As I considered our point of view toward nature (about 30 minute ago when I started the reading assignment), I thought back to our perspectives class that evening. There had been strong opinions on the future of sustainability and the environment. The professors were all discussing how we (the students) are the people in the present now and we are the ones who have to be discovering new innovative ways to inspire the public to care about the environment. I felt so excited as I listened, thinking about things I could do to motivate others and movements (or even organizations) I could start. However, my balloon of excitement was punctured slightly as I read the selections from the Course Anthology. To find out that some religions believe that man should have dominion over nature was a strange thing for me to think about. I’m not sure what I’ve believed all my life (maybe I have believed some form of “we should be part of the hierarchy above nature” all along), but lately I’ve been changing so much and having new thoughts about the relationship of people with nature. Maybe it’s the nice weather, maybe it’s being around different people, but I’ve been becoming more and more interested in nature as something that is a part of life, but not a part of life that we rule over. I consider it more as something that we, as humans, are connected with.
I know this may sound silly, because every other soul-searching college student probably goes through this, but lately I’ve been really questioning what religion I should follow, if I should follow one at all. I’ve been wondering what exactly I believe in. I’ve already talked about an idea of a divine being out there, and my uncertainty as to who or what this being is, but in regards to nature, I’ve said very little. I like the idea of Confucianism, “the most life-affirming in the spectrum of world religions” (Anthology 29). I like the idea of being “in harmony with nature” and truly connecting with it (Anthology 29). A nature in which “the earth, untilled, pour[s] freely forth her childish gifts” and “waving corn-crops shall to golden grow” (Anthology 124). A nature in which “justice returns” (Anthology 123).
I noticed that in class when we meditate, I tended to relax and concentrate on emptying my mind better outside. In the classroom, I found myself getting drowsy or else my thoughts would keep reeling around my head and coming back whenever I tried to get them to go away. Outside, however, I felt more relaxed and at ease. I could almost connect my thoughts to a breeze that moved through our group. I let the wind carry them away and felt so in tune with nature, yet also completely free and able to let go as well.
Going along with what I believe, I found God’s vengeance in “the Jerusalem Bible” a little disturbing. He told Eve “I will multiply your pains in childbearing,” among other things for eating the forbidden fruit. I’ve always imagined God as more forgiving than I’ve found lately (probably because I never actually read the Bible). I like to imagine that he or she is compassionate and loving, not so intent on punishing.
Sullivan’s discussion in “Jainism and Ecology” really struck a chord in me that I’ve contemplated before. He said that people have a “sense of loss or nostalgia for earlier, seemingly less complicated eras when the constant questioning of religious beliefs and practice was not so apparent” (Anthology 28). I feel like our society is constantly coping with issues related to differing religions. Can religion be taught in school, should our nation observe religious holidays, should churches have to pay property taxes? All these things are issues that are extremely prevalent in political discussions now whereas before, were they really such a problem? Did they used to have big discussions about religion in class like we do now? I remember in my senior year of high school, we had big arguments about religious views and it was a very passionate subject. I have some kind of vision of how things used to be (which is probably more idealistic than it actually was because I wasn’t actually there), but in that vision, religion seemed much less of a problem in the past.
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