Wonder
Amazing. Our civilization is somehow both at its peak and at its most precarious moment - things could go either way. We could restore and regenerate our ecosystem, or we could extinct ourselves. It's our (collective) decision. The vast amount of effort, money and other resources going to wars and other vicious economic conflicts could, with a wiser mindset, instead be solving all our problems using the latest scientific advances.
I concluded a long time ago that this life is miraculous - we're running on grace. As bad as things are in some ways - as tragic and full of suffering - it could get much worse. Left to our own devices, we human beings would have killed each other off a long time ago. World War 2, for instance (as horrible as it was) actually had some restraint between combatants (motivated both by fear and by compassion).
Our present has been created by decisions made in the past; our future will depend on what we do now. In this time of great international tension, it should be focused on that we each can always do something (no matter how seemingly small) to make things better (even if it's just refusing to lose faith in the future).
While fully committed to both educating myself up and alerting my fellow citizens to the perfect storm of threats we face at this moment of Earth's history (abrupt climate change, ocean acidification, overpopulation, pollution from fossil fuels and radioactive materials, addiction to fighting as a solver of conflicts, overfishing, the worship of money over life,...), I've yet come to the conclusion that there is hope in the fact that (though we'd really rather not admit it) we human beings are not really in control.
Anyone who does not have the perspective to recognize that there is something beyond this time and space is dangerously deluded. Life's miraculousness is all around us, and the unseen beyond this time and space affects each thing that happens in the here and now. To think that we humans are the highest on the ladder of evolution is simple nonsense. The Universe is full of life and mysteries and dimensions that we only get glimpse of when we're open-minded and open-hearted enough to see past our own noses. Whether you call them angels or demons or gods or inter-dimensional intelligences or whatever doesn't matter. The fact is, humanity would have long ago extincted itself were it not for good humans and other beings restraining our destructive tendencies and technologies. We are called to deep thought and prayer and appropriate action. And we each are a part of God.
We all have hard times ahead. But we can make them beautiful times by our cooperative work to make this planet a paradise. Let's discuss the cultural change needed to transform our agriculture to make it sustainable. We can see all around us indication that our food system is not by any stretch safe or secure.
The best science can be put to use to make an equitable and peaceful world. We're being told by current events - in so many ways and in no uncertain terms - that if we don't get it together now we're going the way of the dinosaur.
We're only in control to the extent we're open to the mysteries of life. And that can feel like vulnerability. But once we figure out that real power comes from loving cooperative action we can feel all-powerful.
Jim McCue
St. Jim the Composter
412-421-6496
composter and biotech researcher
http://bioeverything.blogspot.com/2009/02/celebrate-earth.html
http://hazelwoodurbangardens.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/alllifelover
http://hazelwoodhomepage.org
I concluded a long time ago that this life is miraculous - we're running on grace. As bad as things are in some ways - as tragic and full of suffering - it could get much worse. Left to our own devices, we human beings would have killed each other off a long time ago. World War 2, for instance (as horrible as it was) actually had some restraint between combatants (motivated both by fear and by compassion).
Our present has been created by decisions made in the past; our future will depend on what we do now. In this time of great international tension, it should be focused on that we each can always do something (no matter how seemingly small) to make things better (even if it's just refusing to lose faith in the future).
While fully committed to both educating myself up and alerting my fellow citizens to the perfect storm of threats we face at this moment of Earth's history (abrupt climate change, ocean acidification, overpopulation, pollution from fossil fuels and radioactive materials, addiction to fighting as a solver of conflicts, overfishing, the worship of money over life,...), I've yet come to the conclusion that there is hope in the fact that (though we'd really rather not admit it) we human beings are not really in control.
Anyone who does not have the perspective to recognize that there is something beyond this time and space is dangerously deluded. Life's miraculousness is all around us, and the unseen beyond this time and space affects each thing that happens in the here and now. To think that we humans are the highest on the ladder of evolution is simple nonsense. The Universe is full of life and mysteries and dimensions that we only get glimpse of when we're open-minded and open-hearted enough to see past our own noses. Whether you call them angels or demons or gods or inter-dimensional intelligences or whatever doesn't matter. The fact is, humanity would have long ago extincted itself were it not for good humans and other beings restraining our destructive tendencies and technologies. We are called to deep thought and prayer and appropriate action. And we each are a part of God.
We all have hard times ahead. But we can make them beautiful times by our cooperative work to make this planet a paradise. Let's discuss the cultural change needed to transform our agriculture to make it sustainable. We can see all around us indication that our food system is not by any stretch safe or secure.
The best science can be put to use to make an equitable and peaceful world. We're being told by current events - in so many ways and in no uncertain terms - that if we don't get it together now we're going the way of the dinosaur.
We're only in control to the extent we're open to the mysteries of life. And that can feel like vulnerability. But once we figure out that real power comes from loving cooperative action we can feel all-powerful.
Jim McCue
St. Jim the Composter
412-421-6496
composter and biotech researcher
http://bioeverything.blogspot.com/2009/02/celebrate-earth.html
http://hazelwoodurbangardens.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/alllifelover
http://hazelwoodhomepage.org
posted by St. Jim the Composter at 11:09 AM
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