God is green

[Snoopy]

Hi,

It’s not often that I’ve seen religion and ecology combined. With the threat of disaster from global warning, one might think that the major faiths would be rather more pro-active than they seem to have been, in “saving” the planet (made by their creator).

Channel 4 - Can you believe it? - God is Green


This programme looked at the issue and included interviews with Christians, Muslims and Hindus. The presenter (a Christian) wanted it to be a wake up call – we’re burning fossil fuels like there’s no tomorrow; and if we’re not more careful there won’t be any more tomorrows (as the blurb says).

Would you expect religious leaders to be at the forefront of ecological campaigning? Or are they too out of touch, or maybe too much part of the establishment to want to rock the boat?

(Hopefully the programme will appear on YouTube or something soon, doesn’t seem to as yet – unless you know otherwise?)

s.

 

[InLove]

Interesting question. I think that it would be very helpful if there was more focus on taking care of this blessing we call planet Earth. Where I live (physically), the odds of hearing a message focused on that Scripture passage is very slim. But it certainly is not unusual to hear other kinds of political statements--right down to naming the candidate for whom one should vote! Is it any wonder that many times, I find a better connection in my own backyard?

That said, I also see governments, especially at the local level, saying one thing and then doing another. Take recycling, for instance--when my city mandated it a couple of years ago, it provided very little assistance to citizens who were thrilled to comply. The system it proposed was just so unaccomodating and expensive. It did not take into consideration the limitations of many people, including those with physical and financial issues. As a result, it did not last long. Very disappointing to see it fail for reasons that should have been addressed and worked out. Guess we will try again, hopefully soon.

But guess who consistently has contributed in the most practical way to ecological awareness here--before, during, and after the failure of the mandate? The interfaith co-ops. How about that?

Edit: In re-reading what I wrote here, I decided to add that taking care of the environment is too often seen as a political issue. I truly believe it is crucial on a level that many of us just can't seem to grasp. Therefore, politics must necessarily enter the picture. <sigh> Also, how can we claim to be spiritually aware when we seem so unaware of the plight of Creation? Why is it that when the scientific community screams out with so much evidence, we tend to challenge it before we really investigate? Lots to consider.

InPeace,
InLove

 

[wil]

Well it appears to me according to this chart G-d has been just watching creation continue to happen....

Judging by the chart it'll get warmer...and then quite a bit colder...part of a cycle

 

[Snoopy]

so........


are you thinking that

1. Man is having no effect upon the global environment.
2. Man is "only" having some sort of exacerbating effect on the natural cycle.
or (presumably not)
3. Man is a major cause of global warming.

s.

(or 4. something else entirely!)

 

[wil]

are you thinking that

1. Man is having no effect upon the global environment.
2. Man is "only" having some sort of exacerbating effect on the natural cycle.
or (presumably not)
3. Man is a major cause of global warming.

Well the question I must ask is... What was man's involvement in the last three periods of global warming or the current warming trend that started 20,000 years ago?

Yes I believe man could be exacerbating the current trend/condition with the land clearing, and creations of artificial hotspots in cities...but I don't have the capability to compare contrast that to the increased vegetative production due to higher CO2 levels or to things like volcanic action.

As it is my understanding that mowing your lawn for an hour is the equivilant emissions of driving your car for 300 miles which is the equivilant emissions of turning over a jet engine (which thousands are idling around the world every minute of every day).

So I'm confused on this issue with the competing scientists (no it is not over yet, despite the current hype). But I'm wondering...since in the US 90% of our electricity comes from coal or oil fired plants...how an electric car benefits anything. Unless we are really truly ready to stand up and shut off our power (and this very computer I am typing on and you are reading on) quit flying around the world, quit golfing, playing baseball and football, quit mowing our lawns quit...quit quit... whatever impact large or small man has is not going to change.

I do believe we have had a minimal effect...but I believe that current effect is from a few hundred years ago...and what we have done in the past hundred years will affect our grandchildrens grandchildren....and what we do now will affect (minimally, potentially) thier great granchildren...

I look at the charts....and don't believe we can change the overall trend. I do believe we will get hotter and more inconvenienced prior to the next ice age when our planet will freeze its collective butt off. Of course that is only based on the past 400,000 years of data.

So but back to the OP...G-d?? Spirit is. G-d is. No list of naughty or nice. No great hand will adjust or distance from the sun and revise the trend for our benefit...the human race will come and go just as any other species...a blip in time. Will our technology and intelligence allow us to build bases on this planet where we can live in bubbles, under the ground or under the sea.... will we leave this planet and colonize other planets, galaxies, universes?? I don't know, but G-d's involvement in it all...

"Man cannot destroy the earth. All man can do is make it uninhabitable for man. The earth will survive." ~ Rush Limbaugh and then he laughed and said, "I would think that would make the liberals happy!"

PS....Since the US is now rebuilding New Orleans below sea level and allowing the underpriviliged to return to live in such precarious conditions I have completely lost faith in our ability to plan ahead and utilize common sense in any situation...tis a shame.

 

[Ciel]

Wil, I hear you.............
So, isn't it time to say, we will do everything in our power to forge a more compatable way ahead, yet ultimately how much more we can do in asking for help from a greater intelligence to grant us the grace and clarity to save and protect planet Earth. As I'm sure you do....... so it's a question not aimed only at one, but more towards the multicorporates, whatever name or system call it big business or religion. At present most live in corporate intelligence built on the accumulation of world consciousness And as said, I don't believe God is a seperate entity from our life here, but God is waiting for a turn around, on a more realistic level.... and is green the only colour......... for there be the green man of foresaken responsibilty. What colour really is God?

- c -

 

[wil]

So, isn't it time to say, we will do everything in our power to forge a more compatable way ahead, yet ultimately how much more we can do in asking for help from a greater intelligence to grant us the grace and clarity to save and protect planet Earth.

Namaste Ciel,

The rub, the crux, the dichotomy, the curse...

Ok so I recycle, send my products to the curb. I compost (or did, townhouse now) (interesting challenge...hmmmm) Anywho, but then I just flew to Colorado, ate wonderful organic food, attended great conferences on improving nutrition and health of our world and our company's efforts drilling wells and feeding folks in Africa...

But I ask...how much fuel did I spew across the states, what affect did the contrails and exhaust have on our ecosystem and global warming, how much diesel did it take to run the trains and trucks to supply me with exotic organic fruits and veggies at 6000 feet in the dead of winter? What about the 1600 employees handling the guests at the resort...how much fuel do the consume to get to work, to serve me...

So I am participating at home and in a business whose mission it is to assist us in our health crisis, here and abroad...yet in order to go to conference...how much do I negate my efforts??

Am I doing everything in my power?? cloth or plastic diapers? I don't know? Tons of hot water and more phosphates and feces in the water supply or plastic in the landfill? Paper or Plastic at the grocery store...I don't know, they are both recycled now?? I don't know....I do know I am not doing everything in my power...

 

[Ciel]

So I am participating at home and in a business whose mission it is to assist us in our health crisis, here and abroad...yet in order to go to conference...how much do I negate my efforts

Wil,
Presence as the key to the door of a whole new perception for thousands and more, and maybe simply because you are there and because your view is an altruistic one, the world moves even if only in a fractional way, it moves through your presence. You could sit at home and eat a bowl of brown rice, but how far did that brown rice travel?

Once more it's all down to balance...................

- c -

 

[Snoopy]

What colour really is God?

- c -

Octarine?

 

[Snoopy]

Perhaps as even well-meaning actions may be insufficient, misplaced, or counteracted, this species has just become too big for the hutch provided?

s.

 

[flowperson]

Hmmm... I think that you all make such good sense. It is the worst habit of our species to personalize everything such that we mislead and convince ourselves that it is all our fault. But this time it looks to be true in some ways.

It's not that we're sort of establishing a bulge or two in wil's excellent graphic lessons into the future, it's that what we are doing is altering the dynamics of the natural processes described therein to the extent that outcomes are likely to be not very predictable even within the 400,000 yr. and 10-20/80-90 thousand year cycle paradigms.

In other words chaos is possible, and we should not expect to fare well in our present social stratifications. With the onset of increasing recent divisions between the super-rich and the lower classes worldwide, we may already have the beginnings of new arrangements of social restructuring that is a reflection of the data.

My guess is that these blatant planetary changes that happened periodically in the past have something to do with the wobbly orientation of the planet's axis during its 26,000+ yr. cycle of completion. Large meteor impacts and volcanoes have neither seemed to deter the natural rhythms from picking up a reguIlar beat once again after recovery. This is all part of the natural planetary processes, linear and non-linear.

But we have introduced artificial substances ( now nano stuff that we have virtually no knowledge about what it's effects might be ) and processes to the planet and its atmospheres that conflict with natural patterns and processes, and the unfolding of nature's futures. We have yet to pay the price for all this, but sometimes overcorrections of past perceived errors can have undesired reactive change. This can also lead to chaotic onsets.

On other words we may be in quite a pickle and the powers that be seem ignorant of the data and would prefer watching sports or having sex. The increasingly errratic weather patterns the past few years are somewhat unsettling for me also. The natural world will always be analog, but as a species, we are insisting upon becoming more and more digital.

Egypt, Central America and South America, China, Africa...all depicted their most ancient and sacred artifacts associated with the Gods with the color green along with gold. Serpentine and Jade were the semi-precious stones most used for the sacred objects of royalty. Wonder why ?

flow....