Rush to Rush to RichesRiches

The Curse of The Curse of PlentyPlenty

Dedicated to NoahDedicated to Noah

I establish My covenant I establish My covenant with you and with every with you and with every living creature. living creature. (Compassion)(Compassion) I establish My covenant I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall with you: Never again shall there be a flood to destroy there be a flood to destroy the earth. the earth. (Conservation)(Conservation)•Genesis 9: 8 -11Genesis 9: 8 -11

Blessings & Curses = Luke 6: Blessings & Curses = Luke 6: 20-2620-26

Blessed are you Blessed are you poorpoor

Blessed are you Blessed are you who hunger nowwho hunger now

Blessed are you Blessed are you who weep nowwho weep now

Blessed are you Blessed are you when men hate when men hate you, exclude you, you, exclude you, revile yourevile you

Woe to you who Woe to you who are rich are rich

Woe to you who Woe to you who are fullare full

Woe to you who Woe to you who laugh nowlaugh now

Woe to you when Woe to you when all men speak all men speak well of youwell of you

Earth – A Sacred Balance Earth – A Sacred Balance

Nature is at our disposal not as Nature is at our disposal not as “a heap of scattered refuse”, “a heap of scattered refuse”, but as a gift of the Creator who but as a gift of the Creator who has given it anhas given it an inbuilt order, inbuilt order, enabling man to draw from it enabling man to draw from it the principles needed in order. the principles needed in order. CV 4, 48CV 4, 48

Pope Benedict XVIPope Benedict XVI

““The Church has a The Church has a responsibility towards responsibility towards creation and she must assert creation and she must assert this responsibility in the public this responsibility in the public sphere. In so doing, she must sphere. In so doing, she must defend earth, water and air as defend earth, water and air as gifts of creation that belong to gifts of creation that belong to everyone.” CV 4, 51 everyone.” CV 4, 51

Our Story Compared to Our Story Compared to JobJob

It tells the story of man who It tells the story of man who losses everything; Wealth, losses everything; Wealth, Family, HealthFamily, Health

And wrestles with the And wrestles with the question “WHY?”question “WHY?”

““Why did I not die at Birth? Why did I not die at Birth? Why did I did not perish when Why did I did not perish when I came from the womb?” I came from the womb?”

Job 3: 11-12Job 3: 11-12

Three Unkind Friends or Three Unkind Friends or ScientistsScientists

Eliphaz the Temanite Eliphaz the Temanite (Geologist)(Geologist)

Bildad the Shuhite Bildad the Shuhite (Cosmologist)(Cosmologist)

Zophar the Naamathite Zophar the Naamathite (Ecologist)(Ecologist)

Job 2: 11Job 2: 11

Curse on Curse on LithosphereLithosphere (Land) (Land)

Sister Earth – St. FrancisSister Earth – St. Francis Be Praised, My Lord, through Our Sister Be Praised, My Lord, through Our Sister

Mother Earth, who sustains and guides us Mother Earth, who sustains and guides us and produces diverse fruits with colored and produces diverse fruits with colored flowers and herbsflowers and herbs

Disrupting the Sacred Balance Disrupting the Sacred Balance

When land does well for its When land does well for its owner, and the owner does well owner, and the owner does well by his land; by his land; we have Sacred we have Sacred Balance.Balance. When one or the When one or the other grows poor, we do not. other grows poor, we do not. (Aldo Leopold)(Aldo Leopold)

Violations on Land EthicsViolations on Land Ethics

Land Ethics means harmony Land Ethics means harmony between men and land. between men and land.

The land ethic simply enlarges The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the and animals, or collectively: the landland

Curse of PlentyCurse of Plenty Renewable and Non Renewable Renewable and Non Renewable

Plants, animals, microbes, Plants, animals, microbes, medicinal plantsmedicinal plants

Fresh water, fish, climate, Fresh water, fish, climate, air, fertile soilair, fertile soil

Fossil fuel, coal, oil, peat, Fossil fuel, coal, oil, peat, natural gasnatural gas

Metals, iron ore, gold, Metals, iron ore, gold, copper, aluminumcopper, aluminum

Rocks, sand, precious Rocks, sand, precious stonesstones

A Crucified LandA Crucified Land

Curse on Hydrosphere Curse on Hydrosphere (Water)(Water)

Sister Water – St. FrancisSister Water – St. FrancisBe praised my Lord, through Sister Water, Be praised my Lord, through Sister Water,

who is very useful and humble and who is very useful and humble and precious and pureprecious and pure

Industry and GlobalizationIndustry and Globalization

The requirements of justice The requirements of justice must be safeguarded … in must be safeguarded … in which the capital was which the capital was generated and the harm to generated and the harm to individuals that will result individuals that will result if if it is not used where it was it is not used where it was produced, without making a produced, without making a real contribution to local real contribution to local societysociety CV 3, 40 CV 3, 40

Populorum ProgressioPopulorum Progressio

Today the material Today the material resources available for resources available for rescuing these peoples from rescuing these peoples from poverty are potentially poverty are potentially greater than before, but greater than before, but they have ended up largely they have ended up largely in the hands of people from in the hands of people from developed countries, who developed countries, who have benefited more. have benefited more. (Pope (Pope Paul VI)Paul VI)

Curse on AtmosphereCurse on Atmosphere (Air) (Air)

Brother Wind – St. FrancisBrother Wind – St. FrancisBe praised, my Lord, through Brother Be praised, my Lord, through Brother

Wind, and through Air and Cloud and Wind, and through Air and Cloud and fair and all Weather by which you fair and all Weather by which you nourish all that you have madenourish all that you have made

Curse on Biosphere Curse on Biosphere (Life)(Life)

Brothers and Sisters – St FrancisBrothers and Sisters – St Francis Same Origin – GodSame Origin – God Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, CytosineAdenine, Guanine, Thymine, Cytosine

““From the dust of the earth, from the common From the dust of the earth, from the common elementary fund, the Creator has made Homo sapiens. elementary fund, the Creator has made Homo sapiens. From the same material he has made every other From the same material he has made every other creature, however noxious and insignificant to us. They creature, however noxious and insignificant to us. They are earth-born companions and our fellow mortals.”are earth-born companions and our fellow mortals.” John John MuirMuir

A Kingdom of Life is The Kingdom A Kingdom of Life is The Kingdom of Godof God

Curse on the Kingdom of God Curse on the Kingdom of God

Kingdom of God is Creation Kingdom of God is Creation itselfitself

1. The Kingdom of Monera1. The Kingdom of Monera 2. The Kingdom of Protista2. The Kingdom of Protista 3. The Kingdom of Fungi3. The Kingdom of Fungi 4. The Kingdom of Plantae4. The Kingdom of Plantae 5. The Kingdom of Animalia5. The Kingdom of Animalia

Ecological Ecological RefugeesRefugees

Mother Mother Earth is Earth is CrucifiedCrucified

One Magic Word – SacrificeOne Magic Word – SacrificeThere is no greater love than lay down one’s life for one’s There is no greater love than lay down one’s life for one’s

friends – John 15:13friends – John 15:13

Human PopulationHuman Population

Neolithic, 10,000 years – 3 millionNeolithic, 10,000 years – 3 millionChrist’s time, 2000 years – 200 million Christ’s time, 2000 years – 200 million 1800 – 1 billion1800 – 1 billion1930 – 2 billion1930 – 2 billion1950 – 2.5 billion1950 – 2.5 billion1995 – 5.7 billion1995 – 5.7 billion2010 – 6.5 billion2010 – 6.5 billion2050 – 9 billion2050 – 9 billion2100 – 10 billion2100 – 10 billion

Generational Generational MarkersMarkers

The Traditionalists 1928 to 1945The Traditionalists 1928 to 1945

The Baby Boomers 1945 to 1964 - The Baby Boomers 1945 to 1964 - taken with them much of the wealth taken with them much of the wealth of the next generationsof the next generations

The Generation X 1965 to 1979The Generation X 1965 to 1979

The Generation Y 1980to 1995The Generation Y 1980to 1995

The Generation Z 1995 and afterThe Generation Z 1995 and after

Hunters and GatherersHunters and Gatherers

““Ecosystem People" (hunters)Ecosystem People" (hunters) sustainably with environmentsustainably with environment

““Biosphere People" (gatherers)Biosphere People" (gatherers) exploit resources from other exploit resources from other environments environments

Bad news is “gatherers” on the Bad news is “gatherers” on the riserise

Job 3: 25-26Job 3: 25-26

“ “For the thing I greatly For the thing I greatly feared has come upon feared has come upon me. And what I dreaded me. And what I dreaded has happened to me. I has happened to me. I am not at ease, nor am I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest, for quiet; I have no rest, for trouble comes”trouble comes”

We are We are Moving Moving

Towards a Towards a Runaway Runaway

GreenhousGreenhouse Effecte Effect

The PremonitionThe PremonitionMan’s attempt to reach the Man’s attempt to reach the moon and send special ships moon and send special ships such as Voyager 1 out of the such as Voyager 1 out of the solar system as the solar system as the manifestation of the manifestation of the premonition of the collective premonition of the collective unconscious about oncoming unconscious about oncoming extinction. The will to live extinction. The will to live leads us to discover ways of leads us to discover ways of survival beyond the earth. survival beyond the earth.

Five Mass ExtinctionsFive Mass Extinctions

Sister Death – St. FrancisSister Death – St. FrancisPlate TectonicsPlate TectonicsIce AgeIce AgeVolcanoesVolcanoesEarthquakesEarthquakesTsunamisTsunamisAsteroids and MeteoritesAsteroids and MeteoritesMan the Meteor (The Sixth Mass Man the Meteor (The Sixth Mass Extinction)Extinction)

Five Mass Extinctions-Five Mass Extinctions-Climate Change the Climate Change the

CulpritCulprit

Genesis 6: 5-7Genesis 6: 5-7 The Lord saw how bad the people The Lord saw how bad the people

on Earth were and that everything on Earth were and that everything they thought and planned was they thought and planned was evil. He was very sorry that he had evil. He was very sorry that he had made them, and he said, “I’ll made them, and he said, “I’ll destroy every living creature on destroy every living creature on Earth! I’ll wipe out people, Earth! I’ll wipe out people, animals, birds and reptiles. I’m animals, birds and reptiles. I’m sorry I ever made them.”sorry I ever made them.”

Luke 12: 17-19 – Rich FoolLuke 12: 17-19 – Rich Fool

And he thought within himself, And he thought within himself, saying, “What shall I do, since I have saying, “What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?” no room to store my crops?” (Greed)(Greed)So he said, “I will do this” I will pull So he said, “I will do this” I will pull down my barns and build greater, down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and and there I will store all my crops and my goods.” my goods.” (Science and Technology)(Science and Technology)And I will say to my Soul, “Soul, you And I will say to my Soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” be merry.” (Anthropocentric Motives)(Anthropocentric Motives)

Luke 12: 20Luke 12: 20

"But God said to him, 'You "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your fool! This very night your life will be demanded from life will be demanded from you. Then who will get you. Then who will get what you have prepared what you have prepared for yourself?'for yourself?'

Job 4: 6-7

“For affliction does not come from the dust. Nor does trouble spring from the ground. Yet man is born to ‘trouble.”

Man the Meteor - Man the Meteor - Centesimus AnnusCentesimus Annus

Instead of carrying out his role Instead of carrying out his role as a co-operator with God in as a co-operator with God in the work of creation, man sets the work of creation, man sets himself up in place of God and himself up in place of God and thus ends up provoking a thus ends up provoking a rebellion on the part of nature, rebellion on the part of nature, which is more tyrannized than which is more tyrannized than governed by him…. (37)governed by him…. (37)

Man- The Most Poisonous & Dangerous

Some time ago it was reported that the New York Zoo had a sign on a cage in the ape section, headed, "The Most Dangerous and Poisonous Animal in the World." As the passersby would look into the cage they saw their own image reflected in a mirror.

In our zeal to build and possess, we may lose all that we have!

Romans 14:17 Romans 14:17  “ “For the For the

kingdom of God kingdom of God is not a matter is not a matter of eating and of eating and drinking, but of drinking, but of righteousness, righteousness, peace and joy in peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”the Holy Spirit”

A Crucified Earth A Crucified Earth Awaiting Awaiting ResurrectionResurrection