Philosophy Friday

[Ben Lamb]

To Ben's original question. False. Without diminishing the magnificence of animals and their applied intelligence for survival and existence, it is not even close. God created animals and gifted them with all the skills and instincts they need to thrive, adapt and reproduce in a wide variety of environments. Man is created in God's image and was given the ability to worship, have free will, understand the difference of right and wrong with regards to morality and make present time choices in anticipation of predicable future events. Man has the ability to build on the pool of knowledge from previous generations and exercise discernment in how that knowledge should be applied.

In regards to the abilities that God has given man, He has also given us the mandate to be responsible stewards of the earth and the animals. Unfortunately, many hold the view of "dominion over" to be a license for unmitigated exploitation rather than responsibility to regulate our relationship towards nature and the environment with sustainability and longevity in mind.

When Jesus was asked, "...what is the greatest commandment of all?", his reply was; "Thou shall love the Lord, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And the second is similar. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

When that teaching is applied toward conservation and the environment, I understand it to mean that we value the earth as intrinsically precious because God created it. I have a responsibility to keep my harmful impact on the environment to lowest level I can. Loving my neighbor as myself, means I do what I can to ensure that others can benefit from the earth as I have.

Specifically in regards to public land access, I know I have a bunch of neighbors of with a wide variety of religious and philosophical viewpoints who enjoy and benefit from what public lands have to offer. To that end, I am attempting to instill in my children and those around me the ability to understand what really is valuable. The reduction of nature resources and wilderness to commodities with value measured in dollars and cents, diminishes our humanity and created purpose. So to, does complete exclusion from access to be able to benefit materially from natural resources and the bounty of the earth.

I marvel over the beauty and majesty of animals fulfilling their created purpose, by their existence. That aspect thrills my soul and causes me to give thanks to God for His wisdom. I also enjoy the benefit of utilizing individual animals for food. That aspect thrills my tongue and fills my belly.

Very much this. Well said Gerald.

 

[katqanna]

Not sure what to say. Context is everything.

There is also a vast difference between knowing the words(what you think they mean) and having a personal relationship with God, the Creator.

Zach, agreed, there is a difference between a book, any book, and a personal relationship, or spirituality, however people want to define it. Mine has never been dependent on a book, so a new understanding of words hasn't ever caused an existential crisis for me.

I can learn from good principles taught from a variety of sources. Like Iyob (Job) 12:7-9, speaking of a Creator, "But now please ask the animals, and they will teach you; and the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or converse with the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will recount to you; who does not know among these that the hand of YHWH has done this."

Now, whether a person wants to believe that YHWH is a male monotheistic creator god of the Amurru or other iterations; or the female creatress of the Samarra culture; or a non human gendered creative force; or whatever creator/creative names from a multitude of cultures, like Spider Woman, or Bewi or the Deism of the natural world like Thomas Jefferson, I think the take home message, at least, what I have gleaned from years of research, is we are a part of creation. As such, I choose to respect, be a student of, and protect it for future generations, to the best of my ability, my ecological ethic, if you will. I feel I can best do that by learning from/with, observing, rather than viewing myself as a master, having dominion to do as I please.

 

[noharleyyet]

Kat, impressive imagery droppage but you lost me somewhere around the burning man literary coordinates.

 

[katqanna]

lol, Ken, I wouldn't know, never having been to, nor desired to attend the Burning Man carnival. I much prefer to hike, hunt and angle in the boonies of Montana.

 

[Ben Long]

I'm just wondering how long BigHornRam's nice new gloves lasted that close to his pup...Look like chewtoys to me.

 

[BigHornRam]

I'm just wondering how long BigHornRam's nice new gloves lasted that close to his pup...Look like chewtoys to me.

Pup's smart.....knows what are chew toys and what aren't.

 

[Mica Man]

Still waiting for an animal to chime in and hear what their philosophy on the subject is.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Still waiting for an animal to chime in and hear what their philosophy on the subject is.

 

[noharleyyet]

*slightly indelicate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSi-yCV-gQ4

 

[BigHornRam]

Still waiting for an animal to chime in and hear what their philosophy on the subject is.

Try this link......

https://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?233180-Another-Sheep-Joke

 

[Mica Man]

View attachment 68489

Touche!

 

[shoots-straight]

To Ben's original question. False. Without diminishing the magnificence of animals and their applied intelligence for survival and existence, it is not even close. God created animals and gifted them with all the skills and instincts they need to thrive, adapt and reproduce in a wide variety of environments. Man is created in God's image and was given the ability to worship, have free will, understand the difference of right and wrong with regards to morality and make present time choices in anticipation of predicable future events. Man has the ability to build on the pool of knowledge from previous generations and exercise discernment in how that knowledge should be applied.

In regards to the abilities that God has given man, He has also given us the mandate to be responsible stewards of the earth and the animals. Unfortunately, many hold the view of "dominion over" to be a license for unmitigated exploitation rather than responsibility to regulate our relationship towards nature and the environment with sustainability and longevity in mind.

When Jesus was asked, "...what is the greatest commandment of all?", his reply was; "Thou shall love the Lord, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And the second is similar. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

When that teaching is applied toward conservation and the environment, I understand it to mean that we value the earth as intrinsically precious because God created it. I have a responsibility to keep my harmful impact on the environment to lowest level I can. Loving my neighbor as myself, means I do what I can to ensure that others can benefit from the earth as I have.

Specifically in regards to public land access, I know I have a bunch of neighbors of with a wide variety of religious and philosophical viewpoints who enjoy and benefit from what public lands have to offer. To that end, I am attempting to instill in my children and those around me the ability to understand what really is valuable. The reduction of nature resources and wilderness to commodities with value measured in dollars and cents, diminishes our humanity and created purpose. So to, does complete exclusion from access to be able to benefit materially from natural resources and the bounty of the earth.

I marvel over the beauty and majesty of animals fulfilling their created purpose, by their existence. That aspect thrills my soul and causes me to give thanks to God for His wisdom. I also enjoy the benefit of utilizing individual animals for food. That aspect thrills my tongue and fills my belly.

I agree with Ben, and also I couldn't have said it better. Very well stated Gerald.