Terry Paul Choyce
April 22,2007, Brunswick Street United Church
Today we have heard poems and songs which talk about how beautiful the Earth is, and how important it is to all of us. The Earth is not just important, it is essential to our survival. I do not want to over dramatise the precarious plight of the world today, but environmentally it is in horrible shape. Paul is showing the movie "An Inconvenient Truth" and 6 libraries in Metro, and I saw it for the second time on Monday night. This is the scariest movie I have ever seen. The predictions, based on science and based on ecological history, show that this planet will change radically in the next 50 to 100 years. Huge portions of the land will be flooded from the melting polar ice. Many millions of people will have to relocate to higher, inland ground. Al Gore's map of the world in 2100 does not have New York City or Holland or southern Florida or much of India on it. These places will be under the water.
Last October I was lucky enough to go to a talk by Joanna Macy. She has dedicated the last 40 years of her life to saving this planet by her writing, speaking, and social activism. I would like to read you two parts from her book Coming Back to Life. The first reading is written by her (see pp.16 & 17, Coming Back to Life), and the second is by the Dalai Lama:
MESSAGE FROM THE DALAI LAMA
"Although it is increasingly evident how interdependent we are in virtually every aspect of our lives, this seems to make little difference to the way we think about ourselves in relation to our fellow beings and our environment. We live at a time when human actions have developed a creative and destructive power that has become global in scope. And yet we fail to cultivate a corresponding sense of responsibility. Most of us are concerned only about people and property that are directly related to us. We naturally try to protect our family and friends from danger. Similarly, most people will struggle to defend their homes and land against destruction, whether the threat comes from enemies or natural disasters such as fire or flooding..
We take the existence of clean air and water, the continued growth of crops and availability of raw materials, for granted. We know that these resources are finite, but because we only think of our own demands, we behave as if they are not. Our limited and self centered attitudes fulfill neither the needs of the time, nor the potential of which we are capable.
Today, while many individuals grapple with misery and alienation, we are faced with global problems such as poverty, overpopulation, and the destruction of the environment. These are problems that we have to
address together. No single community or nation can expect to solve them on its own. This indicates how small and interdependent our world has become... It is no longer appropriate to think only in terms of even my nation or my country, let alone my village. If we are to overcome the problems we face, we need what I have called a sense of universal responsibility rooted in love and kindness for our human brothers and sisters."
Both of these writers have hope that everyone will wake up to the reality of the dire predicament we are in, and we will make the changes necessary to stop the polluting which is helping to destroy the Earth. Each one of us has to make changes in our behaviours, habits, and lifestyles if we are to have a future for our children. This is a monumental problem that needs immediate action.
A few months ago I gave a sermon about the worldwide meditation to heal the Earth which is being held on July 17, 2007. Right now about a million people have committed one hour of their lives to focus on how much they love this planet and how they want to keep it beautiful. I believe in the power of thought, the power of prayer, and the power of people. If a critical mass of minds are concentrated at the same time around the world, I believe the energy of that mass consciousness will have a profound effect on how people think and live. Please go to www.firethegrid.com to learn more about this meditation.
I know that people are basically good. I know that God wants this planet to thrive and be a loving, beautiful place. I know that if we all do our part to clean up the Earth, our children will have forests to walk in, clean water to drink, fresh air to breathe, and food and flowers to grow. I ask you now to think about ways that you can make a difference to the health of this wonderful planet, and to do them. From picking up litter to using curly light bulbs, to driving fuel efficient cars to recycling, to petitioning politicians to make stringent laws regulating polluting businesses, to planting a garden - each of us can make a difference.
The book of Revelations has horrific depictions of what could happen to the Earth. It talks about the Earth burning, the waters turning bitter, smoke darkening the sky, and the mass destruction of humanity. If we continue as we are, these will become a reality far too soon. It is up to each of us to do all we can to the save the Earth NOW.
©Terry Paul Choyce. Used with permission from the author.
