The Norwegian government today released the final plans today for the ‘doomsday vault’ that will eventually hold seeds from all known varieties of crops in safe storage in case of ‘nuclear war, asteroid strike or environmental catastrophe’. They’re building it on a remote island near the North Pole. In the event of a burn up or freeze, it’s going to be the recovery disk for a global re-boot.
So called ‘Deep Ecologists’ would have it different. They see a catastrophic event such as this seed bank is trying to survive as nature’s way of getting rid of us, and carrying on. We’re a virus; the planet will get a ‘flu, heat up and knock us out.
It’s a question of scale. If we look at the highest mountain (just under 9000m) in relation to the radius of the earth (around 6,500,000m) then scaled down, the earth would be as smooth as a billiard ball. All our grand projects: ‘skyscrapers’ and vast cities are no more than a surface irritant. We exist at the fragile membrane between the ocean of the atmosphere above and the seas below. We climbed out of the water many millions of years ago. And now, having become an annoyance to both oceans, the sea is rising to take us back.
I have many sympathies for this view. I’m not optimistic about humanity’s chances of averting global warming. A 90% reduction in global CO2 emissions in 30 years? I doubt it, even with the $25 million carrot Branson is now dangling.
But I just don’t think the deep ecology takes seriously the deeper fact of our evolution into conscience. Somewhere, at some time, when the Spirit moved over the surface of the deep, the spark of conscience moved us from ape to something more. And that intervention changes everything. The earth is not a simple closed system.
So will God intervene and protect us from disaster? No. But we will be held responsible for screwing up the greatest gift we were given. And if nothing else works, not the doom-mongering or the cash incentives, it’s this theological imperative that might just swing the US Christian right to force the government to do something wildly significant.
Trouble is, when the shit hits the fan, we can be sure of one thing: it won’t be the poor, the hungry, the vulnerable who’ll be holed up in special bunkers. The rich will survive. And with some sick irony they’ll thank God for it.
Technorati: Branson | Deep Ecology | Environment | Seed Bank
Comments
6 responses to “Global Re-boot | Deep Ecology”
Kester, fascinating post…somewhere humanity has disconnected itself from its place amidst God’s creation, risen above it…to look on it as innocent bystanders. Some now, even in the end…we’re still not apart of it…we’ll climb out and create something else. Sad!!!
There is a glimmer of hope in what you’ve written here. I am hopeful that’s what you mean to get across. (all sane prophets offered a way out)
The object of hope isn’t US Christians, for sure. But it has to be in the Spirit which once had it’s way with the earth. The same source of our faithful look to history’s past also speaks of a new thing.
Maybe the rich will survive. And Christ had a certain way of describing the truly rich. Blessed are those who hunger for righteousness, for you will be satisfied.
I’m still gonna turn off my AC though.
I’m glad you caught the glimmer of hope. It was well hidden 😉 Sincere though.
I had a fascinating discussion group session with a group of students the other day. The person leading it was getting us to think about child poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. I made the point that even if it were possible to save each child dying of starvation / AIDs related disease, unless we took an environmental angle a whole lot MORE people were going to die. Give money to charity, fine, but if you drive down to the bank to do it, it’s short-sighted.
This is the problem – we as the producers of most of the CO2 are the least likely to experience the major impact of it. So we stay comfortable in our blind ignorance… A situation Christians just cannot let pass any more.
… a whole conversion then. If we are to truly address the world in a redemptive way, we can’t be issue driven. And if the power of the gospel has partial power, it must have entire power; to change the incidentals that add up to the global.
Some is my faith community are thrilled that it is so “easy” to go to Nairobi in a group 60+ to help with AIDs sufferers.
Airfare? CO2 emmissions? What kind of economy are they demonstrating? …Lord convert my “SUV-entitled” neighbors.
I’m going to be a kill-joy to my adult fellowship class tomorrow morning.
shall be watching channel fours documentary,God is Green presented by Mark Dowd, tonight. It asks whether religion should have a greater role in preventing imminent disaster…
http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/C/can_you_believe_it/debates/green.html
The link between Mind and Social / Environmental-Issues.
The fast-paced, consumerist lifestyle of Industrial Society is causing exponential rise in psychological problems besides destroying the environment. All issues are interlinked. Our Minds cannot be peaceful when attention-spans are down to nanoseconds, microseconds and milliseconds. Our Minds cannot be peaceful if we destroy Nature.
Industrial Society Destroys Mind and Environment.
Subject : In a fast society slow emotions become extinct.
Subject : A thinking mind cannot feel.
Subject : Scientific/ Industrial/ Financial thinking destroys the planet.
Subject : Environment can never be saved as long as cities exist.
Emotion is what we experience during gaps in our thinking.
If there are no gaps there is no emotion.
Today people are thinking all the time and are mistaking thought (words/ language) for emotion.
When society switches-over from physical work (agriculture) to mental work (scientific/ industrial/ financial/ fast visuals/ fast words ) the speed of thinking keeps on accelerating and the gaps between thinking go on decreasing.
There comes a time when there are almost no gaps.
People become incapable of experiencing/ tolerating gaps.
Emotion ends.
Man becomes machine.
A society that speeds up mentally experiences every mental slowing-down as Depression / Anxiety.
A ( travelling )society that speeds up physically experiences every physical slowing-down as Depression / Anxiety.
A society that entertains itself daily experiences every non-entertaining moment as Depression / Anxiety.
FAST VISUALS /WORDS MAKE SLOW EMOTIONS EXTINCT.
SCIENTIFIC /INDUSTRIAL /FINANCIAL THINKING DESTROYS EMOTIONAL CIRCUITS.
A FAST (LARGE) SOCIETY CANNOT FEEL PAIN / REMORSE / EMPATHY.
A FAST (LARGE) SOCIETY WILL ALWAYS BE CRUEL TO ANIMALS/ TREES/ AIR/ WATER/ LAND AND TO ITSELF.
To read the complete article please follow either of these links :
PlanetSave
EarthNewsWire
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