OUR DISAPPEARING NATURAL WORLD!
WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, HUMANITY BEGAN TO ADJUST AND CHANGE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL WORLD. EARLY SOCIETIES RECOGNIZED THE FACT THAT MANKIND WAS BUT ONE PART OF THE COMPLEX NATURAL WORLD. THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY OFFERED A NEW CONCEPT OF HUMANITY BEING THE DOMINATE SPECIES AND SEPARATE FROM NATURE. THE BIBLE TELLS US MANKIND WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AND WAS TO TAKE DOMINION OVER EARTH AND OTHER NON-HUMAN SPECIES. EXPLOITING THE RESOURCES OF EARTH WAS OUR DIVINE RIGHT, AS EARTH BELONGED TO US. EARLIER SOCIETIES HAD SEEN THEMSELVES AS BELONGING TO NATURE, REQUIRING THEM TO LIVE IN BALANCE WITH THE NATURAL WORLD.
EVEN THOUGH, WE HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THESE PRINCIPLES, MODERN-DAY WESTERN SOCIETY HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE OUR DEPENDENCE UPON THE NATURAL WORLD AND FOCUSED ON WEALTH, AFFLUENCE AND GREED. EARLY MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN RACE, RECOGNIZED THEIR DEPENDENCE UPON THE NATURAL WORLD AND DEVELOPED THE WISDOM OF LIVING IN BALANCE WITH NATURE. LIVING IN BALANCE REQUIRES THE RECOGNITION THAT NATURE HAS LIMITATIONS AND OVER HARVESTING CAN LEAD TO SPECIES EXTINCTION. THEY WERE PART OF THE COMPLEX SYSTEM CALLED NATURE, AND SURVIVED THE CHALLENGES OF A HUNTER-GATHER WAY OF LIFE. INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAVE MAINTAINED THEIR ECO-FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE TO THIS DAY.
THE PAST TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE HAS SLOWLY CREATED A MODERN DOMINATE SOCIETY THAT BELIEVES EARTH BELONG TO US. EVEN THE BIBLE’S SUGGESTION THAT HUMANITY IS TO TAKE DOMINION OVER GOD’S CREATION, WHICH CONTINUES TO SUPPORT OUR GREEDY INDIVIDUALISTIC DEMANDS. THESE PRINCIPLES OF LIFE WERE SERIOUSLY EXACERBATED WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVELATION IN THE 1850’S. WE BECAME AWARE THAT THE OVER-PRODUCTION PRODUCED PROFIT AND INCREASED WEALTH. IT ALSO SENT US ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH EARTH’S LIMITATIONS. TODAY SCIENTISTS TELL US ONLY 3% OF EARTHS ECOSYSTEMS ARE IN BALANCE AND PROPERLY FUNCTIONING. HUMANITY’S DEMANDS AND POOR MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN DEVASTATING ON THE NATURAL WORLD.
I HAVE BEEN EMPHASIZING THESE CONCERNS FOR YEARS, BUT HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED THAT LITTLE ATTENTION OR CHANGE HAS OCCURRED. I HAVE POINTED OUT THE FACTUAL ADVERSE IMPACTS THAT ARE HIGHLY VISIBLE IF WE WOULD JUST OPEN OUR EYES, BUT STILL NO ONE SEEMS INTERESTED. I HAVE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE THAT APPEAR TO HAVE SOME CONCERN FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT, VARIOUS MEDIA OUTLETS, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND ACIDEMIA WITH NO SUCCESS. PEOPLE ARE TO BUSY CHASING THE DOLLAR AND CHANGE MEANS INCREASED WORKLOAD AND INVESTMENTS. WE ARE DOING OKAY, SO LET FUTURE GENERATIONS WORRY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS! SELECTING THE DO-NOTHING ALTERNATIVE WILL SERIOUSLY CHALLENGE HUMANITY’S DESTINY!
I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MAJOR CHANGE REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT EMOTIONAL INCIDENT IN ONE’S LIFE. THE CHANGING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS, RISING SEA LEVELS, CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES, RISING CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS IN OUR ATMOSPHERE AND PANDEMICS ARE SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO RAISE MY CONCERNS TO A RED ALERT STATUS. IT IS A SURE THING, THAT THE LIMITS OF EARTH’S CARRYING-CAPACITY IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING AND THE SURVIVAL OF THE HUMAN SPECIES WILL BE CHALLENGED. SCIENTIFIC DATA SUGGESTS THESE LIMITATIONS WILL IMPACT OUR LIVES WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 50 YEARS.
I AM ALSO SURE, THAT NO MAJOR CHANGE WILL BE INITIATED UNTIL THE PEOPLE ACCEPT THAT MANKIND IS SIMPLY ONE IMPORTANT SPECIES, OF THE TEN MILLION KNOWN SPECIES, THAT MAKE UP NATURE ON PLANET EARTH. THIS ANTHROPOCENTRIC BELIEF THAT HUMANS ARE THE CHOSEN MASTERS OF PLANET EARTH IS ACTUALLY KILLING THE NATURAL WORLD. AS GOES THE NATURAL WORLD, SO GOES THE HUMAN SPECIES. IF THAT DOES NOT GIVE YOU PAUSE, MAYBE THERE IS NO HOPE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS!
ALTHOUGH, TIME IS LIMITED, THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT MUCH OF THE SOLUTION WILL RELY ON TEACHING OUR YOUTH THE IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS THEY SHARE WITH CREATION AND THE NATURAL WORLD. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IS VIDAL, AND MUST EXPAND BEYOND SCIENCE. ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES MUST OVERSHADOW STRAIGHT SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE. THIS IS TRUE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION THROUGHOUT ELEMENTARY, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE. THE OUTDOOR CLASS ROOM PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCING THE STUDENTS TO THE VITAL CONNECTIONS PROVIDED BY THE NATURAL WORLD. ONE CANNOT OVER-EMPHASES THE IMPORTANCE OF ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. OUR SPIRITUAL AND LIVING CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD REQUIRES A DEEP APPRECIATION AND ACCEPTANCE THAT HUMANITY IS SIMPLY ONE SMALL PART OF NATURE!
EVEN THOUGH A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC STATE THEIR BELIEF IN THE DIVINE SOURCE OF LIFE, INVOLVEMENT IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVATES HAS FALLEN TO AN ALL TIME LOW. RELIGIOUS LEADERS ARE CONCERNED WITH THESE FACTS AND APPEAR TO THINK RELAXING THE MORAL INTERPRETATION OF RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE WILL BRING PEOPLE BACK TO THE CHURCH. DISCUSSIONS I HAVE HAD WITH YOUNG PEOPLE INDICATE A NEED TO FOCUS RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ON INTERPRETING BIBLICAL TEACHINGS TO ASSIST THEM WITH COPING SKILLS FOR DAILY SOCIAL STRESS AND DEPRESSION. PEOPLE NEED HELP WITH FAMILY RELATIONS, MARTIAL RELATIONS, CHILD REARING, POLITICAL PRESSURES, WORK RELATIONS, ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES, EDUCATION NEEDS AND THE LIST GOES ON. OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS ARE STRESSED FOR TIME, WITH OUR MODERN-DAY LIFE STYLES, AND HAVE TO PRIORITIZE ALMOST EVERY WAKING HOUR. LIFE STYLES HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY JUST IN MY YEARS OF OBSERVATION. HOW DOES THE BIBLE PREPARE US FOR BAD THING HAPPENING TO GOOD PEOPLE? CAN IT HELP US DEVELOP THE COPING SKILLS NEED FOR SUCCESS IN TODAY’S STRESSFUL TIMES? PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY YOUNGER PEOPLE, TELL ME THAT RELIGIOUS MESSAGES TEND TO FOCUS ON HISTORY LESSONS OF A TIME LONG GONE. AS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO DRIFT AWAY FROM RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, SURVEYS SUGGEST THE FASTEST GROWING MOVEMENT ARE PEOPLE THAT CLAIM TO BE SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS.
I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS MEANT BY THIS MOVEMENT, BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT SOFTENING RELIGIOUS STANDARDS TO ADJUST TO MODERN DAY ATTITUDES IS NOT WORKING. THERE IS A NEED FOR A NEW REVELATION THAT INVOLVES A FOCUS ON THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE AND BALANCE THAT SUSTAINS OUR REMAINING NATURAL WORLD! WE ARE DESTINE FOR CHANGE. WILL IT BE THE EXTINCTION OF HUMANITY, OR WILL WE JOIN HANDS AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND PROLONG LIFE ON PLANET EARTH?
WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION, HUMANITY BEGAN TO ADJUST AND CHANGE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL WORLD. EARLY SOCIETIES RECOGNIZED THE FACT THAT MANKIND WAS BUT ONE PART OF THE COMPLEX NATURAL WORLD. THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY OFFERED A NEW CONCEPT OF HUMANITY BEING THE DOMINATE SPECIES AND SEPARATE FROM NATURE. THE BIBLE TELLS US MANKIND WAS CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD AND WAS TO TAKE DOMINION OVER EARTH AND OTHER NON-HUMAN SPECIES. EXPLOITING THE RESOURCES OF EARTH WAS OUR DIVINE RIGHT, AS EARTH BELONGED TO US. EARLIER SOCIETIES HAD SEEN THEMSELVES AS BELONGING TO NATURE, REQUIRING THEM TO LIVE IN BALANCE WITH THE NATURAL WORLD.
EVEN THOUGH, WE HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THESE PRINCIPLES, MODERN-DAY WESTERN SOCIETY HAS CHOSEN TO IGNORE OUR DEPENDENCE UPON THE NATURAL WORLD AND FOCUSED ON WEALTH, AFFLUENCE AND GREED. EARLY MEMBERS OF THE HUMAN RACE, RECOGNIZED THEIR DEPENDENCE UPON THE NATURAL WORLD AND DEVELOPED THE WISDOM OF LIVING IN BALANCE WITH NATURE. LIVING IN BALANCE REQUIRES THE RECOGNITION THAT NATURE HAS LIMITATIONS AND OVER HARVESTING CAN LEAD TO SPECIES EXTINCTION. THEY WERE PART OF THE COMPLEX SYSTEM CALLED NATURE, AND SURVIVED THE CHALLENGES OF A HUNTER-GATHER WAY OF LIFE. INDIGENOUS PEOPLE HAVE MAINTAINED THEIR ECO-FRIENDLY RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE TO THIS DAY.
THE PAST TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE HAS SLOWLY CREATED A MODERN DOMINATE SOCIETY THAT BELIEVES EARTH BELONG TO US. EVEN THE BIBLE’S SUGGESTION THAT HUMANITY IS TO TAKE DOMINION OVER GOD’S CREATION, WHICH CONTINUES TO SUPPORT OUR GREEDY INDIVIDUALISTIC DEMANDS. THESE PRINCIPLES OF LIFE WERE SERIOUSLY EXACERBATED WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVELATION IN THE 1850’S. WE BECAME AWARE THAT THE OVER-PRODUCTION PRODUCED PROFIT AND INCREASED WEALTH. IT ALSO SENT US ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH EARTH’S LIMITATIONS. TODAY SCIENTISTS TELL US ONLY 3% OF EARTHS ECOSYSTEMS ARE IN BALANCE AND PROPERLY FUNCTIONING. HUMANITY’S DEMANDS AND POOR MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN DEVASTATING ON THE NATURAL WORLD.
I HAVE BEEN EMPHASIZING THESE CONCERNS FOR YEARS, BUT HAVE BEEN DISAPPOINTED THAT LITTLE ATTENTION OR CHANGE HAS OCCURRED. I HAVE POINTED OUT THE FACTUAL ADVERSE IMPACTS THAT ARE HIGHLY VISIBLE IF WE WOULD JUST OPEN OUR EYES, BUT STILL NO ONE SEEMS INTERESTED. I HAVE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE THAT APPEAR TO HAVE SOME CONCERN FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT, VARIOUS MEDIA OUTLETS, RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS AND ACIDEMIA WITH NO SUCCESS. PEOPLE ARE TO BUSY CHASING THE DOLLAR AND CHANGE MEANS INCREASED WORKLOAD AND INVESTMENTS. WE ARE DOING OKAY, SO LET FUTURE GENERATIONS WORRY ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS! SELECTING THE DO-NOTHING ALTERNATIVE WILL SERIOUSLY CHALLENGE HUMANITY’S DESTINY!
I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MAJOR CHANGE REQUIRES A SIGNIFICANT EMOTIONAL INCIDENT IN ONE’S LIFE. THE CHANGING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS, RISING SEA LEVELS, CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES, RISING CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS IN OUR ATMOSPHERE AND PANDEMICS ARE SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TO RAISE MY CONCERNS TO A RED ALERT STATUS. IT IS A SURE THING, THAT THE LIMITS OF EARTH’S CARRYING-CAPACITY IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING AND THE SURVIVAL OF THE HUMAN SPECIES WILL BE CHALLENGED. SCIENTIFIC DATA SUGGESTS THESE LIMITATIONS WILL IMPACT OUR LIVES WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 50 YEARS.
I AM ALSO SURE, THAT NO MAJOR CHANGE WILL BE INITIATED UNTIL THE PEOPLE ACCEPT THAT MANKIND IS SIMPLY ONE IMPORTANT SPECIES, OF THE TEN MILLION KNOWN SPECIES, THAT MAKE UP NATURE ON PLANET EARTH. THIS ANTHROPOCENTRIC BELIEF THAT HUMANS ARE THE CHOSEN MASTERS OF PLANET EARTH IS ACTUALLY KILLING THE NATURAL WORLD. AS GOES THE NATURAL WORLD, SO GOES THE HUMAN SPECIES. IF THAT DOES NOT GIVE YOU PAUSE, MAYBE THERE IS NO HOPE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS!
ALTHOUGH, TIME IS LIMITED, THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT MUCH OF THE SOLUTION WILL RELY ON TEACHING OUR YOUTH THE IMPORTANT CONNECTIONS THEY SHARE WITH CREATION AND THE NATURAL WORLD. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IS VIDAL, AND MUST EXPAND BEYOND SCIENCE. ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES MUST OVERSHADOW STRAIGHT SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE. THIS IS TRUE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION THROUGHOUT ELEMENTARY, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE. THE OUTDOOR CLASS ROOM PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCING THE STUDENTS TO THE VITAL CONNECTIONS PROVIDED BY THE NATURAL WORLD. ONE CANNOT OVER-EMPHASES THE IMPORTANCE OF ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. OUR SPIRITUAL AND LIVING CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD REQUIRES A DEEP APPRECIATION AND ACCEPTANCE THAT HUMANITY IS SIMPLY ONE SMALL PART OF NATURE!
EVEN THOUGH A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC STATE THEIR BELIEF IN THE DIVINE SOURCE OF LIFE, INVOLVEMENT IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVATES HAS FALLEN TO AN ALL TIME LOW. RELIGIOUS LEADERS ARE CONCERNED WITH THESE FACTS AND APPEAR TO THINK RELAXING THE MORAL INTERPRETATION OF RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE WILL BRING PEOPLE BACK TO THE CHURCH. DISCUSSIONS I HAVE HAD WITH YOUNG PEOPLE INDICATE A NEED TO FOCUS RELIGIOUS EDUCATION ON INTERPRETING BIBLICAL TEACHINGS TO ASSIST THEM WITH COPING SKILLS FOR DAILY SOCIAL STRESS AND DEPRESSION. PEOPLE NEED HELP WITH FAMILY RELATIONS, MARTIAL RELATIONS, CHILD REARING, POLITICAL PRESSURES, WORK RELATIONS, ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES, EDUCATION NEEDS AND THE LIST GOES ON. OUR YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS ARE STRESSED FOR TIME, WITH OUR MODERN-DAY LIFE STYLES, AND HAVE TO PRIORITIZE ALMOST EVERY WAKING HOUR. LIFE STYLES HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY JUST IN MY YEARS OF OBSERVATION. HOW DOES THE BIBLE PREPARE US FOR BAD THING HAPPENING TO GOOD PEOPLE? CAN IT HELP US DEVELOP THE COPING SKILLS NEED FOR SUCCESS IN TODAY’S STRESSFUL TIMES? PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY YOUNGER PEOPLE, TELL ME THAT RELIGIOUS MESSAGES TEND TO FOCUS ON HISTORY LESSONS OF A TIME LONG GONE. AS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO DRIFT AWAY FROM RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, SURVEYS SUGGEST THE FASTEST GROWING MOVEMENT ARE PEOPLE THAT CLAIM TO BE SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS.
I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS MEANT BY THIS MOVEMENT, BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT SOFTENING RELIGIOUS STANDARDS TO ADJUST TO MODERN DAY ATTITUDES IS NOT WORKING. THERE IS A NEED FOR A NEW REVELATION THAT INVOLVES A FOCUS ON THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE AND BALANCE THAT SUSTAINS OUR REMAINING NATURAL WORLD! WE ARE DESTINE FOR CHANGE. WILL IT BE THE EXTINCTION OF HUMANITY, OR WILL WE JOIN HANDS AS BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND PROLONG LIFE ON PLANET EARTH?
