-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Man and Earth
- Thread starter Runt
- Start date
Green Gaia
Veteran Member
Man is a part of the Earth and is dependent on Her. We are responsible to Her, we are Her caretakers and Her children. We should respect the Earth and do as little harm as possible.
Master Vigil
Well-Known Member
I would say that we are the earth's children. And that the earth is more important than man. We must not be selfish, we must be humble and know our place.
Ceridwen018
Well-Known Member
The earth is my biggest source of spirituality. I agree that it is our responsibility to take care of it.
firenice811
New Member
i need someone to answer this question for me-preferably a pastor or something of that nature, but if not, i'll take what i can get. are christians responsible to do what they will to the earth? or do they have responsibility to take care of it too? please answer in reference to Genesis 1:28-31.
thanks
thanks
Green Gaia
Veteran Member
Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the sixth day.
29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the sixth day.
Master Vigil
Well-Known Member
I don't know much about genesis. However, I can think of a zen koan I once read. The master asked the student whether all things were objective or subjective. Whether all things you do is in your head or really relevant to your life. The master used a boulder. He asked the student whether or not the boulder was real, or just in his head. The student said... well, being that I only perceive the boulder as such, and my senses tell me it is hard and big. I would say it is in my head for I perceive it to be so. Then the master said. Your head must be extremely heavy, if your carrying around a boulder like that inside of it.
Runt writes,
What does your religion say about the relationship between man and earth?
Well, we are a species with a brain and central nervous system evolved to successfully cope with living in groups of about 150 individuals while pursuing the joys and sorrows of a hunting/gathering lifestyle. That is our true place in nature, our righteous place in nature for most of the time we have been on this earth. But today almost every one of us lives in a highly urbanized, super-sized-society. Lives in societies we are not truly adapted to live in. For despite our huge numbers, proud cities and vast economies, we are still essentially at heart a very clever species of hunter/gatherer. No more. No less.
What does your religion say about the relationship between man and earth?
Well, we are a species with a brain and central nervous system evolved to successfully cope with living in groups of about 150 individuals while pursuing the joys and sorrows of a hunting/gathering lifestyle. That is our true place in nature, our righteous place in nature for most of the time we have been on this earth. But today almost every one of us lives in a highly urbanized, super-sized-society. Lives in societies we are not truly adapted to live in. For despite our huge numbers, proud cities and vast economies, we are still essentially at heart a very clever species of hunter/gatherer. No more. No less.
Nabeel writes,
Before writing about the relationship between man and earth,the relationship between man and God has to discuss.The God created everything.man,earth,sky and sea.....etc.
So man and earth are the creatures of the God.
Our question is that what does your religion say about the relationship between man and earth?
Iam a muslim.I strongly belief in Islam.Islam is my way of life.It means that Islam guides me in spirituality,economics,politics....
As far as Islam is concerned In a microscopic view the owner of the man and earth is the God because he is the creator.Man is not the owner of the earth.So man has not the right to use the earth according to his will.
We can explain the relationship between man and earth using Doctrine of Trusteeship.God has given to the man the trusteeship over the earth.So he did not have the right to exploit the earth. The relationship will be based on cooperation.He has to use the earth according to the guidlines of the God,he is the creator.
If the people belief and follow this,there will not be the question of harm to the earth.
Quran says ,"Man made harm to the sea and shore by his activites".
___________________________
Islam the way of Life.
Islam guides in all sphers of life.
Read Quraan,It is the words of the God.
Before writing about the relationship between man and earth,the relationship between man and God has to discuss.The God created everything.man,earth,sky and sea.....etc.
So man and earth are the creatures of the God.
Our question is that what does your religion say about the relationship between man and earth?
Iam a muslim.I strongly belief in Islam.Islam is my way of life.It means that Islam guides me in spirituality,economics,politics....
As far as Islam is concerned In a microscopic view the owner of the man and earth is the God because he is the creator.Man is not the owner of the earth.So man has not the right to use the earth according to his will.
We can explain the relationship between man and earth using Doctrine of Trusteeship.God has given to the man the trusteeship over the earth.So he did not have the right to exploit the earth. The relationship will be based on cooperation.He has to use the earth according to the guidlines of the God,he is the creator.
If the people belief and follow this,there will not be the question of harm to the earth.
Quran says ,"Man made harm to the sea and shore by his activites".
___________________________
Islam the way of Life.
Islam guides in all sphers of life.
Read Quraan,It is the words of the God.
I like that Doctrine of Trusteeship. I have heard that some Christians are developing a Doctrine of Stewardship, biblically based on one of the psalms (among other writings), and which is very similar to the Doctrine of Trusteeship. That is, the Doctrine of Stewardship holds that we are given this earth in stewardship The earth does not belong to us but we are stewards of it on Gods behalf and that consequently we must take care of it.
Runt
Well-Known Member
Sunstone--
Read Ishmael lately? If not, I highly suggest it. It spins a great argument for what you just stated-- that humans would be happiest as a hunter-gatherer society living with nature rather than a highly technological agriculturalist society living against nature.
I agree with you, by the way... but I don't see how such a thing is possible in today's day and age. It would require a massive revolution in THOUGHT, not just policy, to be able to successfully revert to such a society.
Read Ishmael lately? If not, I highly suggest it. It spins a great argument for what you just stated-- that humans would be happiest as a hunter-gatherer society living with nature rather than a highly technological agriculturalist society living against nature.
I agree with you, by the way... but I don't see how such a thing is possible in today's day and age. It would require a massive revolution in THOUGHT, not just policy, to be able to successfully revert to such a society.
Green Gaia
Veteran Member
Runt, I loved Ishmael! I was just thinking the other day, I need to read that book again.
Runt
Well-Known Member
LMAO, yes, it is an awesome book. I just read it about a week ago, and it was that book which inspired me to start this thread. The responses we are getting here really do show that religion is divided in a "Leaver-Taker" way... I don't see anyone who is inbetween the two-- either people think we are God's special creation and thus have the right to rule the planet, or people think we are just another creation but one that just so happens to have intelligence that gives us a responsibility toward protecting the planet. Very enlightening responses.
Runt,
No, I hadnt heard of Ishmael before you mentioned it. But I just now looked it up on Amazon and it sounds like something Id be interested in. Ill see if my library has a copy. Thanks for mentioning it!
Of course, I dont think there is any going back to a hunting/gathering lifestyle. In many ways, we wouldnt want such a lifestyle. Im re-reading Black Elk Speaks this evening, and starving through much of the winter doesnt sound like a great idea, to say nothing of a lack of modern medicine.
Having said that, I still believe that we are more adapted to a hunting/gathering lifestyle than we are to our modern societies. The more I read in evolutionary biology, the more convinced I become of that. We lived as hunting/gatherers for about 200,000 years before the Sumerians (5500 years ago) decided to screw around with that by inventing the modern society. The survival of our species has been in doubt ever since.
Do you think theres much hope for humanity to survive its own foolishness, Runt?
No, I hadnt heard of Ishmael before you mentioned it. But I just now looked it up on Amazon and it sounds like something Id be interested in. Ill see if my library has a copy. Thanks for mentioning it!
Of course, I dont think there is any going back to a hunting/gathering lifestyle. In many ways, we wouldnt want such a lifestyle. Im re-reading Black Elk Speaks this evening, and starving through much of the winter doesnt sound like a great idea, to say nothing of a lack of modern medicine.
Having said that, I still believe that we are more adapted to a hunting/gathering lifestyle than we are to our modern societies. The more I read in evolutionary biology, the more convinced I become of that. We lived as hunting/gatherers for about 200,000 years before the Sumerians (5500 years ago) decided to screw around with that by inventing the modern society. The survival of our species has been in doubt ever since.
Do you think theres much hope for humanity to survive its own foolishness, Runt?
Runt
Well-Known Member
I'm doubtful that we can survive for much longer without a huge shift in perception. We're so bent on "progress" (for our species alone) that we are slowly destroying everything else in the pursuit of this "progress"-- eating up natural resources, polluting the air and water, cutting down trees, driving other species to extinction, etc etc etc. We forge continuously ahead, and nothing we achieve is ever good enough; we want more, and we are willing to sacrifice anything, sometimes even ourselves, to KEEP forging ahead toward some goal that lies infinitely ahead of us. And we'll never reach it, because as soon as we reach one goal, we will strive towards something even BETTER than it.
If we destory this planet before we have the ability to leave it and populate other worlds, we will die with it. If we manage to escape this planet, it may take us much longer to do the same thing to other worlds, but eventually, if we do not go through a shift in perception, we will destroy ourselves.
I don't think progress or civilization or even agriculture are necessarily bad. I think a clear goal of WHAT we want to progress toward, combined with an honest desire to "live and let live" (meaning not just us, but other creatures as well--part of the problem with agriculture is that it means that we have decided that land that once fed hundreds of creatures is now only allowed to feed humans... and if other creatures compete with us for "our" food, they must be eliminated) will keep this planet healthy for much longer and will allow humanity to survive.
If we destory this planet before we have the ability to leave it and populate other worlds, we will die with it. If we manage to escape this planet, it may take us much longer to do the same thing to other worlds, but eventually, if we do not go through a shift in perception, we will destroy ourselves.
I don't think progress or civilization or even agriculture are necessarily bad. I think a clear goal of WHAT we want to progress toward, combined with an honest desire to "live and let live" (meaning not just us, but other creatures as well--part of the problem with agriculture is that it means that we have decided that land that once fed hundreds of creatures is now only allowed to feed humans... and if other creatures compete with us for "our" food, they must be eliminated) will keep this planet healthy for much longer and will allow humanity to survive.
I think you're right, Runt, to point out that we humans have at times some pretty strange notions of what's "progress". I mean, we create a gas guzzling SUV and call it "progress". When our non-sustainable economy grows, we call that "progress" too. I agree that it's a very different thing -- a very large change -- to think of progress in the terms you suggest it should be thought in.
I think we might get out of the fix we're in, but that the next 50 to 100 years are going to be crucial to whether our species survives long term.
I think we might get out of the fix we're in, but that the next 50 to 100 years are going to be crucial to whether our species survives long term.