aging of the population. The effects resulting from them are already being felt in developed countries and are beginning to be perceptible in some countries of the Third World. This demographic plunge and the aging of the population will inevitably create grave difficulties for the next generations notably of a social and economic order. They will further aggravate the tensions occasioned by emigration.

b) On the other hand, if the ideal of development is seen rather as the education of people to responsibility, fraternity, and generosity, then mastery of fertility can very well be achieved without recourse to methods condemned by the Church.

c) Hence, mankind has the choice between responsible means and violent means. The discussion about methods allowed or rejected by the Church leads us, then, to once again bring up the problem of the quality of human development which leads us again more to the problem of the relationship between the spouses.


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PERSISTENT MALTHUSIAN PARADIGM: http://www.brown.edu/Courses/Bio_Community_Health168C/malthus.htm
COUNCIL FOR SECULAR HUMANISM: http://www.freespeech.org/freethought/declaration.htm
SOCIAL DARWINISM AND ELITISM: http://tqd.advanced.org/3376/Genktk7.htm
THEORIES OF POPULATION: http://www.knight.org/advent/cathen/12276a.htm
THE OVERPOPULATION MYTH: http://www.ohiolife.org/overpop/overpop.htm
WESTERN CIVILIZATION IS DYING: http://www.ohiolife.org/qa/qa20.htm
IMPOSED MORALITY?: http://www.ohiolife.org/qa/qa22.htm
POPULATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE: http://www.pop.org

POPULORUM PROGRESSIO (ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLES)
http://www.sni.net/advent/docs/pa06pp.htm
SOLLICITUDO REI SOCIALIS (ON SOCIAL CONCERNS)
http://listserv.american.edu/catholic/church/papal/jp.ii/jp2solli.txt
CENTESIMUS ANNUS (CENTENARY OF RERUM NOVARUM)
http://www.sni.net/advent/docs/jp02ca.htm
ETHICAL & PASTORAL DIMENSIONS OF POPULATION TRENDS
http://www.hli.org/issues/population/church/pop1.html
COMBATTING ABORTION & EUTHANASIA
http://www.sni.net/advent/docs/jp02ab.htm

CBCP GUIDELINES ON PHILIPPINE POPULATION CONTROL
http://www.cbcp.net/documents/population_90.html
THE TAIPEI DECLARATION OF 1996
http://www.simbahayan.org/taipeideclaration.html