Most religions’ golden rules should oppose overpopulation, because most religions’ legitimacy rests firmly on various golden rules.

For example, Quakers are taught to “honor that of god in others.” Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and many others are taught to “treat strangers as you would want to be treated.” Most religious communities come together around various expressions of golden-ruled values.

But religions can become businesses. Leaders hungry to outgrow competitors invent population aggressive religion. What better way to displace other faiths than by encouraging Darwinian conceptions faster than resources can support?

Worsening living standards harden members’ overpopulation-selected us-versus-them passions. Eventually such feelings can explode into hideous hate-for-strangers violence. History is thick with such shame.

Overpopulation undermines golden rules. Until caring people act on that wisdom, faith founders’ greatest golden-ruled hopes will have to wait.