Reclaiming The Dignity of Earth

Reclaiming The Dignity of Earth

…..michael a. bengwayan…

In graduate school in rural development, I always tell my students development can occur anytime, anyplace, in varying degrees, by so many different people.

It is not at all different in Earth-care. At the point of ecological discourse in  development in Earth-care, two major issues will occupy the minds and hearts of humankind, especially those enmeshed in Earth  -caring: What is the destiny and future of planet Earth when pillage is the present  logic of development and consumption? What hope is there for the poor, two thirds of the humankind when the culture of the satisfied have become enclosed in consumeristic selfishness?

We are crossing the threshold of an ecological age which calls for a change paradigm—it calls for a new pedagogy, new imagination, new ethics, new politics, new discovery of the sacred and a new process of individuation (spirituality). We have to accept and force paths that lead to healing of the Earth and the recovery of its ravaged dignity.

We have to reclaim the sacred. Unless we collectively decide to change the course of civilizatyion and shift its thrust from the logic of means at the service of an exclusionary accumulation to a logic of  ends serving the well being of planet Earth, humankind will find itself facing violence and destruction at all levels never before seen at the face of the Earth.

In fact, the tinderbox is lit and burning.  The wars for resources like oil (resulting to upheaval  of states like Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and now Yemen), water battles (South China Sea/West Philippine Sea, sea territorial -grabbing (South China Sea/West Philippine Sea,  and airspace disputes with a new form of barbarians.  

There must be a new covenant with Earth. One that God established with Noah after the Deluge. The Good Book said (Gen 9; 13-16) ”I  set my bow on the clouds to serve as a sign between me and the Earth….everlasting covenant …between God, all living things,  all mortals that are on Earth.

Unfortunately, we blew it. We have no  sense  of kindness, compassion,  cosmic solidarity and  reverence of the deep mystery.

Unless we start reclaiming the dignity of Earth, we are no sons and daughters of the rainbow.