Rush to Riches - The War on Creation
Presentation One
Earth: A Sacred Balance – A Eucharistic Planet
War on the Lithosphere: 25% on and under the surface of the planet, mostly non-renewable.
# Crust, Mantle and Core, Plate Tectonics, made up of dozen plates
# Earth is in the advanced state of exhaustion.
# Lithosphere formed 4.5 billion years ago.
- Disappearing mountains.
- Disappearing Rain Forests.
- Exploitation of Natural Resources, iron, gold, silver, copper and fossil fuels.
- Deeply cut scars on the planet
- Planet Earth has become a gas Chamber.
# Coal – Carbon Monoxide poisoning, 80% of energy generated from coal, 1kg of coal can produce 4 units, but can kill
10 humans in a small room
# 880 billion tons of carbon in the atmosphere, 935 billion tons is the safety mark, another 55 billion tons to go, we add
8 billion tons per year
# Mostly exploited by rich countries, third world is the victim
# In
# Lithosphere wounded and bleeding
# We destroy Lithosphere and build Cities or Tombs?
# We leave to our Future Generations empty mines, empty oil wells and an empty planet.
Possible Urgent Action: Limit Your Consumption to Save Lithosphere.
Watch Your Carbon Footprint
War on the Hydrosphere: 75% of the surface of planet, mostly non renewable and some renewable.
# The next World War will be for Water, already started between Karnataka and TN
# Water came around 3.8 billion years ago, 50% from within via volcanoes and other 50% via Comets.
- Water Pollution by fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals
- Erosion caused by deforestation.
- Liquid Industrial Wastes, effluents, sewage,
- Pepsi, Coco-Cola Companies depleting our Water Table
- Glaciers melting, 35 years Himalayan Glaciers would completely disappear
- Dolphins, Whales, Sharks die of hunger
- Marine Over-harvesting, 80% depleted.
- Coral Bleaching, 40% of the Oxygen produced by Corals.
# We leave to future generations empty oceans and polluted or empty of fresh water.
# Pacific Ocean 85% of fish stocks depleted, Indian Ocean 80% depleted, Atlantic Ocean 75% depleted, Arctic Ocean 65% depleted.
# Bay of Bengal and
# Global Conveyer Belt, a possible impending disaster on Planet Earth
Possible Urgent Action: Limit your use of Water and save rain water and help retain fish in the oceans. Change Your Lifestyles and Habits
War on the Atmosphere: Carbon dioxide and Methane levels increasing in the Atmosphere.
Insects and microbes are disappearing fast due to Greenhouse gases.
Skin cancer, cataract, and damage to crops due to ozone hole
- Troposphere, the concentrations of Greenhouse Gases, Co2, Methane, Chlorofluorocarbons, Nitric oxide.
- Stratosphere, Ozone hole, O3 depletion.
- Industry, Transportation, Farming and burning.
- Methane the most extreme 22 % Global warming potential.
- Acid Rain
- 10 degrees-Celsius-increase by the end of this century
- Run away Greenhouse Effect like on planet Venus, sulfuric acid rain
# We leave to our future generations tons of carbon dioxide, methane and CFCs, 385ppm volume of carbon.
# Boreal Forests, Conifers produce another 40% of the Oxygen.
# Danger of Siberian permafrost and deadly Methane gas Traps.
# Livestock such as cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and chicken produce Methane.
# Use energy efficient appliances, hydrogen fuel cell cars, and energy efficient lighting
Possible Urgent Action: Travel Less, Consume less and Conserve more, Switch to Vegetarian Habits. Use gas sparingly, Cook once a day, save thermal radiation and reduce gas emission.
War on the Biosphere: 40% of life on Earth perished already and another 40% in 90 years.
Whole Creation is built on Relationships; human destiny is connected with natural world
Ecosystem: Producers diminish, consumers increase, decomposers perish.
- The Carrying Capacity of the Earth is very limited
- Deforestation and Fragmentation
- Habitat Loss
- Disappearing medicinal plants
- Rush to Riches
- Science and Technology, Compass awry, cell Phones
- Global Warming
- Human Juggernaut touching 7 billion-mark, expected to reach 10 billion in 2050.
# Next human settlement around
# Next around Arctic belt in 300 years
# Next under the ground with ants in 500 years
# Next frontier – Space, life with extra-terrestrials in 1000 years
Possible urgent Action: Religion is a powerful tool, Remember man is also a creator and steward! Conservation is a Good Investment; Conservation in church and religious lands. Religion makes an appeal to save life on Earth. Invent alternative food source. Stop the War on Creation, new understanding, new paradigms, ethics and spirituality. Use media, music, art all the possible mediums to bring out the message fast
Presentation Two
Eco-Spirituality – Forever Contemporary
Spirit of God
* The Spirit of God hovering on the Waters of the deep, Gn 1:2
* God is Spirit - Jn 4:2
* Spirit enables the capacity of primordial energies and of matter itself for interaction and self-organization
* Spirit leads us to find its presence in Mt Gerizim and in
Eco-Spirituality and the Expression of the Spirit
* Spirit means everything that breathes, inhales, exhales, everything living is spirit or bearer of spirit: God, humans, animals, plants, Earth's wind is spirit, Gaia
* Spirit is life means opposite is not matter, but death, realm of death includes oppression, injustice, exploitation, dehumanizing factors
* Current process of consumption, global market is the maximum organized expressions of the assault against planet, a wounded organic whole (geocide)
Eco-Spirituality in its Religious Manifestation
* Eco-Spirituality is the contemporary part of every religion, philosophy
* Religious Ecology, how religions view Nature, not necessarily aimed at conservation, integration, can foster aggressiveness
* Cultural Ecology, Holy Cow in Hinduism
Eco-Spirituality and the Spirit of the Age
* The spirit of the age is the common atmosphere where all breathe more or less the same convictions
* Dreams more or less the same dreams
* Practice more or less the same rationality
* Develop more or less the same feelings. In short, the spirit of the age is the world view proper to each age.
Every Age has their Own Spirituality and so does Ours
* New Eco-spirituality is not based on Logic, not Sentimentality
* This is our Age and this is our spirituality Eco-spirituality
Eco-Spirituality of Jesus
* Wilderness Experience - Man and Earth Relationship – 18 Years
* Jesus talked all the time, about nature, animals, birds, flowers
* Lived with Nature, slept in the boat, prayed on the mountainside, slept in caves
* Lived in Balance with Nature, walked on water, calming the sea
St. Francis of
* Panpsychism or Panentheism (God in all and All in God) of Francis, Animate & Inanimate Designed to Glorify the Creator, Cosmic Piety
* Canto dell'Amore, Canticle of the Sun
* Natural World, Earth becomes Sister (Mother) Death becomes Sister
Gaia, Mother Earth
* Core – Spirit of the Living God
* Super Living Organism, Aeronomers say 'Earth Breathes'
* Organizing Capacity – Biodiversity Complexity
* Self Calibration – Earth's Resiliency
Earth if Filled with the Breadth of Life
* Lithosphere filled with Spirit, Core, Mantle, and Crust
* Spirit the Giver of Life – Hydrosphere: Hydrologic Cycle
* Spirit fills Atmosphere with his breath
* Biosphere is Spirit
Dominion Model Spirituality
* Earth is the Source of all Value
* Humans feel that they can rightfully exploit nature
* It stresses difference between humans and nature
* Subjugating and empowering nature
* Romanus Pontifex, Dum Diversas 1455, Nicholas
* Inter Caetera, Alexander, Sublimus Dei, Paul III
* Redemptoris Hominis
Stewardship Model Spirituality
* Man is the Source of All Value: Man at the Centre, anthropocentric
* Man living icon of God, God's DNA, hence steward
* humans care for creation, intend to serve our needs
* the emphasis wide gap between humans & creation
* overemphasis on mastery, controlling nature
* No sense of solidarity with other species.
* Gaudium et Spes,
* Octogesima Adveniens, Paul VI
* Centessimus Annus
Creation-Centered Model Spirituality
* the emphasis on intrinsic value of nature
* sacredness of nature all life deserve protection
* recognizes interdependence within web of life
* Jainism, Buddhism appeal to save life on Earth
* Accepts Evolution, one cell to 10 trillion
* Pontiffs talk about bees, snakes, frogs, trees
* Justitia in Mundo 1971, synod of bishops
Deep Ecology Model Spirituality
* Views Nature as Medium of Transcendence
* radical re-visioning of relationships nature, man
* Every life has right to existence
* revival of asceticism, mysticism; eco-theology
* Hinduism, New Age Groups promote it
* Caritas in Veritate
* World Day of Peace Message
Noah Spirituality
* Save All Life on Earth
* Conservation is the Best Investment for Future Generations
Appeal from St. Francis
* Use and Abuse of Creation - Trangenics
* Not to hurt, Not to hurt our humble (the animals). Is our first duty to them, but to stop there is not enough. We have a higher
* They are not Commodity, but they are Community
* They Carry God's Stamp – It was Good
1. Older Sister Chicken
• Kingdom – Animalia
• Phylum – Chordata
• Subphylum – Vertebrata
• Class – Aves
• Order – Galliformes
• Family – Phasianidae
• Genus – Gallus
• Species – G. domesticus
• Francis – Sister Chicken
2. Older Sister Cow
• Kingdom – Animalia
• Phylum – Chordata
• Subphylum – Vertebrata
• Class – Mammalia
• Order – Artiodactyla
• Family – Bovidae
• Genus – Bos
• Species – B. taurus
• Francis – Brother Cow
3. Human Beings
• Kingdom – Animalia
• Phylum – Chordata
• Subphylum – Vertebrata
• Class – Mammalia
• Order – Primates
• Family – Hominoidea
• Genus – Homo
• Species – H. sapiens
Man, Imago Dei: The Image of God
• The Hidden Dimension of Man – The Unused
• The Creator
• The Steward
• The Image of God
• Faith in Compassion "suffering with"
The
• Kingdom – Divine
• Phylum – Compassionate
• Subphylum – Humble
• Class – Spiritual Being
• Order – Angels
• Family – Imago Dei
• Genus – Homo
• Species – H. Novus
• Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, Animalia
Presentation Three
Role of Religion on the War on Creation - Religion a Powerful Tool
A Crucified Earth Awaiting Resurrection
"The predisposition to religious belief is the most complex and powerful force in the human mind in all probability an ineradicable part of human nature" Edward O. Wilson
Man- Nature's Insurgent Son
• Creation to Chaos
• Equilibrium to Disequilibrium
• Dominion to Demolition
• Steward to Satan
• Image of God – Nature's Insurgent Son
"The Lord saw how bad the people on Earth were and that everything they thought and planned was evil. He was very sorry that he had made them, and he said, "I'll destroy every living creature on Earth! I'll wipe out people, animals, birds and reptiles. I'm sorry I ever made them."(Genesis 6: 5-7)
Lynn White 1967 - Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis
* Old World - Religions and Exploitation – God of War
Philistines, Sumerians, Minoans,
* Need for New Earth -The Axial Age (500 BC to 1 BC)-Confucius, Mencius, Lao Tzu, Gautama, Mahavir, Zoroaster, Prophets, Pythogoras, Socrates, Jesus Christ
* Mid-World: Homo Sapiens- Crusades, Hindu kings, Moguls, Christian Missions -Renaissance 1300 and Reformation 1517
* Christian Atrocities in South America,
* Homo scientificus - Technology and Development, Rush to Riches
Yet, We are not Happier
* Only One Option: Religion
* With the powerful infrastructures, religions can initiate Environmental revolution
* Can set a Mutiny in Motion
The Second Axial Age
* Convergence of All Religions – A Generational
* Based on Sacrifice and Sharing – No need to further Plunder Earth
Eliminate Domination in all its Forms
* Society marked by inequalities, hierarchies, discrimination, slavery, class rule, exploitation will treat environment in same way
* Decent, sane, egalitarian society will treat environment it inhabits sane & respective way
* Capitalism is inherently anti-ecological, based on exploiting people, also exploit nature
Jesus the Conservationist – First of the Million Mutineers
* Initiated a Environmental Revolution, Lost Sheep - Conservation
* Mutineer who led Creation to the Kingdom of God, Good News to All Creatures
* Anthropocentric to Biocentric
* Mutiny against Overfishing – Call of Peter
* Mutiny against the Abuse of Animals – Lamb, I am the Good Shepherd
Goes to Extreme Defending Animals in the
Meek Francis to Mutineer Francis: First Christian Ecologist
* Man who led Creation to Cosmic Democracy
* Mutiny against High Middle Ages–against Greed
* Mutiny against Anthropocentrism, deposes man from Monarchy over Creation, sets up democracy for All God's Creatures, Equality of All Creatures
* Mutiny against Western Perceptions of Nature, Werewolf becomes Brother Wolf, Sister Lamb
* Mutiny against Western abusive, anti-ecological anthropology of Nature, Land, Water, Air become Brothers
Biophobia to Biophilia
* Fear of indigenous beliefs, Jesus uses the philosophy of Zoroaster, and Francis uses the Hindu panentheistic philosophy
* Fear of Sea, Nature, Rebukes the Sea, gets Angry with Disciples
* Jesus Invites Peter to Walk on Water
* Jesus touched Lepers, ate with Sinful
* Talitha Koume, Come out of phobia
* Jesus had no Fear of Death
An Appeal from
Goodness of Creation: Meister Eckhart (1260-1329)
* Renewable and non-renewable Gifts of the Earth and the Sacred Balance of Earth
* "The examination of creation shows the goodness of the creation. The way in which man can most readily arrive at the knowledge of God is by a critical study of the works of creation in general, and of man in particular. The result of this examination will be to show you that the Creator is not only wise but infinitely good and beneficent, and that His goodness is over all His works."
Goodness and Blessing of Earth: Julian of
* Blessings of Healthy soil, living forests, singing birds, clean waters and healthy DNA in our reproductive systems
* "If we really know the great Love of God, we will also Love all his wonderful creatures and we will try to protect, preserve. People will eventually not greedy, selfish and we will love each other, care about others, not discriminate, above all Love God. God is love. In that love we see beauty, awesome power, authorship and compassion. I believe that this is what this 'ground of all being' that we call God really is."
Cosmic Awareness: Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)
*Admits 'the web of life.' God will cleanse earth through sufferings and sufferings of hardships. She has hope in Mother Earth
* "There is no creature that does not have a radiance. Holy persons draw to themselves all that is earthly. I welcome every creature of the world with grace."
* Hildegard foresees a time, where the universe will have to heal itself by way of natural catastrophes, because humanity has damaged and polluted the four life elements—fire, air, water and the earth.
Panentheism: Mechtild of Magdenburg (1210-1280)
* Creation not Commodity, but Community
* Panentheism means "all things in God and God in all things."
* This is the way mystics envision the relationship of world, self and God. Mechtild of Magdenburg says, "The day of my spiritual awakening was the day I saw and knew I saw all things in God and God in all things."
* Panentheism melts the dualism of inside and outside—like fish in water and water in the fish, creation is in God and God is in creation.
Contemporary Religious Celebrations
* Every Celebration at the Destruction of Something, Carnage, Violence
* Christmas-Incarnation to Carnage, Illumination, Fire works
* Pilgrimages, vehicles pollute
* Celebration of Mass-Noise Pollution,
* Cultural Celebrations, consumption is pushed to the extreme, wedding, birthdays
Become an Eco-Warrior
* Weapons of Compassion, Service, Faith, Hope and Love
* Reduce Carbon Footprint
* Go Green
* Greed to True Grit of Compassion and Conservation
"If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation" Pope Benedict XVI
Fr. Rayappa A. Kasi (Eco-Warrior)
Diocese of
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Email: soundchaser@vsnl.com
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