upsetting a balance

 Is man upsetting the balance? It seems like a valid question to me. I do wonder about such things. Presently the big complaint about man is that we are destroying the planet. We are changing the climate. A theory being adopted by many people, but one I don't place much stock in. The changing climate is a part of a natural cycle. We have had ice ages in the past, stands to reason we would have warming. But setting that aside the balance I am thinking about is population. Are we over populating the world? Now that is something where man does have an impact. There is no denying that advances in medicine have extended our life spans. The combination of preventative and remedial medicine has increased the population.

 We have all read about the great plagues that swept across Europe killing millions. Was that just a natural method of population control? When the Europeans came to the north american continent we brought disease with us. Those diseases decimated the local population. No one expected that to happen. And we can't discount nature. Famine, floods and storms of all types. All of those things taking life. But now man has medicine and shelter. We have large populations of people with no way to support themselves. We see it on the news all the time. Relief efforts have been organized and operating for many years in African nations and elsewhere. Why is that? Who took care of all that before we were around? Nobody is the answer. I wonder what happened to change that. I mean what did those populations do before aid was sent? I can only assume they died. More likely is they didn't exist as only the strongest survived. 

 Another big debate currently raging in America is the question of vaccinations. Should we require everyone to be vaccinated? Are vaccinations causing harm? I won't deny that they can surely save lives by preventing the spread of disease. The evidence is clear enough. I wonder though, has the rise in vaccinations paralleled the rise in populations? Are we causing overpopulation by that action? In the later part of the nineteen fifties five vaccines were recommended. That number has grown to fourteen today. That's not the total number of injections, just the total number of vaccines. It is recommended that you get several of these, several times. We are filling our bodies with vaccines. The last big " plague " if you want to use that term was aids. Modern sensibilities called it an epidemic. I'm not concerned with what you call it, the point being it was killing thousands of people with no cure. Where did it originate? In non-human primates in Africa is the answer scientists provide. Population control? That this disease appeared to be targeting a specific group of individuals struck me as odd. Turns out it wasn't and anyone can acquire that disease. Man has developed " cures " but the HIV virus will remain in a person for the rest of their lives. Most will survive. 

 Is man capable of upsetting the balance? That is the big question here. Of course you do have to presuppose that the earth was created and is controlled by  a creator being. The identification of this being is not important, only that this being is in total control. Just how far does free will extend? Now God told Noah that there would never be another flood that destroys the world. But, he also said rain may be withheld! That's pretty much the extent of it as far as I know. It sure seems to me that God will allow man a lot of leeway, but there is a limit. The withholding of rain? Is that related to global warming? No, I don't think so. As the earth warms up wouldn't the water start evaporating? That seems right. When it evaporates it rises into the atmosphere. We know that eventually the clouds can no longer hold that moisture and rain is the result. Well, unless that rain is withheld! Something to consider. So just who is in control? And what of diseases? Does man create those, or are they part of the big plan? Are diseases meant to control the population? That doesn't seem right because the one in control could certainly control the population easily enough. Of course it could be argued that man did receive instructions concerning that. Be fruitful and multiply was the command. 

 I don't know, just some meandering thoughts this morning. I do wonder if man is capable of upsetting the balance. If the balance is between good and bad, we can certainly do that! We have done that since the beginning. But do we have the ultimate power, the power to choose between life and death? Can we control that? I believe the truth is, no we don't. Surely we can affect the present and make predictions about the future based on past experience. I can have an immediate impact but in the course of history how much will it matter? Consider the worst of the worst, Hitler and his attempt to destroy an entire population. He killed millions, yet they survive to this day. He failed and good reigned supreme. I believe when the end comes, when God has had enough, the world will end. Will we know it? I don't know, do you know when you are dead? 

 Well, have a great day. The weather has taken a turn for the better and I intend to enjoy it. There ain't much man can do about the weather.