TREES OF LIFE:FORESTS IN PERIL
  • home
  • Blog
  • About The Book
    • Bookstore
    • Press
  • The Author
  • Videos
  • Contact

CONVERTING WORDS TO ACTIONS!!!

8/18/2018

0 Comments

 
My last article raised the concern that we are not ignorant of the problems our human community faces but, seem unwilling to take actions for resolution. I have been working on a program for a church group and discovered some interesting material about the official position of this particular church. These documents make it clear that there are knowledgeable people in leadership positions that understand the issues we face at home and abroad. The shocking thing is that this information is not being adequately communicated to the people so, little if any thing, is being done to work toward resolution. The same is true outside the church where extremely knowledgeable individuals have been warning us, through their writings, of the significant damage that is occurring to our natural world and the consequences we face. Why is this knowledge not being presented to the people along with positive recommendations for reasonable steps to improve our life systems?
When I read the published word, I am encouraged, yet when I search for actions they seem not to exist.
Let me quote a few lines from the paper prepared by the leadership of the United Methodist Church," All creation is the Lord's, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it. ….. God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. ……. Therefore, let us recognize the responsibility of the church and its members to place a high priority on changes in economic, political, social. and technological lifestyles to support a more ecologically equitable and sustainable world leading to a higher quality of life for all of God's creation ". Great words!
" We recognize science as a legitimate interpretation of God's natural world. We affirm the validity of the claims of science in describing the natural world and in determining what is scientific.  ……. We find that science's descriptions of cosmological, geological, and biological evolution are not in conflict with theology." I am impressed again!
I have read several of Dr. Jerad Diamond's and Dr. Thomas Berry's books and found them extremely insightful yet, it is difficult to understand our reluctance to even accept the disastrous impacts we humans are having upon the natural world. In the past two years, we have eliminated may of the standards which have been established over years of research, to protect our natural surroundings we depend upon for the sustenance of life on Earth. It is difficult to understand why we continue to refuse to accept the scientific facts that present a clear picture of the destruction humans have, and are having, on the future survival of our own species.
I have spent many hours contemplating the problem and searching for ways to alert the people to the need for change. Several individuals have been attempting to sound the alert, with little success. This is the reason I have concluded the problem is not new or better science but, rather the influence of cultural values that have been developed over many centuries. Our western culture is totally focused on the needs of the individual. As our culture has matured, we have moved past the concern for food and shelter to a desire for a more affluent life style and wealth, which in reality is greed. Today, we see concerns for the Natural World as interfering with our ability to achieve our needs and desires. Corporate leaders see regulations as to costly for current operations and therefore unacceptable.
Another factor that influences our unwillingness to accept the need for change, is the fact that adulthood creates a certain fear of the unknown that change will bring. Just because we have done it this way for a long time, doesn't mean there are not better ways. Younger people seem to understand this and are far more willing to try something new. Age seems to restrict our willingness for new or different adjustments.
I believe one of the major problems, in finding a more desirable path to the future, is our current political system. Our Constitution provides for a system where the 535 elected representatives of the people are to find solutions that will provide a more desirable future for the people. Our political system certainly seems to have lost it's way!! What can we do to change great words into actions?            
0 Comments

Church AND STATE

8/2/2018

0 Comments

 
Enough on the political picture, I only hope all eligible voters will realize the importance of voting in a democratic system and providing the direction to our elected representatives as to the needs of the people. Change will not come from above unless the people take charge and insist our public servants carry out the job as defined by our founding fathers.
I have been attempting, these past 10 years, to alert the public of the consequences of our greedy demands on the natural world and the probable effect it has upon the Earth community. It is apparent, particularly today, that profit making out weighs efforts to prolong human life on our planet. There are some that hold out hope of locating another planet that will support life when we have destroyed Earth. Personally, I believe properly managing our existing planet, Earth, offers the best opportunity for future generations however, it will necessitate serious adjustments. I have stated before that the most important environmental element in the Story of Creation is DIVERSITY! Diversity is the one critical element that allow our planet to function and this is true for every living system that exists. 
The two top issues we face worldwide are population expansion and deforestation. There have been efforts to control birth rates in the past, with unacceptable results. It is true that the birth rates in developed countries are declining however, people are living longer thereby slightly off setting the reduced birth rates. We are told today, that the fastest growing age group worldwide are people 90 and over.

Deforestation rates are also slowing somewhat but, we have already deforested over half of the original forest cover leaving only 30% of our land base still covered with trees. Current rates of deforestation will still result in serious issues related to survival of life systems within the next 100 years. The picture is even more concerning when we realize that in addition to lose of forest cover, we are rapidly destroying the bio-diversity of the remaining forested acreage. After a life-time of observation and study, I have come to realize that the most critical element in the story of creation is "DIVERSITY". This is how every species was created and able to survive on this planet. 
Forest science is focused on a sustainable flow of products from our remaining forested lands and we can do this by following an simple agricultural process where we harvest no more than we grow annually. I am sorry but, that will not result in the acceptable desired future we seek. We must realize the importance of our reliance upon the natural world for the sustenance of life and develop management systems that rebuild the diversity of our natural surroundings. This will only occur when the scientific community and spiritual community come together and re-establish our spiritual relationship with our natural world!
In my effort to research the subject, I discovered a paper prepared by the United Methodist Conference in 2006, entitled, " Social Principles: The Natural World". The paper starts by saying, " All creation is the Lord's, and we are responsible for the ways in which we use and abuse it." It goes on to state that " God has granted us stewardship of creation". The paper provides the position of the Church on numerous environmental concerns such as water, minerals, plants, animals, energy resources, global climate, food safety and science and technology. It states," We find that as science expands human understanding of the natural world, our understanding of the mysteries of God's creation and word are enhanced".
​I am impressed by the words and intent however, I found no knowledge of this position from church members including local pastors. In 2012 the same National Conference passed a resolution #3324 entitled, " Trail of Repentance and Healing". This resolution is intended to reach out to our Native American people and re-build relationships. Again, beautiful words and intent. These two papers convey the exact path I have been emphasizing for years. The problem is, that unless you have some awareness of the Conference work and dig to find these papers, no one seems to be aware of the official position of the United Methodist Church. Words are great, and I am sure well intended, but until they are converted into actions nothing changes. Greed and individualism seems to take precedence over the need to join hands and follow the 7th Fire Prophecy of the Anishanabe by choosing the path of spirituality and balance. We need your help!                
0 Comments

    Archives

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    December 2013

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.