The Human Population is Increasing Too Rapidly
The argument goes like this, "The Population Problem- "The average family size today, worldwide, is about 3.6 children, and the annual population growth is 2 percent ... assume an initial population of two people, the first parents... The evolution model, with its million-year history of man, has to be strained to the breaking point. It is essentially incredible that there could have been 25,000 generations of men with a resulting population of only 3.5 billion. If the population increased at only 0.5 percent per year for a million years, or if the average family size were only 2.5 children per family for 25,000 generations, the number of people in the present generation would exceed 102100, a number which is, of course, utterly impossible... only 10130 electrons could be crammed into the entire known universe." -Henry Morris
World
Population Growth Rate2 |
This is a completely ridiculous argument, based upon faulty assumptions and faulty data. The assumption is that the average family size has always been the same and that the population growth rate has always been 2%.1 Both assumptions are false. The increase in family size and longevity has occurred only within the last century. Before the turn of the 20th century, the average life expectancy was 40 years. The advent of modern medicine has radically increased the population growth rate for the last 60-80 years. In fact, from 2000 B.C. to 1 A.D., the world's population rose from 108 million to 138 million (only 0.01% growth rate/year).2 It then took another 1000 years for the world's population to double (0.06%).2 Currently, the world's population is doubling every 50 years. The other problem with the calculation is that modern humans have not been around for one million years. Modern scientific studies put the date at 50,000 to 100,000 years, and the Bible claims at least 1000 generations (~40,000 years).3 In addition, the Bible says that limits to population growth prior to the flood were due to extreme violence and rampant murder (Genesis 6).4
Errors: Invalid assumptions, faulty data
References 
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It is actually less than 1.6% at present.
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World Book Encyclopedia, under topic "World"
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"Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;" (Deuteronomy 7:9)
Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, (1 Chronicles 16:15)
He has remembered His covenant forever, The word which He commanded to a thousand generations, (Psalm 105:8) -
Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of
Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for
injuring me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven
times." (Genesis 4:23-24)
The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5)
Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. (Genesis 6:11)
So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. (Genesis 6:13)
Last updated March 31, 2008
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