|
Things could be so much better |
Things could be so much better, if we want them to be. There are
tremendous benefits to be realized by coming together to make peace,
promote equity and justice, protect natural ecosystems, and end fossil
fuels. But it requires us to reject religious fanaticism, think freely
and generously, help the poor to live upon the land, demobilize standing
armies, stop spewing filth into the air and waters; and go back to the
land to create worth from nurturing soil and vegetation, earning a
righteous livelihood from the strength of our minds and bodies. A green
and free future of sustainability and abundance – based upon living
within an encompassing matrix of organic permaculture, and natural and
regenerating ecosystems – awaits us. For the present outrageous state of
the Earth and the murdering of its inhabitants to end, mostly we just
need to start loving each other and nature, and to share.
“Tolerance and freedom of thought are the veritable antidotes to religious fanaticism.” – Paul-Henri baron d’Holbach
“It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless
they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets”. – Voltaire
“Some day the earth will weep, she will beg for her life, she will
cry with tears of blood. You will make a choice, if you will help her or
let her die, and when she dies, you too will die.” – John Hollow Horn, Oglala Lakota
“I would like to see every single soldier on every single side, just
take off your helmet, unbuckle your kit, lay down your rifle, and set
down on the side of some shady lane, and say, nope, I aint a gonna kill
nobody. Plenty of rich folks wants to fight. Give them the guns.” – Woody Guthrie
“War is murder. I would rather be blown to pieces is a low-probability terrorist
attack than forever give up my liberties and nature to oppressive big
government and corporate exploitation.” – Dr. Glen Barry
I am absolutely appalled at humanity’s and nature’s condition over the
last several years. I am filled with infernal rage and nausea, and
particularly irked, that in the 21st century we witness in the Middle
East the continuing waging of holy war in the name of various absent
gods; as a plethora of social inequities and ecological crises threaten
our very existence. Things could be so different if we embraced ecology,
truth, justice, and equity as life’s meaning.
The world is ending as the
biosphere collapses, preceded by the human family’s descent into a neo-dark age.
In this short essay I intend to identify the threats posed by
religious extremism, corporate ecocide, stifling government, and
nationalistic power-mongering. Existing solutions will be highlighted to
humanity’s global problems, integrating many themes developed in more
depth in my earlier writings.
Rather than fully embrace the last century of hard fought social,
technological, and ecological knowledge, we continue to allow big
government to wage religious perma-war for a small rich oligarchy at the
expense of the poor and Earth. For a mortgaged house, a shiny car, and a
cell phone the vast majority of the middle class turn a blind eye to
the suffering their way of life causes to their human family and
environmental habitat. Modern industrial livelihoods kill nature for
illusory comforts for some for awhile.
As climate and ecosystems collapse, neo-fascist imperialism and local
insurgencies arise to control dwindling resources. As I watch Muslim
terrorists slaughter innocents, and Christian terrorists bomb innocents,
over and over again; I am reminded of the danger of religious
fanaticism and why I am an atheist and free-thinker. There is no god and
religious fanaticism is
god pollution that is destroying the Earth.
Ecology is the meaning of life.
Renewable energy, a carbon tax, and energy conservation – along with an
end to destruction of natural ecosystems and old-growth forest
restoration – will solve climate change and avoid biosphere collapse.
More natural ecosystems have already been lost than the biosphere can bear,
and there is much work to be done regenerating ecosystems, creating
sustainable permaculture agro-forests, and most people growing and
locally exchanging their own organic food. Humanity must remain within
the nurturing embrace of functional ecosystems.
[
Read more at EcoInternet]