Missionary Rhetoric Dominates at World Congress of Families

RH Reality Check Exclusive: This is the 3rd in a series of posts being written this wee by SIECUS's opposition researcher, providing ongoing coverage of the World Congress of Families in Amsterdam on topics such as "the natural family," "traditional values,"  marriage and family configurations, demographic shifts, pre-determined sex-specific roles, HIV/AIDS, and family-related policies at the national and international level. 

The conflict between a faithful or religiously fundamentalist way of life and secularism has emerged as an underlying theme of this year's World Congress of Families (WCF) being held this week in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Several speakers have characterized secularism as the primary threat to family stability as well as their ability to lead a moral life in an increasingly secular world and, as a result, increasingly take the view of a fundamental divide between these two "worlds."  At its most basic, it's a perpetuation of an "us" and "them" mentality, with an accompanying moral hierarchy. Secularism (inextricably connected with capitalism and the sexual revolution in the minds of the Right) is charged with bringing about our own moral failings - selfishness, sexual desire, vanity, greed, laziness etc - that are claimed to be the root of all social ills. According to many of the speakers at the second day of the WCF, everything from the so-called "demographic winter" to HIV/AIDS can be attributed to secularism and the associated lack of morality.

Don Feder, Communications Director for the World Congress of Families, believes that secularism paved the way towards the sexual revolution, and the notion that "nothing should be allowed to interfere with your happiness including children." Feder argued that individuals became fixated in their own desires, and no longer felt an obligation to marry, have children and contribute to "population replacement." According to him, this behavior caused additional ills including the availability of contraception, a shift toward cohabitation instead of marriage, delayed and decreased child bearing and rearing, and the development of policies and programs to support these shifts. He argued that dividing sex from marriage leads to earlier sexual debut, which in turn leads to sex outside of marriage and "serial polyamory." 

In a sensational leap, Feder then claimed that the culmination of these factors is a "demographic winter" in which the levels of population replacement fall, and societies are unable to meet the needs of caring for an aging population, ultimately undermining the stability of civilizations. John Mueller of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington also spoke on day two and added his own two cents on how to fix all this:  both the rate of abortion and crime decrease with church attendance.  In other words, the ills caused by secularism in our society can be solved if people just get back to church.

According to these people, HIV/AIDS can also be solved by simply turning to the faithful life. Moira Chimombo, Executive Director of the Malawi-based organization SAFE, discussed her work in HIV prevention and in providing HIV and AIDS related services.  She outlined the approach that SAFE uses which is an alternative to what she called the "technical" ABC model of Abstinence, Be faithful and Condom use, explaining instead that the "C" in the SAFE program represents the development of "Christ-like character" which she described as the necessity of instilling good moral character as a guaranteed protection against the evils of the world, including HIV transmission.  The "A" in the ABC model she describes is not just about the behavior of abstaining from sex, but of preserving one's virginity until marriage.  She argues that fundamental to promoting this "state" is instilling self-control. However, the implicit accusation within these arguments is that those who do not lead faithful lives have only themselves to blame should they become HIV positive.

While trumpeting the religious life as a way to a better world is hardly new, at the WCF it seeks to take on the veil of legitimacy when the organizers set it alongside more mainstream speakers who soften the call of these missionaries.  And while the WCF claims to be an interfaith body, the consistent missionary rhetoric is overwhelmingly Christian. 

No one can take exception to the right of every individual to live their life according to the tenets of their faith, but the WCF seeks to breakdown the walls that allow tolerance to exist by pushing their moral and religious vision as the only true and correct one.  However, the public sphere demands there be room for all believers and non-believers alike, and that approaches to humankind's problems must be based on evidence and values that are held in common.  Secularism and a faith-based life can co-exist, but in order to do so, we must acknowledge that neither can claim to be the one right path.  The organizers of the WCF disagree and proclaim that it is their way or a straight path to doom.

Tomorrow is the final day of Amsterdam's WCF...stay tuned...