Saturday 4 July 2015

The Poor Suffer Most From Environmental Injury

It is the poor and working people who are most burdened by environment injury. They host the toxic dumps and incinerators and sewage plants, work in factory fumes, pay for the bottled water they can't afford, and suffer in stifling city apartments when public beaches are closed. 

Meanwhile, the wealthy can cut and run - they enrich themselves by polluting our rivers or falling our ancient timber, and then fly off to some private paradise behind a guarded driveway. 

The rest of humanity is left with contaminated and denuded landscapes. 

Astonishingly, the church, especially evangelical and fundamentalists branches, condone the above - ignoring the greatest command to love thy neighbour [and care for God's creation - which includes humans]. They proclaim wealth is fine as long as you "share". Odd that Jesus says to sell all and give to the poor to follow him...And James condemns the wealthy for their wealth and for not paying their workers....it's called greed. But it's "okay" to have a BMW, a big house, a cottage, etc. as long as you "share". Right! Let's see them really share their goods. Once again the gospel's demands are watered down - sell-able. 

At least the Pope is calling for sacrifice and change in the lives of the rich. He notes that climate change is because of human impact [of especially the rich] and, therefore, rich humans must change NOW. Let's see act-i-on now. Let's see this preached/lived from the pulpits of the church, state, factory, schools...

Above quote from The Green Bible: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. "The River Keepers"

  

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