Religion is often defined via ritual. This is Roy Rappaport's definition, along with many other aspects, but primarily the synthesis of the indexical and the canonical create the ritual of religion. In the Earth, the canonical, or the structure, are things like the geologic processes that abound. The tides, pulled by the moon, the cycling of the magma within the crust of the earth, the day and the night are all rituals.
Sound familiar? These are also the time keeping processes as covered in the Sun Sura of the Q'uran. In this Surah, the disregard for these events due to human arrogance lead to the fall of civilization. We are disrupting these geologic processes through the Anthropocene- the term for an age in which humanity is geologically changing the earth. Rocks made of plastic are washing up in Hawaii as pollutants are sedimenting into the oceanic crust. We are changing the earth's circadian rhythms, and society may have to echo the Sun Sura and fall if we do not fundamentally change.
I also think that the way humans interact with the earth has to change on a fundamental level. I, however, also believe that it will not happen swiftly. the cleanup and changes that the human race need to make will be a very long and very slow process that will take decades, if not centuries, to occur. I believe that we should stop holding our breath and just try to make changes in our own life rather than trying to make everyone change which is a battle that no one will win.
ReplyDeleteTo go off of what Gabriel said, I think that the way humans interact with earth has changed a good amount. I do think a change will come, but like everything it is gonna take time. I do think also going off of what gabe said that we should as people only change what we can, only control what you can control and that is what you can do. And if you start off by worrying about yourself everything else will be fine. And I think that is the best way to go about it.
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