people worship the environment as a god
For a long time i wondered why repulicans seemed to dislike the government
I agreed with the republicans on most issues besides this one. however, i grew up and realized that there are some people out there that see the environment as "godly." This has been rooted into all of us (Americans) by our schools.
it is very dangerous, fellow humans, to see the environment as a god. true, we need to protect it, but we need to enjoy the environment and not let it enjoy us.
Jerusalas
10-02-2006, 08:51
Of course you feel that way: You live in the Bronx. Come to Montana! We'll show you some jolly good times with drunken orgies dedicated to the Green Man!
:rolleyes:
Cabra West
10-02-2006, 08:51
I've yet to see the person who won't set foot outside for fear of crushing a blade of grass and therefore angering their deity.
Yes, nature is seen by many as divine, either in its own right or as a manifestation of a higher being. As a result, they respect it and will try to preserve it rather than destroy it or do unncessary damage.
I honestly fail to see the downside...
downside? they become so rooted to protecting the environment that they devote their lives to earth. as a result, their live are wasted in that they let earth enjoy them rather than enjoying earth and life
Jerusalas
10-02-2006, 08:54
A life spent in a worthy cause is not a life wasted at all.
A life spent in a worthy cause is not a life wasted at all.
the environment would not fall under the "worthy cause"
all that money that gets wasted on preserving the environment should go to helping the poor in africa, haiti, and all the other countries that have high unemployment rates
Kievan-Prussia
10-02-2006, 08:56
If the environment was a god, it'd be even more of a jerk than the Abrahamic god. It just attacks us for no reason. And don't come out with that "But we pollute the world!" crap. There were earthquakes and hurricanes 2000 years ago too.
Cabra West
10-02-2006, 08:58
downside? they become so rooted to protecting the environment that they devote their lives to earth. as a result, their live are wasted in that they let earth enjoy them rather than enjoying earth and life
I somehow doubt the the earth is capable of enjoying anything. And people who are dedicated to a cause might dedicate their entire life to it... that's true for religious people, for people working in social services, for parents, for patriots, for anybody who wants to devote their lives to one single cause, actually. Would you blame a mother devoting her life to her kids? Would you blame a doctor devoting his life to his patients and the research for new medication? Would you blame a pastor devoting his life to his congregation?
So why blame environmentalists for devoting their life to the protection of nature?
Jerusalas
10-02-2006, 08:59
the environment would not fall under the "worthy cause"
all that money that gets wasted on preserving the environment should go to helping the poor in africa, haiti, and all the other countries that have high unemployment rates
The world is the only lasting heirloom we have. They are part of a larger balance of these little games of tug-of-war. If they did not spend that money, then our children would have no earth worth inhabiting.
We could make a similar argument about business: just imagine if all their profits went to feeding the poor, not just in Africa, but everywhere.
Cabra West
10-02-2006, 09:00
the environment would not fall under the "worthy cause"
all that money that gets wasted on preserving the environment should go to helping the poor in africa, haiti, and all the other countries that have high unemployment rates
Ever wondered why they were poor?
Humans have created the largest desert on this planet, the Sahara, themselves, by destroying woodlands and overfarming. It's still growing. And yes, people who have to live there today tend to be poor...
I somehow doubt the the earth is capable of enjoying anything. And people who are dedicated to a cause might dedicate their entire life to it... that's true for religious people, for people working in social services, for parents, for patriots, for anybody who wants to devote their lives to one single cause, actually. Would you blame a mother devoting her life to her kids? Would you blame a doctor devoting his life to his patients and the research for new medication? Would you blame a pastor devoting his life to his congregation?
So why blame environmentalists for devoting their life to the protection of nature?
that is different. youd be helping humans instead of helping a feew trees. which have no feelings
Cabra West
10-02-2006, 09:03
that is different. youd be helping humans instead of helping a feew trees. which have no feelings
Humans tend not to produce oxygen so that other humans can breathe....
Jerusalas
10-02-2006, 09:04
that is different. youd be helping humans instead of helping a feew trees. which have no feelings
Trees which will be there long after you are gone. Trees to which your children and your children's children can go to and say, "Look! This tree was a sapling when our father/grandfather was alive!"
The Half-Hidden
10-02-2006, 09:08
For a long time i wondered why repulicans seemed to dislike the government
I agreed with the republicans on most issues besides this one. however, i grew up and realized that there are some people out there that see the environment as "godly." This has been rooted into all of us (Americans) by our schools.
it is very dangerous, fellow humans, to see the environment as a god. true, we need to protect it, but we need to enjoy the environment and not let it enjoy us.
I'm not really seeing your point so I'll just respond to your title:
people worship the environment as a god
Some people worship invisible, intanglible and probably imaginary beings as gods.
Entsteig
10-02-2006, 09:21
That's their right to worship it, whether I do so or not. I myself am a practicing and very religious Christian, yet I allow this environmentalist mentality to exist. Sure, I vehemently disagree with it, but we are indeed named as stewards of the earth. We're supposed to take care of the damn thing.
Though I sure as hell wouldn't worship the environment as a god, I take care of it as a good Christian and citizen.
Yaoi-ists
10-02-2006, 09:37
that is different. youd be helping humans instead of helping a feew trees. which have no feelings
It's not about feelings only. Humans are dependent on the environment for survival, and even those who don't care about it should respect the fact that we need to take care of it. Do not bite the hand that feeds you.
Callisdrun
10-02-2006, 09:56
See, I have the perspective that my children and my children's children and so on should be able to enjoy an Earth as clean and nice as the one I inhabit, if anything, I want to make it even better for them.
From a religious perspective, I basically see the Earth as belonging to god, and we're just borrowing it for a while. You're supposed to take care of things you borrow from others.
Boonytopia
10-02-2006, 10:35
As I see it, if we destroy the environment, we destroy ourselves. I don't know about you, but I'd like to be able to pass on a better world to our children.
the environment would not fall under the "worthy cause"
all that money that gets wasted on preserving the environment should go to helping the poor in africa, haiti, and all the other countries that have high unemployment rates
A lot of the harm that came to the poor in Haiti and Africa came from a lack of respect for the environment.
Desertification due to poor land management under colonial powers ignorant of, or uninterested in, the intricacies of managing African soil so different from European has caused the poor tremendous harm.
Deforestation in Haiti has created tremendous hardship for the poor. On the other side of the island, in the Dominican Republic, forests were protected by force of arms, and today lumber from well managed forests in the Dominican Republic earns revenue as lumber, and heats homes and cooks food as firewood. In Haiti, they're falling short of both and immigration of Hatians has become one of the Dominican Republic's biggest problems as those people try to find greener pastures in a land that kept itself from becoming one big pasture.
See, I have the perspective that my children and my children's children and so on should be able to enjoy an Earth as clean and nice as the one I inhabit, if anything, I want to make it even better for them.
From a religious perspective, I basically see the Earth as belonging to god, and we're just borrowing it for a while. You're supposed to take care of things you borrow from others.
Anne Coulter says that according to the Bible God says "the Earth is yours. Take it, rape it, do what you want." I suppose she's refering to the passage in which God tells Adam, "thou shall have dominion over the Earth."
The problem with Coulter's analysis is that from a Christian perspective dominion doesn't mean that you "take, rape, whatever," it means that you're responsible for it, and you're supposed to protect it. Sometimes you have to protect it from itself, but if you just destroy it because you feel like it then you're not being a proper lord.
Katganistan
10-02-2006, 13:01
Aren't the Republicans a PART of the US Government?
Just checking.
PasturePastry
10-02-2006, 13:51
the environment would not fall under the "worthy cause"
all that money that gets wasted on preserving the environment should go to helping the poor in africa, haiti, and all the other countries that have high unemployment rates
I disagree. There are any number of ways to look at it, so I'm going to try one of the worst: capitalist investment. By taking care of the environment, the environment will flourish and the return on one's investment will result in clean water and air. That's not because the environment is grateful for people taking care of it. That's just the nature of the environment. Taking care of the poor in Africa and Haiti? There is a reason that they are poor and simply dumping money or food on them is not going to make them less poor. They will simply consume whatever resources one provides for them and still be poor. Fixing poverty in these areas is going to requires a paradigm shift of the people living there more than anything else.
Of course you feel that way: You live in the Bronx. Come to Montana! We'll show you some jolly good times with drunken orgies dedicated to the Green Man!
:rolleyes:
If you're talking about what I think you mean by the Green Man, that sounds good. Can I come?
The Nazz
10-02-2006, 14:09
For a long time i wondered why repulicans seemed to dislike the government
I agreed with the republicans on most issues besides this one. however, i grew up and realized that there are some people out there that see the environment as "godly." This has been rooted into all of us (Americans) by our schools.
it is very dangerous, fellow humans, to see the environment as a god. true, we need to protect it, but we need to enjoy the environment and not let it enjoy us.
Here's the difference. God(s) may or may not exist, and therefore pissing him/her/them/it off may or may not have consequences for human existence. The environment, however, most decidedly does exist, and without a healthy one, human existence is in deep shit. Which one do you think we ought to pay more attention to now?
Narcotinistan
10-02-2006, 16:32
Sooner or later we will have to face that even with our technolegy, intellect and power we are still part of nature.
And as a part of nature we can't live without it nor can we turn out backs on it.
I do not blame the general population for this it's corporations who cause disturb and destroy the balance.
I do not worship nature as a god but I acknowledge the fact that I am as much part of it as a ant, beaver or eagle.
Creating balance in the enviroment is only benificial for us.
Oh btw on this subject, ever heard of oxygen pillars?
They are used in smog rich areas like certain cities in Japan, or for the europeans among us there are already a lot in Gent.
If you feel you don't get enough oxygen you can inhale at those pillars.
I do not think this is benificial for me nor my children.
The Nazz
10-02-2006, 16:48
Oh btw on this subject, ever heard of oxygen pillars?
They are used in smog rich areas like certain cities in Japan, or for the europeans among us there are already a lot in Gent.
If you feel you don't get enough oxygen you can inhale at those pillars.
I do not think this is benificial for me nor my children.
I hadn't heard about those, but suddenly I'm starting to think that Earth is becoming a bit like Planet Spaceballs. Problem is, we don't have a Druidia from which to kidnap a Princess Vespa so we can force Dick van Patten to give us his luggage combination and...
Damnit. I've gone plaid.
Callisdrun
10-02-2006, 21:28
Anne Coulter says that according to the Bible God says "the Earth is yours. Take it, rape it, do what you want." I suppose she's refering to the passage in which God tells Adam, "thou shall have dominion over the Earth."
The problem with Coulter's analysis is that from a Christian perspective dominion doesn't mean that you "take, rape, whatever," it means that you're responsible for it, and you're supposed to protect it. Sometimes you have to protect it from itself, but if you just destroy it because you feel like it then you're not being a proper lord.
Whoever said I was a Christian? I'm not. I am religious, but I am not a Christian. I do not believe that the Earth belongs to us. Not at all.
Also, Ann Coulter is a short-sighted twat, and her interpretation of the bible is that of an ingrate. Even if you believe that god gave us the Earth, and it's ours, it's still not very respectful to destroy someone's gift to you, especially god's. Even they can't be dumb enough to believe that we'll get another one if we wreck this one. Or can they?
[NS]Simonist
10-02-2006, 21:30
Also, Ann Coulter is a short-sighted twat, and her interpretation of the bible is that of an ingrate. Even if you believe that god gave us the Earth, and it's ours, it's still not very respectful to destroy someone's gift to you, especially god's. Even they can't be dumb enough to believe that we'll get another one if we wreck this one. Or can they?
Wow. Had you read more carefully what you quoted, I'm sure you'd notice that you two are pretty much on the same page there.....
The Nazz
10-02-2006, 21:31
Whoever said I was a Christian? I'm not. I am religious, but I am not a Christian. I do not believe that the Earth belongs to us. Not at all.
Also, Ann Coulter is a short-sighted twat, and her interpretation of the bible is that of an ingrate. Even if you believe that god gave us the Earth, and it's ours, it's still not very respectful to destroy someone's gift to you, especially god's. Even they can't be dumb enough to believe that we'll get another one if we wreck this one. Or can they?
Do you really want the answer to that? There is a small group of "christians" who practically cheer on the environmental destruction of the earth, because they believe the earth has to be destroyed before they can be raptured.
Callisdrun
10-02-2006, 21:35
Simonist']Wow. Had you read more carefully what you quoted, I'm sure you'd notice that you two are pretty much on the same page there.....
I wasn't arguing with him, simply bouncing off of what he said. Maybe my liberal use of profanity made me sound angry. I wasn't, well, at least not with Domici.
Callisdrun
10-02-2006, 21:36
Do you really want the answer to that? There is a small group of "christians" who practically cheer on the environmental destruction of the earth, because they believe the earth has to be destroyed before they can be raptured.
That's just plain sad.
[NS]Simonist
10-02-2006, 21:44
I wasn't arguing with him, simply bouncing off of what he said. Maybe my liberal use of profanity made me sound angry. I wasn't, well, at least not with Domici.
Oh, ok. Yeah, you did sound angry. Really angry. At Domici. I was SUPER confused on that one.