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We are worried about pollution, overpopulation, deforestation,
nuclear accidents, strip mining, global warming, biodiversity,
and sustainable development. We share a scientific sensibility,
demand rational governance, and hold that the Earth needs to
be defended.
Instead of working on fragmentary non-governmental organizations
or minority political parties, we have reframed our concerns
into a new religious faith, a spiritual and moral foundation
for the third millennium.
Our faith is based on simple truths. The 11th Commandment
is: Protect the Earth..
After thousands of years of "fruitfully multiplying",
Humanity must slow our own reproduction, and leave more of the
Earth for other species. Modern medicine and agriculture have
rendered the need for large families obsolete. So we believe
in Zero Population Growth and that it is morally correct to be
tolerant of non-traditional family units as well as family planning
and choice.
Because our new religion cannot grow through reproduction,
it must grow through word-of-mouth evangelizing. We can do this
by underwriting media like PBS and NPR, in order to attract new
members of all races, religions, and nationalities from the ecoconscious,
the Gaians, the Gays, the Brights, Progressives, feminists, and
suburban yuppies (who relinquish their SUV's).
Finally, lets talk about God: We accept the Gaia Hypothesis
on faith, that the Earth herself has miraculous powers of adaptive
self-healing. But she needs our help and the help of all people
and their Gods. Thus our members are allowed to keep and celebrate
their existing God and religious beliefs.
Openness is the key to growth: Rather than rejecting other
faiths, or competing for congregants, we will be a "Co-religion":
We are the Green Christians, Green Jews, Green Buddhists, Green
Hindus, and Green Muslims. We will not be excommunicated for
our faith in Gaia.
We are ecologically sensitive. We either drive a Prius or
want to. We like sermons (or blogs) about global warming, loose
nukes, and biodiversity. Consistent with our faith, we admit
our origins in shared Evolution with other creatures. We will
establish our holy shrines in communities such as Love Canal,
Bhopal, Chernobyl, and Rocky Flats as testaments to human greed
overcoming common good.
As a religion, we will gain tax-exempt status, and will require
a 1/4 of 1% tithe (only $250/year on a $100k salary), as well
as ongoing charitable work focused on protecting the Earth. Within
a decade, we will grow into a powerful and moral voice for progress.
Click on this to send viral email to your friends.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_hypothesis
http://members.aol.com/JWaugh7596/page3.html
http://www.the-brights.net
http://www.secularhumanism.org
http://www.populationconnection.org
http://www.cc.org
http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/rel/newrels.htm |