Comments on:
Institutions, Infrastructure, and Schooling
Comments on Religion and Spirituality
May I suggest that you contact Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith, founding minister of the Agape Intl Center of Truth, www.agapeonline.org. He has developed a visioning process that could help you. In addition, by tapping into the AGAPE organization, you can pull more folks into your visioning process.
AGAPE is affiliated with the Church of Religious Science and the New Thought Movement. You might also see if you can wrangle the NOETIC folks. The more people you have on purpose, the greater the success!
The gift of life is never lost. It changes in a twinkling of an eye!
Thank you, Jessica
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Humans will re-establish a spiritual connection to nature. Our worldview will no longer divide the planet into humans vs. nature. People will recognize that humans are part of nature, one species among many, and must obey the laws imposed by nature. We will recognize that nature is not something to be subjugated, but instead is something we depend upon absolutely to meet both physical and spiritual needs. Very difficult to do in light of the current reign of religions. The very founding of those religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) was based on killing all those people who loved and cared for the Earth. In the holocaust of the Inquisition, murdered were herbalists, midwives, those who worshipped in the trees, strong women and the men who stood with them, and on and on. THIS CARNAGE CONTINUES with the killing of indigenous peoples to rape their land of oil, forests, etc. (Aceh and East Timor in Indonesia, the U'wa people in Colombia, farmers and mangrove fisherpeople in Nigeria by Shel Oil, and on and on.) Protestants seem to think "Jesus is coming back" any minute and therefore we should "use up" the world quickly. Catholics and Muslims (and I believe several other cults) seem to think we should each have a gazillion babies. See the book *The Christ Conspiracy: The greatest story every sold* (http://www.truthbeknown.com/christ.htm) for facts that put the current popular religions in their place as mythological as Zeus, etc.
We will recognize that natural resources are scarce and must be invested in. Our goal will be to create conditions conducive to life in the broadest sense. For centuries the worldview of mechanistic physics dominated Western society. Within this worldview, each action has an equal and opposite reaction, and only by studying systems at smaller and smaller scales, can we come to fully understand these reactions. As more and more people come to understand the inherent complexity of ecosystems and human systems, we will come to realize that results cannot always be predicted, and that irreducible uncertainty dominates the provision of life support services by healthy ecosystems. An ecological worldview of complexity and indeterminacy, inspired by nature as mentor -- holistic, integrated and flexible -- will replace the worldview of mechanical physics. >>>This entails changing the educational materials used in elementary, middle, and high schools. In order to change curriculum, state legislators must change the Education Code. But who is now providing curricula? Corporations!!! See interview with Alex Molnar in November 2000 issue of The Sun magazine.
Individualism is appropriate and perhaps even necessary in a world of vast frontiers and unlimited elbowroom. Individualism will still be extremely important in 2100, but will be far more tempered by a concern for the common good. Religion and spirituality are again a factor here. The religions of the East are much more communally oriented than those of the West.
People will pay attention to their other needs and desires, such as joy, beauty, affection, participation, creativity, freedom, and understanding. ...Thus, status will not be conferred by high incomes and high consumption (individual ends) but rather by contribution to civil society and community ends. Necessary for these beautiful visions to manifest would be changing the relentless consumer mind-programming that occurs via television!!!!! See Jerry Mander's *In the Absence of the Sacred* and *Four Arguments For the Elimination of Television*. See Joseph Chilton Peace's *Evolution's End* and *Magical Child Matures* or, more accessibly, hear him speak. Most particularly, see interview with Kalle Lasn, "Truth In Advertising: Breaking The Spell Of Consumerism" in the July 2001 issue of The Sun.
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I am a loyal and grateful reader of Rachel's newsletter. This week's newsletter on vision really hits home. I look forward to the continuation.
I publish (in print) a journal called The Intimate Explosion. It is about creating a healthier sexuality through reintegrating sexuality and spirituality. I strongly believe this relates to our inner environment and should we heal/reintegrate we would take better care of the planet. (See article below.)
Later this month I will be working with a small group looking at health issues. One of the leaders of a new foundation realized that sexuality was not included in the mix. Don't know more now, as I have been invited to join this discussion and still awaiting more information. I mention this because I believe so strongly that we must look at the inner environment in order to help with the planetary environment. This includes creating the vision.
.The Intimate Explosion is only available in print now.
Ani Colt, Publisher/Editor, The Intimate Explosion
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Thank you for a great article. I realize what I have to add will not be a solution, only a different way to view our perceived reality.
I recently had a gift from God. After reading my goals, doing my breathing exercise, praying and connecting with my creator, I was looking at a large world map on my office wall and noticed how the continents were at one time together (I am sure you have heard this before) they looked like they were in a sense breaking up, then another question came to me, what was it like before it was broken? What was it like???????
It was perfect, it was Gods perfect creation, nothing was not perfect because God created it. It was at one time the garden of Eden, the perfect pure harmonious creation of God's love, he created this perfect ball of divine perfection, there existed no evil, just perfect harmony. (Take a moment and imagine).
Why did it start breaking up? how did imperfection get in and start the world breaking up? How did evil get in? We'll that's where the end began. Lets go back to the bible, the bible says a serpent tempted Eve by saying she would become like God, offering her the power of God if she would bite of the forbidden fruit,. What is God? he is the creator, we call him the Creator. Most people think she was deceived by the devil, but she was not, we did get the power of God, the power to create. What other animal on the planet recreates on a perfect environment? What animal is no longer in harmony with nature? What do animals do when humans enter the forest? What other animal is killing the world?
We did get the power to create but not on a perfect level, I spent thirteen days not to long ago in downtown Chicago doing a trade show at the McCormick. After six or seven days of being in a total man made place I started to feel very strange, keep in mind I come from a small rural community. Everywhere I looked there were cars, trucks, planes, buildings, and concrete. There was no unraped nature to be seen. I couldn't even breath fresh air or hear quiet! During the same period I went to the museum of natural history and found myself in front of a glass enclosure of a 30 foot Boa Constrictor skeleton. It was an amazing site, all the rib bones precisely attached, but the part I remember most was the plaque in front that read: "Through magnification mans creations get jagged and rough edged but Gods creations get more precise and perfect". That explained the way I was feeling.
We can create but not at a perfect level. That is why after man changes Gods creation to his liking it will have problems! We are like a cancer on the earth, going off doing our own thing and jeopardizing the whole body. Whenever man intervenes with Gods creations he automatically brings imperfection to it. Cancer is a group of cells that go of and do their own thing, I think it is very important to spend time in Gods creation, the wilderness and get back to having our cells feel good about being in harmony. Try it!
The great news is that even though we hurt God so bad, he loved us enough to give us another chance to make it to another perfect place without evil, (Heaven) and all we have to do is be as Christ like as possible, he knows we won't be perfect but just try our best. God was so hurt by our arrogance to improve on perfection that he booted us out, leaving us on this contaminated ball to ride out till it dies. We need to reduce the population and live in harmony with nature, that is as far as we need to go! Think back to before the 60's (if you can) the attitudes and beliefs of the people, now think of the things that are happening, my wife a schoolteacher afraid of being shot by kids! Drugs, gangs, terrorism, hate violence, pollution, ozone, etc. I believe the 60's, "the love generation" was the peak of good as a majority, after that I believe evil is now the majority. I once believed it was important to try to stop the problem by trying to convince people that we need to rid evil and try to get back to where we came from, but after learning more I realize that the bible says a time will come when he will remove the people from the earth who tried to follow Jesus' example and leave the rest here. I know he has another beautiful perfect harmonious place without evil for us, maybe a place we refer to as heaven?
Roland
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The reason for all the problems is not a lack of vision, but a lack of faith.
We are at the end of 6000 years of sin. Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21.
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. But as the scriptures say, only 8 souls boarded the Ark of God. So it is before the end.
Only a few with true faith and a comprehension of the times and season which God HAS given to men through his Word, will understand.
"Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." Daniel 12:10.
"Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD. Psalm 107:43]
Those who continue to behold the rapid decadence of society and the witnessing voices of a corrupted nature and ecocycles [Habakkuk :17] and do not want to believe the word of faith that says there is "no more time" [Revelation 10:6], are liable to simply go on in the forms of intellectual "causes" striving to "save the world" , "save the environment", and "restructure the systems" in order to stop the movement of chaos and decay. These BE TRUE EVOLUTIONISTS. And their faith can go only so far as the sense and sensual, selfish desire.
So to the environmental extremists they know not that it is all futility, and proof that the end is here, the wrath of God is soon, and that the grace of God is fast removing itself from ALL human endeavors to "remedy" any and all situations.
Laugh at this, as many will, but in only a short while the nations will know what they have done in rejecting the grace of God for the salvation of the individual soul, the repair of countries, and the glorification of their Maker who would have all men keep his commandments.
Commandment breaking is the cause behind all atrophy, all disease, all pollution, all imbalances in the ecosytem, and worst of all, the ills of the human heart that strives to "fix" things without a connection with the Maker and his statues. As sin is the transgression of the Law, so it is that transgression unrepented of, and a salvation by grace unheeded, is the fall of the world and those that dwell therein.
"And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. Revelation 11:18
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I didn't have time to read everything in your notes, but from what I have read I can see that you are not familiar with bible prophecy. I HIGHLY recommend you avail yourself of the life changing teachings of Bible prophecy educator Irvin Baxter. (www.endtime.com)
I, like you, would like to see the world progress in all things good and just, however, that is not what will soon happen.
The bottom line is to be ready spiritually. If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, I suggest you do so soon. Eternity is a long time. We will spend it either in hell or in The Kingdom Of God. The choice is ours.
Servant Of The Most High God
Mike
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I would far rather live in the world you are describing than the one we now live in (especially this week!), but there are some pieces missing. You paint an entirely secular picture. I could live there because I carry my spirituality inside me, but there needs to be room for people to openly express their faith. There also need to be enough people that recognize there are multiple paths to God, that they can lovingly contain those that will do violence because they believe something else.
As I watch events unfold this week, I find myself thinking "But... when you respond to terrorism with terror, you are giving the terrorists what they want. And when you act out of hatred, you are behaving in a like manner."
I would like to live in a world that possessed the maturity to honestly consider the question "What gave rise to this bitter harvest?"
COMMENTS REPEATED IN OTHER SECTIONS
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2. The vision sees American's becoming more spiritual of nature. However, Christian will view this as New Age which is seen as demonic. Christians view people as specifically created in God's image with the command to oversee nature. If the vision calls for people to view nature as equal to man, then the values afforded to people such as economic safety nets, special infastructure systems (running water, paved streets, sewers) would have less meaning or they would need to be created for animals and plants as well. This value does not seem like one that would promote our species.
I am not a theologian, but did not see any conflict between the vision's emphasis on non-material values and Christian beliefs. Perhaps the problem lies in my inadequate ability to describe the vision. Certainly many Christians see man as stewards of nature, with an obligation to protect God's creation. Our vision states that man is part of nature, meaning we depend on air, water, fertile soils, and the ozone layer just as other plants and animals do. This 'infrastructure system' provided by nature needs to be preserved. Many mammal and bird species help raise young that are not their own in a form of social safety net, yet do not help raise young of species that are not their own. In any event, our eventual goal is create a shared vision. While there were certainly many Christians present in the group, in the future we should seek the participation of representatives of many different religious groups.