Sustainability and Salvation

We can only pursue sustainability if we feel connected to something larger than ourselves.  

Contemporary values are completely disordered - they treat the Earth as something disposable, and the individual as the ultimate end, whose desires are to be fulfilled regardless of the cost.  In reality we are mortal beings small parts of a much larger system of life.  Our lives are only meaningful when they are in order with the larger system.  The Earth is the source of all life, and we owe all of our whole lives, every bit of joy and suffering we can squeeze out of our finite span, to the benevolence and generosity of creation.  Our ultimate goal in life must be oriented towards the preservation of all the diversity of life on Earth.  This is a spiritual but also a practical and moral task to which we all owe our allegiance.
How is it possible for the individual to be saved?  Only by being connection to something larger than himself.  If the individual views his own wants and needs as the ultimate purpose of the world, he will become frustrated with the narrow confines of his view of the world.  The world will close in around him, seeming increasingly frustrating, because wants and needs are ephemeral and undependable and arbitrary.  Although salvation can come from a relationship with God, the ordering of this relationship within the natural world will tend naturally towards stewardship of gifts, including stewardship of the gift of creation.  If we cherish every gift we have been given, including gifts of beauty and fertility, we must become dedicated to sustainability as a core moral principle of everyday life.


So much of what I see around me is not so much evil as thoughtlessness, habit, convenience, and disordered values.  To satisfy narrow goals and desires through consumption is inherently in contradiction with pursuing the greater goal of sustainability of this planet. To pursue sustainability, perhaps first we need to be saved.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Idea of "White Supremacy Culture" is Offensive

Anyone with a cursory knowledge of history and cultures knows that all cultures have both oppressive and liberatory aspects. Historically, it was quite typical to conquer, kill, and enslave neighboring groups or nations - just ask the Aztecs or the Mongols. Historically, European and American culture are rife with oppressive aspects, but not particularly more so than any other culture. Part of the joy of being an Unitarian Universalist for me has been its openly syncretic approach to finding wisdom; that is, we seek great wisdom from all cultures, and at least historically have been able to borrow and build upon such wisdom without apology. In my own personal experience, I have gained wisdom from European, Asian, African, and Native American cultures, among others; as well as Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, and Pagan beliefs. To pursue truth and wisdom wherever you find it has historically been one of our great blessings. With new walls being erected about certain traditional bel
Read more

Universalism and Color Translucency

 I believe in universalism. That is, I believe what connects us as human beings is more important than what divides us. The inherent worth and dignity of all persons. That all persons are entitled to dignity and respect. It's not a new belief. It's not an easy belief. Conceptually it's quite simple. And yet I don't think it needs revision. I don't think it needs an asterisk. I think universalism is a concept that can endure across time and across space. The love that I feel is not different than the love you feel. Nor is the pain or the suffering or the yearning. Nor is my flawed nature. My mortal nature. My limited nature. We are different in so many particulars, and yet we share so much in common as human beings. Put it another way. I think our common humanity is more important than our hyphenated humanity. We are different races, genders, sexualities, ages, and capabilities but none of this should divide us irreconcilably. It is possible to connect across these d
Read more

Two Types of Community Conversations

When I think about what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist and how that might change, I think about two different ways of having conversations. If the first way, we start from the principle of universal human equality and human dignity. We start from the approach that the search for truth is grounded in love. This is based upon our current Seven Principles. Based upon these principles, all voices will be given equal weight and an equal chance to be heard. And those listening will endeavor to listen charitably, with an ear to acknowledging and empathizing with what each speaker says. Under such conditions the growth of mutual understanding is possible. While agreement will not always be reached, we can build community through this process of recognizing each other, including recognizing our very real differences. In the second way, we start from the assumption that all verbal interactions should be seen through the lens of unequal power. People of color, women, and LGBTQ people hav
Read more