Martha, a good friend of mine, someone who comments on nearly every post I make (thank you), just replied to a post I made a few days ago, of a photographic story by National Geographic magazine, documenting the widespread natural gas drilling that is taking place across the United States. The story presents a bleak picture of the changing landscape of the once untouched American West. It seems that these stories of environmental devastation have struck a chord with her, as they've struck a chord with me as well. But they've left her feeling hopeless, crying out for Christ's return, because let's face it, the world is passing away in our hands. But hopelessness is not what this blog is about, no, it's about taking deliberate action in the fight against myopic development, making harder the lives of those who are greedy, who seek power and oppress those who are weaker than them, it's about reaching out in love to educate those individuals who can make a difference. More than anything else, the message that I try to get across through every piece of art that I make, is an idea that comes from the Bible (Jesus specifically), which has been channeled through Kurt Vonnegut, and Bono. The idea is this:
Step outside of yourself and love other people. If we are just living for survival, then we are no better than the animals, something that separates us is human compassion, although not everyone has it. Kurt Vonnegut said it this way, "above all else, be kind to each other." Or as Bono said it, "One love-One blood-One life-You got to do what you should-One life-With each other-Sisters-Brothers-One life-But we're not the same-We get to-Carry each other-Carry each other."
Our job, as people with compassion, is to teach others to have values. Martha said it best, "you have to teach them by example." You've also got to educate them. If someone throws a cigarette butt on the ground, tell them about the bad chemicals that are in those cigarette butts, tell them how they are made specifically not to break down. And then throw your cigarette butt in the trash can. Even better, just don't smoke. But the biggest point is that as the educated, it is our job to teach, if you are a Christian, teach the Gospel, and if you claim to be a Christian then LIVE IT. This means dying to yourself, dying to love other people, and not just living for survival.
In the coming days I'll try to write a few short pieces and provide links to companies and organizations who are taking a stand in the fight for sustainable living. Also, I'll try to write a few short essays on how we can all get involved and make a difference not just in the little things we do, but really shake things up and create the momentum for change.
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3 comments:
i'm glad you're going to do this. and i'm sorry i came across so hopeless. it was just that i'd read some other blogs about people killing each other and babies being aborted and violence taking over the world. then i read about the terrible devastation sweeping across the once wild west.
so i know i sounded hopeless. but i really meant to be hopeFUL(L). our hope should be in Christ's return. but you're right, too. we don't know when He's going to return... so while we're still and He's still not, we should do what we can.
i look forward to reading what you have to say about what we can do. i'd like to do what i can... maybe you can hold me accountable.
I'm glad you activists are out there to atone for the sins of us overthinkers.
Hope all is well back there in Tejas. Get in touch sometime - I still never got to hear all your travel stories (the ones you didn't post here).
this was a great post, anton. really inspiring. there are just so many little things we can do. and big things. we all do them in our own way: you tell stories that make people move, i love drug addicts and try to give them hope for a future, martha's story and strength inspires, ben loves on germans. maybe some of us can get together one weekend and volunteer together.
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