Does your religion care about the earth? Do your religious leaders tell you this?

Question

Do your religious leaders tell you it is good to be uncaring about other living creatures? Do they tell you be as greedy as you can because all your sins shall be foregiven? Do they tell you not to care about other living beings? Do they teach you to live out of harmony with nature? Do they tell you nature is evil? Was the Garden of Eden evil?

Those of you against genetic tampering in humans for religious reasons...is it ok in plants? Why?

Do you want to die?

Dances with unicorns that was great, I didn't know that!

Due to another recent question I asked re spirituality and the environment I have gotton a very poor impression of some circles shall we say!

I really want to know what your groups guidance has been in this matter! So step up to the plat.

Don't let me get the impression that no one give a....

For my part

I buy and grow non-GMO products, organic foods as much as I can.

I also try to buy local when I can.

I try to stay away from plastics though that is hard.

I try not to buy over packaged products.

I walk a great deal, take the bus and when I drive I use ethenol gas.

I do not use sprays and strive to recycle and so on.

My spititual practice acknowledges the sacred in all. Including the woman who called me crazy.

I have also practiced wild crafting and have bur=tchered a deer so I am no stranger to the environment. I have also delbt with cattle and chickens and lived in downtown Toronto so I have something to compare to. I am not being condicending.

Melanie thanks! Please support that little seedling as much as you can. It is a rare church.

Answer 1

The forest is dying, the air is always growing worse, the rivers, lakes and oceans are filled with toxins, many varieties of animals and plants are threatened with extinction or are already vanished from the Earth. A vision of the future? No, in many areas this is already the reality. Humanity bears the blame for these evils, who for reasons of their own material advantage destroy their own surroundings--the natural environment.

Why does humanity do this, why don't they live as all the other living things do, in harmony with nature? The answer to this question lies in the false thinking of the human race, because first comes thought, then action. A tree is no longer seen as a living thing, but as so many board-feet of lumber, evaluated solely for its economic value. Animals are divided into 'useful' and 'harmful' categories, treated as objects, and tormented in laboratory experiments. Blame for this twisted view of nature is the erroneous conception of the world promoted by the ruling world religions. For example, Christianity--born in a desert--sees in the earth only a vale of tears to be gotten through as quickly as possible, so that the soul can get to heaven. Happiness on this earth, a paradise in the here and now, as my Heathen ancestors strove for, is impossible under this view of the world. Also the growing materialism that teaches that only with much money is happiness possible is a consequence of Christianity: The dogmas of Christianity, wholly contradicting reason, cause many to leave not only Christianity, but all forms of religion and spirituality.

Our ancestors, saw every animal, every tree, and even the very stones as individual living beings. The forces of nature, the wind, thunder, rain, fire, and vegetation were seen as the working of divine powers which should be honored, even worshiped. The unjustified killing of animals, felling of trees, or contamination of water was punished--even though in those days the concept of 'environmental pollution' was unheard of. The human being was not above or outside of nature, but was a part of nature. This is something I want to revive, this way of thinking to act appropriately, for and with nature, and to ensure the survival of the whole Earth. I don't want to live for a distant 'life to come', I want to make Paradise a reality here on Earth.

Answer 2

We should all care about the Earth, religious or not, especially since it's the only one we've got!

God gave us this magnificent planet that is perfectly self sustaining and self renewing, yet mankind has managed to screw it up with greed, pollution and apathy.

Mankind has done the same thing with our food and fresh water supplies, but that's another diatribe :0)

I'm not even going to touch the rest of your rant, especially since it's practically incomprehensible.

But yes, my religion makes a real effort to conserve paper products, recycle and try to prevent as much pollution as possible. We do this because we love the gift we have been given in the Earth, and want to keep it as nice as possible.

If the degeneration and ruination of the Earth ail you, keep in mind the scripture that "God will bring to ruin those ruining the Earth."

Answer 3

The Bible teaches us that man has dominion over the animals. This doesn't mean that we can pillage and plunder the earth. It means that all things have a place in the 'circle of life'. Do you get mad at the fox for killing the chicken to feed its family? Do you get mad at the little bird for eating the worm? We ran out of caves to live in a long time ago, so we have to build houses out of wood. These things are necessary for life to continue.

"Genetic tampering" could mean many things,,,,cloning, embryonic selection, etc. We were created in the image of God, by God. I think God would find it acceptable to try to eliminate certain diseases if that were possible, but I think you are really stepping into uncertain waters with much more than that.

I love my life, so I don't want to die right now, but I certainly am not afraid of dying. When God is ready for me to join Him in Heaven, I will gladly go.

Answer 4

A lot of interesting questions you have there. Regarding the first question I was going to tell you that my daughter went to a weekend retreat with a Christian Methodist youth group and it was called Going Green for God. They took communion outside and they learned about composting and they built bat-houses and windchimes out of old forks and spoons and decorated canvas sacks to use for grocery shopping. They learned about conserving natural resources like water and trees. I have been very careful about what religious activities she takes part in because I do not want her exposed to any radical religious thinking. But this group is so wonderful. They are very openminded and non-judgemental. And they teach about global citizenry and responsibility.

Answer 5

As a christian, yes. They do tell us that. We are the chosen beings and animals are there for our own food. This of course is B.S. But you are being very accusing. Your table, your house, your food, your clothes, anything you have is made from nature. So don't be so condescending. Animals do not have any concept of wrong v.s. right, and cannot make a decision based on ethics. They kill for their own need. They will kill you even if you mean to help them. So it is our basic nature to do the same.
That being said I do believe that we should live in more harmony with nature. Using it for needs not wants. Using substitutes that do not deplete certain parts of nature. In this period of time furs are not needed. Buy organic food, and the like.

Answer 6

Jesus teaches me to love other people.
yes, we should be responsible & take care of our earth...but I
believe the more important issues are to feed the hungry, cloth & house the needy & to show love to our fellow man by meeting them at the point of their needs. Anything less takes away from what i read of Jesus' teachings, & then we fail to love our brothers & sisters.
also, wisdom would have me understand that (we) as a people all suffer if we do not take care of the environment. & should learn from the lessons of the past, as not to continue to make the same mistakes, but improve how we consume energy, pollute the waters/air & land we need for our very survival. but this is second place to how we care for our fellow man's needs.

Answer 7

We should not be uncaring toward anything, I mean everything, because they're God's creation. No, you can't be as greedy as you can because even if you are forgiven, God will test you during the Great Tribulation. Nature is not evil, neither is the Garden of Eden. Sin brought everything to fight for its life and kill.

Answer 8

Judaism teaches that life is sacrosanct, above all else. It teaches that one is not to plant two types of crops side-by-side. That being said, it also teaches that there are higher and lower types of life, and that a self-aware mind is "higher" than one that is not self-aware.

Judaism definitely teaches that stewardship of the earth is the responsibility of humankind. We have been having Tu b'Shevat (the "birthday of the trees" or "Jewish Arbor Day") since LONG before Earth Day came along :-)

Answer 9

Yep! We even have a spot out at the lake we go and spend the day cleaning it up. Recycling is taught to the young and old. every Spring we plant flowers. We plant trees to give back the air that was taken from our fallen soldiers....yet we aren't Christians...

Answer 10

My religion (christianity) tells me, and from my own knowledge I know, that we are given mastery over the earth and it's creatures. We are also charged with it's stewardship.