I was listening to CBC while working in the kitchen this afternoon. I listened to a very interesting program - I think it was tapestry. They had some professors of religion and some religious leaders who were talking about environmentalism and religion. Their premise is that as we destroy the environment, we are destroying the work of God and how it is not so much in churches but out in nature that people have spiritual experiences. That is, of course, very crudely and briefly said. They were very eloquent and spoke to many things that I agree with and feel strongly about.
These are my thoughts on the matter. You know the 10th article of faith which ends with "that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisical glory". Now, I have thought about that quite a bit. What if God is not going to just miraculously return the earth to its paradisical glory. I know in my own life, things have not happened like that. Of course, God could make my life perfect and solve all my problems. But it seems to me that the purpose of my life is to learn. And I learn by sorting through my problems and gaining insight into myself. So, what if we are responsible to return the earth to its paradisical glory? What if it is up to us to learn to take responsibility for our effect on the world around us and to work together with each other to repair the damage and stop its progress? What if there will be no miraculous happening that will make the lion lay down with the lamb but that we (the lion of the developed western world) must lay down with the lamb? These are the things that I think about deeply. I believe that it is up to us to do these things. This is why I am involved in the Inner World School. I see it is a seed to change the way we relate to ourselves (where it always starts) and to each other and the world around us.
Anyways, these are my Sunday thoughts that I wanted to share with all of you!
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