Protecting the earth - a religious responsibility?

I, Brian · 12-17-2005, 12:12 PM

Here's a general question - could it be regarded as a religious responsibility to protect the earth?

wil · 12-17-2005, 05:02 PM

I often picture my mother telling me, "You can't have any more toys until you learn to take care of the ones you've got!!"

And then contemplate life.

And God giving us this big blue ball to play with, and all the life that is in it to interact and play with, and this amazing body, that can withstand almost anything we do to it for five or six decades...

And then God saying, "You can't have any more toys until you learn to take care of the ones you've got!!"

So that makes my answer and unequivical, yes.

path_of_one · 12-17-2005, 06:48 PM

I'm with you, Wil.

And since I'm a panentheist, I look around and see all living beings as being part of God... it changes one's perspective about how we should treat all others.

Tao_Equus · 12-17-2005, 06:55 PM

Absolutely, and I could'nt put it any better than you Wil.

TE

Thomas · 12-17-2005, 11:05 PM

Indeed.

In my own view a pronounced eco/environmentalism was a marked characteristic of Celtic Christianity, and was lost with its passing.

Having said that, it must be balanced by the fact that science is by far the bigger villain, the 'Enlightenment' believed that through science man could free himself from the perverse grasp of nature, and determine his own destiny. The 17th/18th centure is the root of the present situation.

On the other hand, religion has always thrived in rural communities.

Religion tried to take on science, of course, and failed. With that failure both humanity and the planet suffered a grevious blow.

So I would say a human responsibility - and one in which a religious society did more to fulfill its obligation than the secular.

Thomas