Stewards of the Earth?

[Bathilde]

As heathens, do you think we have a duty or responsibility to be environmental? If so, how far should we go in this pursuit? Recycling? Use environmentally-safe/friendly products? whole foods?

I consider myself to be an environmentalist. I believe it goes hand in hand with honoring and respecting the land wights. I do not consider the earth to be sacred, however. I do not accept recycling as a viable, practical, or sustainable way of reducing pollution. I prefer reusing and reducing. I'm against bottled water. I drive a car(MINI Cooper), so obviously I can only go so far in my current situation, although it does get great gas mileage(38mpg). I would love it if my car were deisel so I could use biodeisel. Or even electric(they make an electric MINI Cooper, but it's only for lease in certain locations). I agree with using alternative energy such as solar, geothermal, hydro, biodeisel(certain kinds), etc. I think in order for humans to be at their current level of comfort and productivity, and be sustainable, all of these alternatives will have to be implemented and made more efficient.

I think food should be bought locally, with less emphasis on meat(even though I love meat) particularly beef. Factory farming is of the devil. I abhor the use of growth hormones, and meat byproducts as feed. In order for large populations, such as cities and metropolis's, to use this method in a sustainable way, I think the use of vertical farming is a good solution. I am undecided about GM foods. In some ways it's good(feeds starving populations), and in some ways it's bad(Monsanto).

Basically the modern culture I live in now is unsustainable, and it would be difficult to enact the changes needed for homeostasis. I hope for it though. I don't know if I'd consider myself to be a steward. I think there's a lot more I could do to live more "green", but due to impracticality and lack of funds, I simply don't. I guess I'm green in moderation.

I do not think that if one is heathen then they must be environmental.

[JeffSinger]

As far as i am concerned its MASSIVE part of being a heathen. We literally worship the earth and nature as a part of us, as a unified force. Alfather is seen as an all prevading force that binds all things together. All things spring from the same source, we are one. It is our duty to make sure our home is treated well and that nature (the personification of the gods themselves) be treated with respect.

[JeffSinger]

I do not think that if one is heathen then they must be environmental.

I see what your saying there and thats true, but i dont think one could be a true heathen if they ran an oil refinery, know what i meen? Like a Heathen who pollutes or litters is to me, like a christian who steals, its like totally counter to the whole idea, but no you dont have to go out of your way to recycle to be a heathen. I would say though all the heathens i know are very earth friendly

Good topic btw,

btw (unrelated) ive been advertising this board to get it off the ground

[Bathilde]

We literally worship the earth and nature as a part of us, as a unified force.

Are you sure it's literally?

[JeffSinger]

Yea Pagans worship the earth, i dont know about you, maybe you have adapted Germanic philosophy to the modern day as an outlook on life. I am a Germanic Pagan (i.e. i worship and belive as did my ancestor) i pay homage to the earth and worship nature, i belive you adapt germanic ideals into a modern philosophy (nothing wrong with that what so ever) shying away from the cosmology and theology and focusing more on living like the ancestors than beliving like them, imo.

[JeffSinger]

and im a grasshopper, so put that in your pipe and smoke it hahahaha :p

[Bathilde]

I don't literally worship the earth. I literally worship spirits of the earth, but not the earth itself. I don't worship planets or satellites. Nor do I worship nebulae, galaxies, quantum singularities, pulsars, quasars, and stars.

BTW, tomorrow is EARTH DAY!

[JeffSinger]

i feel ya.......yay earth day

[Bathilde]

I was wrong, it was today, the 22nd.

[JeffSinger]

damn i was gonna do a little blot, well i still can