The longing
Terry Glavin came as a visiting author at school today. It was so refreshing to hear reason and a call against fear-mongering and coercion from an environmentalist! He’s a journalist and writes books of non-fiction stories, the most recent being Stories in an Age of Extinction. He spoke about not only plant and animal species rapidly becoming extinct, but lanuguages, cultures and ways of life throughout the world. He said that the rate of extinction now is accelerating wildly, in both nature and culture. It makes me think of Revelation where a scroll is opened by an angel and 1/3 of the earth’s creatures die off.
As a Christian, I firmly believe in stewardship of natural resources, but I also put care of people ahead of care of animals. Of course it is to our own advantage to take proper care of the environment, animals included. The conflict arises when our immediate needs cause the environment harm, or environmentally friendly measures cause hardship for people. Ideally care of people and care of the environment are not mutually exclusive, and it would be great if more progress was made in this area.
Really though, some of the wonderful species he talked about (pygmy elephants and giant sloths) made me think of my response to visiting the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumhellar. I saw carved images of Giant Beavers who really existed, and they were so amazing! It made me laugh to think that God made something so wonderful. And it made me long for the New Earth that Revelation also talks about, where everything that we know is not as it should be will be made right.
Really interesting.
“extinction of culture” makes me think of places we visited and cultures we are now aware of that I was not even remotely aware of—nor did I probably care.
During our visit to the Tropical Rainforest I asked the guide “What is happening to the young people? Do they stay here or are they moving to the cities to find work?” The answer: they are moving to the cities because there is no future in staying. That means these cultures are dying as we speak. And megacities are springing up with promises by politicians that “We will plant vegetables on the tops of apartment buildings for food supply.”!!!!!?????!!!!!
That would be interesting to see…and it sounds good…
Animal species becoming extinct…that is another issue! Especially in countries where poachers feel that the fewer tigers there are ( just for an example ), the more money one can get for a tiger pelt and body parts!!
For some it’s a living…the way they feed their families. In some places, do they have a lot of other choices?
That’s hard to answer.
Hope it’s OK that I got off on my own thoughts and experiences and input that I have had.
This author sounds really great! I’m glad you got to hear him!