"Pope considering adding ‘sin against ecology’ to Church’s catechism"

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This could be OK…but the question is, how would “sins against ecology” be defined? Defining concepts and theological explanations are not Pope Francis’ strong suit. This could mean any number of things. Is it an ecological sin to dump toxic waste into rivers, lakes, and oceans? Yes, probably. Is it an ecological sin to keep your house at a comfortable temperature in the summer with your AC? Well, we may soon find out.
 
I’m not a fan of the language being used. But most of this sounds like it’s aimed to big companies which most people have no control over.
 
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We are in a Climate Change Emergency now, plastic
bags has been banned!! The extreme weather conditions
here in Canada are just the tip of the iceberg!!
 
GLam1761 said:
We are in a Climate Change Emergency now, plastic
bags has been banned!! The extreme weather conditions
here in Canada are just the tip of the iceberg!!
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We’ve been in a Climate Change Emergency™ for the last… roughly twenty years by my count. Interesting how nothing much has really changed…

Personally, I don’t like this, regardless of my feelings on the whole climate debate. This is a matter of science, and what’s good for the environment is not necessarily constant across all parts of the world. There’s a reason the Church doesn’t usually make pronouncements about this sort of thing.
 
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In the 1970’s they said we have ten years. In the 1980’s they said ten years. Now they say ten years. Yes it is true that we should treat the erth and environment with care. But the ones preaching this are alarmist and are making money off of it. Hollywood actors take private jets around the world to give themselves awards but then they tell the average person not to fly once a year for thanksgiving.
 
VanitasVanitatum said:
But most of this sounds like it’s aimed to big companies which most people have no control over.
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Or major political leaders, who are as I understand it responsible in large part for the mess that’s going on with the Amazon.

This isn’t aimed at the average well-educated earth-conscious Catholic in the USA.
 
I think sin against the ecology is far broader then climate change. As glam stated plastics are a huge issue, the extent of , micro plastics contamination in the food and water supply should be a wake up call, given plastics manufacture against plastics contamination over time is alarmingly swift

It is hard to find water supplies and wayer bodies uncontaminated with microplastics. Then there is deliberate chemical spills, the list goes on. Waste batteries, tyres, lack of mine site remediation, or do what BHP did in PNG, throw it all down the local river system.

Its a bit narrow if climate change is the sin against the ecology.

There are two countries atm with toxic air in several of their cities due to pollution
 
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The amazon rain forest does have fires. A lot pf the photos the mainstream American news networks used were actualpy taken in past years. The greatest percentage of methane gas comes from the ocean sea floor, which isn’t effected by man. Also the greatest polluter is China and they are left alone.
 
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Whilst we may wish that non Christians, big companies and powerful political leaders act in accordance with the precepts of the Catechism of the Catholic Church the reality is that they scarcely pay any attention whatsoever to the Catechism. Surely this must be aimed at the Catholic Faithful?
 
Yep, it is treated under the 7th Commandment in the CCC. It is based on the primordial truth that the whole world was given for the sustenance of all men, so the unnecessary destruction or pollution of resources is essentially stealing from future (and often current) generations. It is a sin against our neighbor.

So is it too a sin against God for man to arbitrarily use the earth in a means contrary to what it was given by God (this is why, for example, torturing animals is wrong). God gave man dominion over the earth, but man can’t replace God and act as a tyrant.

This is all already summed up in the Catechism and elsewhere.

What I fear in this “sin against ecology” is the idea that one can sin against the environment, as if it were some end itself. The Pachamama nonsense–even in its most benign interpretation–essentially personifies the earth as a personality that can be sinned against. I don’t think this is a Catholic understanding of sin. I hope that is not how this stuff is phrased, or we’ll end up confessing to plants, like these misguided souls:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1174000941667880960
 
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Well, like I said, we’re already expected to be good stewards of creation. So if the Pope wants to stick the word “ecology” in the catechism, it won’t be a change. Much ado about nothing.

Edited to add, I also always wonder whether the Pope has had some experiences with rich people in his native country or in South America generally that cause him to be a bit out of touch with the fact that many if not most Catholics are already doing the stuff he exhorts us to do, like care about poor people, care about the earth, etc. It’s not a bad thing to get a reminder, and of course we can always do a little more, but he seems to emphasize stuff we already do, a lot.
 
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Whatever happens, I hope the phrase “sin against ecology” is not used in any official document.

Dan
 
acanonlawyer said:
Whatever happens, I hope the phrase “sin against ecology” is not used in any official document.

Dan
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Hi Dan.

I’m curious what you mean. I mean, if it’s in the Catechism, I’m sure it will show up in documents.
 
Absolutely. I think there is a direct correlation. I’m getting tired of ambiguity, strange comments and funny language.
 
Ammi said:
Hi Dan.

I’m curious what you mean. I mean, if it’s in the Catechism, I’m sure it will show up in documents.
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I could certainly have been less cryptic. Ecology, in my understanding, is the study of how living things relate to each other and the environment. How would a person “sin against” a field of study?

Dan
 
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