In her article "A Voice of Warning," Charolette Winder argues that the "calamities" mentioned in the Family Proclamation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are not just natural disasters but the measurable social decay resulting from family disintegration. One of the most significant "macro" calamities is the current global crisis of population degrowth.
Key Principles and Social Calamities
The article argues that the "calamities" warned of in the Proclamation are manifesting through the disintegration of the family unit, which has measurable, generational impacts on society:
The Weight of Divorce: Social data indicates that divorce diminishes a child's future competence in areas such as education, earning power, and emotional well-being.
Irreparable Social Decay: The American College of Pediatrics and other studies suggest that the negative long-term consequences of family breakdown are harder to rebuild than physical homes lost to natural disasters.
The Duty to Warn: Leaders emphasize that teaching unpopular truths about family and gender is an act of love and a fulfillment of their "stewardship" as watchmen.
The Crisis of Depopulation
A central focus of the article is the "macro" level threat of depopulation, which it links to the "disintegration of the family" mentioned in the Proclamation:
Falling Fertility Rates: To sustain population replacement, a rate of 2.1 children per woman is required; however, most developed nations are now well below this threshold.
Global Predictions: A 2024 study in The Lancet warns that by the year 2100, over 97% of countries will have fertility rates below the necessary replacement level.
Failed Incentives: Nations like Russia, Hungary, and Denmark have attempted to "bribe" or incentivize citizens to have children through cash bonuses and tax breaks, but these efforts have yielded few results due to high "opportunity costs" and shifting social priorities.
Economic Consequences: Shrinking populations lead to a smaller workforce, increased tax burdens, and potential societal upheaval as deaths begin to outnumber live births.
Conclusion
Winder concludes that while the Proclamation's warnings are stark, they are intended to persuade individuals toward choices that lead to stability and happiness. Despite the "messiness" of modern family life, the article offers a message of hope, stating that through Jesus Christ, families can find healing and restoration even when they fall short of the ideal.
Reference:
Winder, C. (2025, May 27). A voice of warning: Prophets and proclamations. Public Square Magazine.
