DIAL-A-GAY-ATHEIST
17 April 1994
"A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Unbridled Breeding"

     This is Dial A Gay Atheist, a communications service of
American Gay & Lesbian Atheists.  American Gay Atheists, Inc., is
a non-profit, educational foundation dedicated to keeping state
and church separate and promoting the concept as the lesbian and
gay community's most important constitutional ally.  The contents
of Dial A Gay Atheist are protected under the copyright laws of
the United States of America and may not be reproduced, in whole
or in part, without written permission from American Gay
Atheists, Inc.  This is Don Sanders for Dial A Gay Atheist.

     Last week our topic of discussion was the burgeoning growth
of the world's population and some of the possible negative side-
effects that unbridled breeding will likely cause and the results
of which are being seen today in many places around the world,
especially in the nations of Africa, South America and Southeast
Asia.

     But before we get into this week's message, some of your
comments are worthy of playing for our listeners.

     PLAY MESSAGES -- 3 Total

     We appreciate our callers' comments, even those who like to
leave sarcastic comments in reference to this commentator's
publicly-acknowledged HIV-positive status.   

     Last week, general statements were made about the
consequences of over-population and how over-population is
perhaps the most serious threat to the future of the quality of
life for everyone, especially for future generations. This is
certainly a serious issue and it is our intent to shed a little
more light on the subject as today, we are witnessing some of
over-population's effects, such as massive pollution of our air,
water and land, depletion of natural resources, food shortages,
civil wars, staggering immigration, and an overall decline in
services and quality of life for many.  

     In September of this year, the United Nations is sponsoring
a three-week conference, in which practically every nation of the
world will be represented.  Already, the Vatican has sent
delegates to many nations trying to persuade them not to support
any efforts to control population which involve the use of
contraception, birth control and abortion.  But what you may not
know is that the Vatican has been working behind the scenes for
decades in an effort to thwart all measures to control over-
population of the planet.  

     Back during 1946, just after the conclusion of World War II,
the World Health Organization began to form.  Even at that time,
the world's leaders recognized the importance of implementing
measures to control the world's population, as over-population
could be directly connected to the spread of disease and mass
starvation, such as we have recently seen in Ethiopia and
Somalia, for example  The WHO also saw over-population as a
security threat to all nations.  

     From the very beginning of the WHO, the Vatican began to
interfere.  The countries of Ireland, Italy and Belgium had
delegations dominated by the Vatican, and soon after, the Vatican
tried to influence as many other nations as it could in order
that its position was reflected, thus effectively thwarting
efforts at population control.  Due to direct pressure from the
Vatican, whose representatives began to dominate the WHO and
within 3 years after the its inception, the Roman church had
intimidated and essentially blackmailed WHO into designating no
funds and spearheading no efforts toward the serious issue of
over-population.  So, by the fourth general assembly meeting of
WHO in 1951, the issue of over-population was not even touched
upon.  Later attempts to discuss the issue raised so much furor
from Catholic nations that the resolutions were always withdrawn. 
Even to this day, family planning matters account for only a very
small fraction of WHO's budget.  

     Understanding the world-wide influence the United States has
on world affairs, the Vatican immediately set its sites upon
intervening into any efforts which might be made on behalf the
United States in matters regarding population control.  Keep in
mind, too, that Catholics comprise less than a quarter of the
U.S. population.  Despite this, the Vatican policy of birth
control, which is really no control at all, was the law of the
land until birth control was legalized here less than 30 years
ago.  

     Under Ronald Reagan, who maintained a very, very close
relationship with the Vatican, a number of international programs
were affected, primarily due to the fact that in some of the
immediate administrations prior to Reagan, the U.S. was the
single greatest monetary contributor to birth-control and
population control programs.  But under the Reagan/Vatican
alliance, all this stopped.

     The U.S. Agency for International Development effectively
cut off support for all programs around the world which did not
conform to Vatican-imposed guidelines.  And, of course, U.S.
funds to the United Nations Population Control Fund were also
stopped due to the Vatican/Reagan alliance. 

     Another nation whose peoples have suffered greatly as a
result of Vatican interference is India, despite the fact that
Catholics make up less than one percent of its population.  For
over ten years, India's Health Minister was Princess Amrit Kaur
who was a converted Catholic.  She would allow only the so-called
"rhythm method" of birth control, which failed miserably,
producing no results in curbing the burgeoning population.

      In Uganda, for example, another nation whose Catholic
population is very low, the Pope, during his visit there in
February  1993, made a statement condemning the oppression of
minority populations, saying, "There should be no room for
schemes which seek to fabricate national unity by forcing
minorities to assimilate the culture or religion of the
majority."  Despite this statement, within a matter of weeks, the
Vatican used its influence in Uganda, which has the highest
incidence of AIDS in Africa, to stop government-sponsored
announcements about the importance of condom usage in preventing
the spread of this fatal disease.  In addition to its success in
Africa, the Vatican has effectively denied birth control and
sexually-transmitted disease information to hundreds of millions
of people, most of whom are non-Catholics, in the Philippines,
throughout South America, Poland and Ireland.  And at the 1992
Rio environmental summit, birth control was barely mentioned due
to the Vatican's direct political influence over several U.N.
agencies.  

     The vast majority of Roman Catholics around the world, and
especially those in the United States, strongly disagree with the
Vatican's position on birth control.  And herein lies the
problem.  It matters not to the Vatican that its adherents have
strong opposition to its official position as long as they
continue to declare themselves followers of the medieval
institution and financially support the Vatican's bottom line.  

     The streak of masochism which religion helps instill into
its adherents is a strong force from which many find hard to
break.  Even knowing the irrationality and inherent folly of the
Vatican's policies on matters of abortion, birth control and sex
education, millions continue to give money and financial support. 
All we can say to you, should you be one of those, is show some
fortitude, have some respect for yourself and for the planet upon
which you must live.  You can help put a stop to this madness, a
madness which will ultimately lead to possibly annihilating the
human species, and perhaps most regrettably, other species who,
too, have suffered because the Vatican wields such worldwide
influence.  Sometimes I think that our touting ourselves to be
the smartest of all animals is but bunk, especially when I see
how we allow ourselves to be led around by the nose by crazy,
insane religion.  

     For a free sample copy of the American Gay & Lesbian Atheist
newsletter, write to AGLA, PO Box 66711, Houston, TX 77266. Check
your local cable listings for the American Atheist Television
Forum in your area.  At the tone, tell us from where you're
calling and what's on your mind.  And, of course, call this
American GAY Atheist anytime.    

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