Book Club

I have joined a book club, was a bit concern about having to buy a book (not something we can afford to do alot of at the moment). But thankfully I suggested one of my personal favs that I already own and everyone agreed. Woo hoo. So we are reading 'Planetwise' by Dave Bookless (great name for an author!).

I am going to be blogging my thoughts and answers to some of the questions that are in the book.

Introduction

1.Do you agree that 'as human beings we have got our relationship with the planet all wrong'? What evidence can you find to support this view?
I think that I defiantly agree with this statement, for too long we have taken everything that we can from the planet. Without consideration for the consequences. Mining and logging being two big examples. Digging huge holes, and completely stripping the land of trees have huge consequences. Mining poisons waterways and makes the earth almost dead so it is almost impossible to grow anything, land clearing for logging destroys habitat, weakens the earth by removing the roots that were holding the soil together so when the first heavy rain comes along mud slides happen.

2.Where would you place yourself in the spectrum of Christian attitudes to environmental issues: are they insidious, irrelevant, incidental or integral? Why?
Become stronger in the integral, I have always had a passion for the environment, but havn't been all that sure that being a Christian and an environmentalist actually went together. But the more I read the bible and books like this one I am happily understanding that infact it is an integral part of being both and environmentalist and a christian.

3. The chapter concludes that the bible is not just the story of God and humanity, but 'the story of God and the whole of creation'. Why do you think Christian have often only emphasized the 'human' elements of the bible, and neglected the wider creation?
Because humans are inherently selfish beings, which I don't think is helped by the messages we receive everyday. Messages about that we are the centre of our own world, that we should put ourselves first, etc. And also because it is easier to focus on ourselves, the 'what can one person do?' attitude.