neo-pagaism: Ark of Hope

[Mimi]

arkofhope.org/

The Ark of Hope, a 49"(124.5cm) x 32" (81.3cm) x 32" (81.3cm) wooden chest was created as a place of refuge for the Earth Charter document, an international peoples treaty for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century. Visit - www.earthcharter.org - for complete information on the Earth Charter. The Ark of Hope also provides refuge for the Temenos Books, Images and Words for Global Healing, Peace, and Gratitude. Over 1,000 handcrafted 8" x 8" x 2" books have been made by artists, schoolchildren, and citizens around the world, expressing their individual and collaborative prayers and affirmations for Earth. The Earth Charter’s 16 principles are the guiding vision behind the creation of these books.

I found this as part of doing extensive reading research on “smart growth” (a program in my community) which is a part of the worldwide Agenda 21, a plan for controlling everyone via their energy use, food production, and land use (taking away private property rights). This also goes under the name of Smart Growth in many areas. Australia is already under this Plan.

As you see, the Earth Charter earthcharterus.org/

is centrally concerned with the transition to sustainable ways of living and sustainable human development.

There is one thing I have found which is compatible with Catholic teaching:

We are our child’s first teachers.

earthcharterus.org/ecus-youthchildren/earth-charter-parents
That’s it!

I am doing what I can to educate and evangelize those I can reach about this Plan. It is being successfully fought in some states. Check your city’s web site for anything regarding “sustainability”, “smart growth”, “smart communities”, “regional planning boards”, “growth management”, “resource use”, “preserving open space”, etc.
A good web site for more info is
crossroad.to/text/articles/la21_198.html

Make no mistake about it, this is a long-term and concerted effort to completely transform the way everyone lives, and to abolish Christianity.
I believe in protecting our resources and sensible ecology, but this goes way beyond that.

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness… Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” Isaiah 5:20-21

Peace,
Mimi

 

[Mimi]

“I envisage the principles of the Earth Charter to
be a new form of the ten commandments.
They lay the foundation for a sustainable
global earth community.”

• Mikhail Gorbachev,
  co-author of The Earth Charter

libertynewsonline.com/article_323_31075.php

 

[Tigg]

Mimi:

This is an excellent subject for a thread, altho I don’t normally visit this sub-forum. I found you quite by accident!

Now I must read, read, read, so I might make an intelligent comment! At least I bumped your thread!

 

[Contarini]

I found this as part of doing extensive reading research on “smart growth” (a program in my community) which is a part of the worldwide Agenda 21, a plan for controlling everyone via their energy use, food production, and land use (taking away private property rights). This also goes under the name of Smart Growth in many areas. Australia is already under this Plan.

I am doing what I can to educate and evangelize those I can reach about this Plan. It is being successfully fought in some states. Check your city’s web site for anything regarding “sustainability”, “smart growth”, “smart communities”, “regional planning boards”, “growth management”, “resource use”, “preserving open space”, etc.

This is irrational and unjust. Many people are concerned about sustainability and “smart growth,” preserving open space, etc., without being part of a worldwide conspiracy.

You are trying to shut down just and reasonable concerns by shoddy conspiracy-theory accusations. For shame!

If you can’t refute the ideas of sustainability and preserving open space on their own merits, it’s pretty despicable to try to discredit them by claiming that they are part of a conspiracy to control people.

These are intrinsically valid ideas, and would be valid no matter what unsavory people might at some places and times hold to them.

Edwin

 

[Mimi]

Dear Edwin,

Thank you for your comments.

This is no conspiracy theory. The entire Agenda & related programs to implement it is available to be read on the Agenda 21 web site. Don’t take my word for it; do your own research.

If you can’t refute the ideas of sustainability and preserving open space on their own merits,

I *can *do so; I chose this particular avenue to expose the effort to indoctrinate all into a paganistic view (elevating nature before that of God) as one that should be of great concern for all Christians. I therefore think your accusation…

You are trying to shut down just and reasonable concerns by shoddy conspiracy-theory accusations. For shame!

            unreasonable. However, I do not demand an apology or retraction.

Aren’t *you *concerned about this underlying philosophy?

How much internet research have *you *done on this topic? I have done many hours of reading, and have even taken action in helping produce an article for a flier for distribution.

You seem to imply that I am somehow against protecting our natural environment. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a Christian I am obligated to do so. The earth is my Home, after all.

These so-called “voluntary” actions by the UN have been agreed to by our Presidents without the consent of the governed. This is not what I expect from our highest elected official and Leader of the Free World.

I would urge you to do more reading at Canada Free Press. Here is a recent article:
canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/43002

Environmental Justice

Class warfare is about to get larger and more confusing – environmental justice will take the stage next to social justice. Executive Order 12898 signed on February 11, 1994 by President Bill Clinton set out to address environmental justice concerns in minority and low-income populations by requiring federal agencies to do the following:

Develop an “environmental justice strategy”
Promote enforcement of health and environmental laws in low-income and minority population areas
Improve research and data collection in environmental justice issues

(snip)

Many other articles are available at this web site as well as others.

I believe free-market principles should be sought as solutions to environmental problems in the USA (as well as the rest of the world), and not emanating from a World Governing body such as the UN.

Peace - Happy Advent,
Mimi

 

[Mimi]

A few facts:

This Agenda has been working in our country since 1992 when George H. Bush signed the agreement in Rio. At the 11th meeting of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, Ron Brown, then Secretary of the Department of Commerce, reported that his department could implement more than 60 percent of the recommendations of Agenda 21 through the rule making process, without additional legislation. We’re seeing that through the EPA, DOT, Forest Service, and all regulatory bodies NOW. In my country we have water offsets of 100-feet on our private property. We are told not to use or approach the water on our land. Former NFL star, Clint Didier, has been told by the EPA he has a 500-foot offset from water on his private land and his cattle are NOT to use it.

These three organizations participated in the preparations for the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements in 1976, where the first formal policy on land use was adopted by a U.N. agency. Many of the land use restrictions now imposed on land owners across America arise directly from the policy recommendations adopted at this U.N. conference. The preamble to the conference report on land use sets the tone for more than 50 pages of very specific land use policy recommendations:
“Land…cannot be treated as an ordinary asset, controlled by individuals and subject to the pressures and inefficiencies of the market. Private land ownership is also a principal instrument of accumulation and concentration of wealth, and therefore, contributes to social injustice; if unchecked, it may become a major obstacle in the planning and implementation of development schemes. The provision of decent dwellings and healthy conditions for the people can only be achieved if land is used in the interests of society as a whole. Public control of land use is therefore indispensable…”

 

[John_Paul_Jones]

This is irrational and unjust. Many people are concerned about sustainability and “smart growth,” preserving open space, etc., without being part of a worldwide conspiracy.

You are trying to shut down just and reasonable concerns by shoddy conspiracy-theory accusations. For shame!

If you can’t refute the ideas of sustainability and preserving open space on their own merits, it’s pretty despicable to try to discredit them by claiming that they are part of a conspiracy to control people.

These are intrinsically valid ideas, and would be valid no matter what unsavory people might at some places and times hold to them.

Edwin

The Ark of Hope contains Temenos Books.

“Establishing a temenos, a magical sacred circle where special rules apply and extraordinary events inevitably occur”

Seriously “magic” is not a “valid idea” if one is a Christian.

 

[Tigg]

I know little about this subject, but can only conclude that even though many warnings have been issued about the over-reach of government, the fact that federal agencies are implementing Agenda 21, they are doing so without having any authority or ratification from Congress. Can this not be challenged in a court of law? Just as Bush signed legislation that nullified habeas corpus - was this not later re-instated? It follows a long pattern of disregarding the Constitution - just as Congress gave up it’s right to coin money to the Fed (almost 100 yrs ago) and we can now go to war without Congress declaring such. And then there’s certain treaties (such as Northcom) which were never ratified either.

I find this alarming, to say the least - which governmental unit is now running this country -since it seems the U.N. is gaining more ground over our sovereignty.

The sustainability factor is totally contrary to the Creator’s design and I hope Catholics become more aware of this. I do now remember reading that HHS works with the United Nations Office of Population Affairs. I guess that’s why the big push from this administration for taxpayer funded abortions, sterilization and contraception. Are we connecting the dots here?

I suppose this is another distorted offshoot of “social justice.” I can’t keep up with it all since they change the name of the terms…like “reproductive health” which they have recently labeled “reproductive justice.”

 

[Contarini]

The Ark of Hope contains Temenos Books.

Seriously “magic” is not a “valid idea” if one is a Christian.

That depends on what you mean by “magic.” But you missed the point. The OP is claiming that any language about “sustainability” is linked to this Ark of Hope business and is somehow part of a worldwide conspiracy to gain control of governments or some nonsense like that. There’s simply no rational basis behind such claims.

Christians need to talk about “sustainability” because of our mandate to care for God’s creation and provide for future generations. Period.

Edwin

 

[Mimi]

Well it seems this thread has not generated much interest as I thought it might…

Ed: Christians need to talk about “sustainability” because of our mandate to care for God’s creation and provide for future generations.

I said I *agree *with that. But it is the mode in which this is being implemented to which I object and also the worldview behind it.

My main reason for posting this topic under this thread was to spread awareness that this is part of what some might term “eco-tyranny”. All these new regulations and programs are an insidious & incremental erosion of our Liberties to live where we want, to travel when we want and by what mode of transportation, for example. In some cases, even to eat what we want. It is Big Brother-ism on a worldwide scale. Of that, I have no doubt.

EXCLUSIVE: EPA Ponders Expanded Regulatory Power In Name of ‘Sustainable Development’

foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/19/epa-ponders-expanded-regulatory-power-in-name-sustainable-development/?cmpid=cmty_email_Gigya_EXCLUSIVE%3A_EPA_Ponders_Expanded_Regulatory_Power_In_Name_of_%27Sustainable_Development%27

What is “sustainability” in the first place? That is a question the study ducks, noting that it is only advising EPA on how to bring it within the agency’s canon.

The experts take their definition from an Obama Administration executive order of October, 2009, entitled Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance. It defines sustainability in sweeping fashion as the ability “to create and maintain conditions, under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirements of present and future generations.”

The study specifically notes that “although addressing economic issues is not a core part of EPA’s mission, it is explicitly part of the definition of sustainability.”

The experience of the European Union is deemed “particularly relevant” to achieving the sustainability goal.

That European strategy involves a virtually all-encompassing regulatory vision. The study notes that its priorities include “climate change and clean energy; sustainable transport; sustainable consumption and production; conservation and management of natural resources; public health; social inclusion, demography, and migration; and global poverty and sustainable development challenges.”

There are other ways to encourage ppl & business to conserve energy without expanding government. Free market solutions have already proven to be quite effective. Protection of private property rights are paramount in this scenario. The “pride of ownership” encourages ppl to care for their land, their home, their (fill in the blank). Take a look at rental properties in your area. These are the areas which usually deteriorate over time. Encouraging single-family and privately owned homes will clean up a block faster than any government subsidy or regulations. I’ve seen it happen on my block over the past 15 years.

Ed, how much reading have you really done on this topic? I have spent many hours doing so and thinking about what it means for the future of our country. I hope you will do so as well.

We CAN practice sustainability without sacrificing our Freedom. We must, if the Republic is to continue and the US is to prosper.

Peace,
Mimi

 

[Mimi]

Exploring market solutions to environmental problems:

perc.org/

perc.org/articles/article400.php
The Property Rights Path to Sustainable Development

More recently the interpretations of the term have been broadened to include issues such as poverty, health care, and education. The Johannesburg Declaration on Sustainable Development (2002, 2) stated “that poverty eradication, changing consumption and production patterns, and protecting and managing the natural resource base for economic and social development are overarching objectives of, and essential requirements for sustainable development.”

The term sounds beguilingly simple, but it is vague and operationally vacuous. Sustainable development is most often defined as resource use that meets “the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”-a definition first offered by the United Nation’s Bruntland Commission. Of course nobody wants to make future generations poorer and less healthy, but this definition provides no guidance for how this result can be avoided. There is no way to know what resource use is acceptable today and no way to know what future generations may desire (see Hayward 2002).
snip
For those familiar with the writings of Milton and Rose Friedman, there is nothing new in this conclusion. In Free to Choose, the Friedmans forcefully argued that political and economic freedom are inseparable and that free-market forces work better than government controls for achieving real equality, security, and prosperity.

This paper is not conspiracy-theory hokum and seems well written from what I’ve read. Lots of footnotes at the bottom.

Ed, I hope you make the time to read it.

Peace and good will,

Mimi