This is an extremely important topic for discussion and global comprehension. I know that I plan in doing my part of being part of the solution by not procreating with my partner. Aside from personal views, it is hard to ignore the strain that is being placed upon all of the ecosystems of life by this explosion of births. It is extremely nearsighted to claim that we are not determining a future of greater hardship with such reckless behavior.
While it may not be a popular one, I identify religion as a serious proponent of the drive to create. Religions teach of predeterminism, that you got pregnant because you were supposed to, so that there would be another "soul" to raise within the faith. This is by design so the faith does not become obsolete due to people finding reason through education, but instead rejecting any evidence that cotradicts in the "belief". Among the economic and moral decay that religion supports, religion will actively fight reason to allow us to cripple out future generations.
You're absolutely right!
Religion and cultural believe play a major role in overpopulation. Here in Nigeria, the Muslims literally take the words 'Populate the Earth' seriously. The men marry a minimum of two wives and there children are in tens. These people live in abject poverty, with no health care or education.
Similarly, it's a cultural believe that one's you of a certain age in Nigeria, (say late twenties or thirties) you ought to be married, and once you're married you need to have children.
The society frowns at people that chooses to do otherwise.
I believe similar cultural and religious system prevails in other developing countries with spiking population growth (Sub Saharan Africa and Southern Asia)
I totally agree with you, that religion and culture are major drivers to overpopulation.