robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison) (11/16/84)
Whatever one thinks about the arguments for limiting the number of one's children, we should recognize that most of these arguments simply do not apply to groups of people who feel they are a dwindling minority. Orthodox Jews and Mormons currently have very high birthrates, which are necessary to preserve their chances of survival. - Toby Robison (not Robinson!) allegra!eosp1!robison or: decvax!ittvax!eosp1!robison or (emergency): princeton!eosp1!robison
wales@ucla-cs.UUCP (11/20/84)
I'm a Mormon. I hope you will all pardon a brief and careful intrusion
into this newsgroup by a non-Jew, but I feel that the following conjec-
ture by Toby Robison needs a bit of clarification:
Whatever one thinks about the arguments for limiting the number
of one's children, we should recognize that most of these argu-
ments simply do not apply to groups of people who feel they are
a dwindling minority. . . . Mormons currently have very high
birthrates, which are necessary to preserve their chances of
survival.
Yes, it is true that we Mormons have comparatively high birthrates and
do place a high value on children. Families in our church are encour-
aged to have as many children as they reasonably can. We do recognize
that not every couple can or should have a kid every year :-), and our
members are permitted to use artificial birth control where, after care-
ful consideration, they feel it is needed in order to "space out" the
family.
No, we do not perceive ourselves as "dwindling". Quite the contrary, as
a group we are growing quite rapidly and have been for some time. Some
of this growth is due to births; much of it is due to conversions. Our
total worldwide membership right now is approaching 6 million; this is
almost double what it was only a decade or so ago.
I won't go into detail here as to why we place such a high priority on
families and children. Such a discussion would inevitably get fairly
deeply into Mormon religious beliefs; not only would this not be appro-
priate for this newsgroup, but some people would undoubtedly interpret
it as an attempt to proselytize and be offended thereby. While I am al-
ways more than willing to explain and share my faith with anyone who is
interested in knowing more about it, I would never want to be accused of
ramming it down anyone's throat.
Again, I hope no one will feel that my brief interjection into what is
admittedly a "side point" in the ongoing discussion was out of place.
--
Rich Wales
UCLA Computer Science Department
3531 Boelter Hall // Los Angeles, CA 90024 // (213) 825-5683
ARPA: wales@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA
UUCP: ...!{cepu,ihnp4,trwspp,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!waleswales@ucla-cs.UUCP (11/20/84)
[Apologies if this article shows up twice -- our news system hiccoughed
the first time I posted it, and I'm not sure whether my attempt at can-
cellation was successful.]
I'm a Mormon. I hope you will all pardon a brief and careful intrusion
into this newsgroup by a non-Jew, but I feel that the following conjec-
ture by Toby Robison needs a bit of clarification:
Whatever one thinks about the arguments for limiting the number
of one's children, we should recognize that most of these argu-
ments simply do not apply to groups of people who feel they are
a dwindling minority. . . . Mormons currently have very high
birthrates, which are necessary to preserve their chances of
survival.
Yes, it is true that we Mormons have comparatively high birthrates and
do place a high value on children. Families in our church are encour-
aged to have as many children as they reasonably can. We do recognize
that not every couple can or should have a kid every year :-), and our
members are permitted to use artificial birth control where, after care-
ful consideration, they feel it is needed in order to "space out" the
family.
No, we do not perceive ourselves as "dwindling". Quite the contrary, as
a group we are growing quite rapidly and have been for some time. Some
of this growth is due to births; much of it is due to conversions. Our
total worldwide membership right now is approaching 6 million; this is
almost double what it was only a decade or so ago.
I won't go into detail here as to why we place such a high priority on
families and children. Such a discussion would inevitably get fairly
deeply into Mormon religious beliefs; not only would this not be appro-
priate for this newsgroup, but some people would undoubtedly interpret
it as an attempt to proselytize and be offended thereby. While I am al-
ways more than willing to explain and share my faith with anyone who is
interested in knowing more about it, I would never want to be accused of
ramming it down anyone's throat.
Again, I hope no one will feel that my brief interjection into what is
admittedly a "side point" in the ongoing discussion was out of place.
--
Rich Wales
UCLA Computer Science Department
3531 Boelter Hall // Los Angeles, CA 90024 // (213) 825-5683
ARPA: wales@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA
UUCP: ...!{cepu,ihnp4,trwspp,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!waleswmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (11/21/84)
Interesting. I put in a rational explanation which could explain why fewer Priceton alumni children are available for admittance to that university, in the light of a specific posting on that subject (and which was taken in that viewpoint by at least one other respondent), and it precipitates great flamage of an emotional nature. Ah, well -- such is life on the net... Will