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?
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?
