Aga,
First, I assure you, I did not intend to be ironic, humorous, or unaware in my post. I sincerely feel your pain, as I once thought along the same lines as you (although perhaps slightly less fervently).
ega:
I find spiders, scorpions, snakes, tigers, bears, poppies, dogs, squid, fish, oaks, and many things beautiful.
Should all perish? Are you not ‘distraught’ at the fate of the creatures that are extinct by our actions and will become extinct by our actions?
I don’t recall suggesting that I don’t love all the above, or suggesting that should be allowed to become extinct.
I do believe you are mistaken as to their fate, even if things are left as they are. I state this, not as an uninformed, uncaring, materialistic capitalist. I am educated in the sciences, do not believe that we should throw a man made solution on every environmental problem, and I love the world we have been given to protect. I do not believe that all of humanity recognizes our immense responsibility to protect that which is around us, but I think by mere nature of our intelligence and our ability to make global impact, we have such a responsibility, even if I didn’t believe so from a Christian perspective.
I think that perhaps you misunderstand the Christian perspective in the distinctly Catholic understanding of our responsibility towards the planet. As a Catholic, I believe that mankind is responsible to be a good steward of the planet, including resources and other life. This particular teaching is not always well integrated into other non-Catholic Christian philosophies. Please forgive me for adhereing to a kinder, gentler approach to the world than what you appear to suppose.
ega:
I have to assume you are bing ironic or humorous. You cannot possibly weight up all of the earth against the birth of a ‘beautiful’ child. A child at least has a chance, but what of the lesser intellects, both human and bestial that you have so monstrously dismissed?
Again, I don’t recall suggesting I do put a child, as beautiful as a child is, above the earth. I believe children are a resource to the earth and that as such, we have value to offer the world, rather than, as you see it. I do not accept that humanity is a drag on the planet by the very nature of our existance.
ega:
Are, excuses to torture eachother and lesser beings. I love religious ‘reasoning’.
I would never suggest that because pain exists that it is appropriate to inflict it on others. It is a part of life, the result of our fall from Grace, a consequence of sin. Satan, in his lies, draws mankind into taking actions that harm one another and the world at large. I realize that the concept of a spiritual being in conflict with all that is good is probably one you don’t acknowledge. I do believe this is true, and I think he gains a lot in allowing you and many in our culture to disbelieve in his existance.
ega:
What do you think God promised animals and plants? “A life of perpetual fear, pressure and extermination in mine name, by my people.”
I don’t believe that mankind is intended in any way to be such a threat to the rest of the world. I also believe that on the whole, we’re not nearly as bad as you have been led to believe. Have there been problems? Heck ya! Are some of them whoppers? You betcha!
But I think you’re taking things out of perspective, missing the big picture. Humanity has lived in harmony with nature for thousands of years, and has shown an amazing ability to improve their ability to produce the resources necessary to feed humanity without destroying the world we live in. Issues that I was told could never be solved in time, have been resolved.
The growth of population that I was told was out of control, has been reversed. Europe is in declining population, except for the influx of immigrants.
ega:
Argument for the article, I think you’ll find.
The concerns I listed are those which I previously held, but which I have subsequently come to realized were all based on misinformation. For me to go into details on each and every refutation would exceed the limits of a post and the interests of most who participate in these forums.
ega:
What did I forget?
ega:
But you did not go macro in your reasoning. Kept it small and human, individual. Didnt think about the big picture. And so became part of the problem.
We disagree here. I pray that you seek a bigger truth than the one you seem committed to holding.
cont…
) A few examples:
