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Sailor_Kenshin
Guest
Dominion. Not worship.
The save-the-planet worship of the created is a religion in itself these days.
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The save-the-planet worship of the created is a religion in itself these days.
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jediliz
Guest
Did God not give us the Earth to take care of? Shouldn’t we treat the Earth, our temporary home, with respect? And I don’t mean worship it (like ‘Earth Day’ seems to have become), but take care of it - like not wasting resources, taking care of endangered species, keeping our air clean for future generations? I am not some wacky liberal treehugger, this is just common sense.
We can’t save souls if those souls are dying from not having access to clean air and clean drinking water!
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Edmundus1581
Guest
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Trigonometric
Guest
Politicians and “journalists” addressing the issue is even more reason for the Pope to talk about it. Pope Francis will provide a holy and wholesome understanding of it, as opposed to salesmen like Al Gore.
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CatholicGeek1
Guest
As I have said, there are groups that take it too far. Just as there are with everything that does not mean that we should just blow it off.
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CatholicGeek1
Guest
This is what I am saying. We were given power (dominion) over the Earth and its creatures and with that power comes responsibility. I am not a treehugger either and I do think that it gets taken too far. However, I can’t help but think at times that God must be very disappointed when He sees what an absolute mess we have made of His creation at times.
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lynnvinc
Guest
As mentioned in my previous post, that’s exactly what Pope Francis means – in his messages and homilies he has made it very clear “protecting creation” includes protecting people against all sorts of assaults, including abortion, human trafficking, and war, etc.
It’s very much like JPII’s “Human Ecology” idea, that puts protecting and nurturing people first, before the non-human environment. And I completely agree. Because if people are reared by abusive and neglecting parents, they will turn out to be people who abuse the environment, without caring whether others get what they need for survival from the environment.
It’s sort of like when you get on a plane they tell you to put the oxygen mask on your own self first, then attend to your children. If we people cannot first become kind and good among ourselves we will never be able to save the earth for others, and most certainly not for the rest of God’s creation, which He pronounced good.
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lynnvinc
Guest
Well, unfortunately “save the earth” has been used as the catch-phrase – but it is actually a euphemism for “stop killing people.”
Many real environmentalists, like myself, who come to understand the problems and their seriousness usually become active in implementing environmental measures because they become deeply aware that we are killing people thru our environmental harms.
I started a little environmental committee in my parish up north, and I wanted to give it the motto: SKiP - Stop Killing People. But the nun in charge of our committee said we couldn’t use that even tho it were true, bec it would turn people off, so we should say, “Save the Earth,” instead.
I’m a frank person. Of course I don’t want to turn people off and defeat the purpose, but I hate lying and watering it down with “save the earth.” Out of obedience I did not use SKiP, but I also skipped “save the earth,” because it is a big fat lie.
I think only the uncommitted, weak environmentalists who just want to feel good about themselves for recycling their soda can and really don’t care much about reducing their harm and killing of people and others of God’s creation use that phrase.
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CatholicGeek1
Guest
Of course human welfare has to be included in the equation, but the environment is important for human welfare as well, not just for the animals and plants. I think from what I have read, and I hope that I am correct, His Holiness plans on talking about both/all aspects of the issue.
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Forkfoot
Guest
I like it when issues like this come up cuz it rustles some people’s political jimmies. You can always spot the dudes who are ideologues first and Catholics second.
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lynnvinc
Guest
Yes.
And the environment is fundadmental to our physical material lives; the economy and our other human instutitions instrumental and contingent. People who harm the environment may be causing other people, including their own progeny, to be harmed or die. It’s a form of violence and murder (one environmentalist called it “slow violence”).
First we need air to breathe. Healthy air that does not make us sick or kill us.
Second we need water, potable water. Then we need food. And a climate hospitable to agriculture.
And we need resources for our home, products and buildings, including our churches.
People who think God will simply provide manna from the sky and we can go full force ahead with destroying His creation – esp those aspects that sustain our lives. Well, I guess they are living in some video game or “the Matrix.”
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Enough_Said
Guest
Aren’t we called to be stewards of our world as part as our spirituality?
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CatholicGeek1
Guest
Very well said!Yes.
And the environment is fundadmental to our physical material lives; the economy and our other human instutitions instrumental and contingent. People who harm the environment may be causing other people, including their own progeny, to be harmed or die. It’s a form of violence and murder (one environmentalist called it “slow violence”).
First we need air to breathe. Healthy air that does not make us sick or kill us.
Second we need water, potable water. Then we need food. And a climate hospitable to agriculture.
And we need resources for our home, products and buildings, including our churches.
People who think God will simply provide manna from the sky and we can go full force ahead with destroying His creation – esp those aspects that sustain our lives. Well, I guess they are living in some video game or “the Matrix.”
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CatholicGeek1
Guest
Indeed we are!
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