Climate : « our only chance is in a spiritual awakening »
Well, a ‘’not religious’’ person and an ‘’atheist’’ can agree on this point.
Spirituality is about moral Values & Ethics. It works for Believers & for Atheists alike. And there are plenty of areas where the spiritual awakening will be a common construction. Some Churches already started the job.
The ‘’first people’’ live within societies which are structurally similar on all continents. They all are very different, but their basic structures is similar. These societies are the result of hundreds of thousands of years of Social Evolution. And, with this specific structure/frame, they survived. Other structures did’nt.
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These ‘’first people’’ societies are very HORIZONTAL SOCIETIES.
That is, that they consider that humans beings live among other living & non-living beings. This commands respect of other forms of life and of the environment. There is no ‘’superior’’ being.
These societies are societies of meaning. Each individual has a social role within the society. With the role comes duties. Also exchanges are aimed at maintaining/ reinforcing the values/ roles/ traditions/ rites of the society. The common goods are common. Therefore the concept of individual property often only apply to a few small objects.
Usually, within the society, the individuals live with similar small individual wealth.
Within the society, decisions just cannot be taken by a majority. The society can change, but slowly. On the long run, the benefit is that people really stick together.
Some of these societies have a Creator God. This God created the world and every living & non-living beings, and, generally, it is believed that the God then retired in some remote place (mountain, etc) and left the world go its own way.
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Our modern Western societies are very VERTICAL SOCIETIES.
Generally, there is a Creator God. He created the living & non-living beings.
He created mankind with a ‘’special superior status’’ as He provided mankind with living & non-living Ressources. (to me it sounds as a half-God status)
Each individual is equipped with ‘’free will’’. There is a ‘’contract’’ between God and each individual, which enable the individual to be ‘’saved’’ by God, in the end.
The Economic System is consistent with the above. Propery is ‘’sacred’’.
This vertical society can make quicker decisions. It is also much more efficient in exploiting the ‘’ressources’’, as the Economy refer to Rules, not Moral Ethics. This society has little structural incentive to respect other living & non-living beings. Also, the society can be very unequal in terms of wealth. The society cohesion can become very weak.
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That is why I consider that we should learn from traditional societies. It does not mean to return living in caves !;-)
But we must include more HORIZONTAL elements in our way of life. It implies to adjust/ change some of our Values. Values always are backed by some Beliefs ! Therefore, we should work on that too !
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That is where I fully support the views and efforts of some Catholic Popes.
For example, Pope John Paul II has advanced the idea of Evolution. During his speech (1) he clarified that there are several ‘’theories’’ of Evolution. Some are not compatible with the religious Dogma. Others could be compatible. And he asked scientist & christians to work together.
He reminded that « the truth connot contradict the truth » (he was referring to Science & Revelation).
He also insisted on the fact that our current interpretation of some texts could be away from what they really meant.
The current Pope Francis talks strongly on Ecology and Liberalism (2). He says that the Believers should act according to their faith. He says too that an Atheist is better than an hypocritical Christian ?
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(1) (italian)
(2) (english)
