I was lent a book once titled 'Is God Green?' The opening chapter was all about how other religions and world views are wrong. In the section on animism, the author explained that animism does not place humans at the centre of things, there is no special place or plan for them, so that's clearly wrong because humans are special and god loves them... I stopped reading at this point, thinking this book is written by and for idiots. The reason I am attracted to animism is that it doesn't put humans at the centre of everything. But perhaps the author (Lionel Windsor, though I can't find the book itself any more, it must have been returned to it's owner) was actually representing a fairly mainstream idea, or not even idea, maybe more of an assumption. People are more important than all other beings, because we are people. That sloppy.
That is not to say that this is the standpoint of most Christians, who I know are not idiots and would not make such a stupid kind of argument.
I am liking your explanation of the situation in terms of power dynamics, it is very practical and realistic. Solutions, (escapes) are not easy to see, and I wouldn't even try to think about it in terms of the saola, since you have already worked so hard and come up against all the obstacles already.
But how about we think about all the ways in which people are not special or more worthy and important than all other beings? I think there's a logical argument to be made there, but I'm not sure if that is what's needed. Logical arguments may not affect the power structures very much... Probably as you suggest what is really needed is a lot of money. A billionaire benefactor. I suppose they are rather hard to get hold of. Although I work in an art gallery, which attracts the kind of people who can spend £800 on a painting on a whim, which always blows my mind.
Sort of glad I don’t have time to make a mess of a comment as I have to go out and feed the animals.
But this series has given me so much to think about, thank you.
I was lent a book once titled 'Is God Green?' The opening chapter was all about how other religions and world views are wrong. In the section on animism, the author explained that animism does not place humans at the centre of things, there is no special place or plan for them, so that's clearly wrong because humans are special and god loves them... I stopped reading at this point, thinking this book is written by and for idiots. The reason I am attracted to animism is that it doesn't put humans at the centre of everything. But perhaps the author (Lionel Windsor, though I can't find the book itself any more, it must have been returned to it's owner) was actually representing a fairly mainstream idea, or not even idea, maybe more of an assumption. People are more important than all other beings, because we are people. That sloppy.
That is not to say that this is the standpoint of most Christians, who I know are not idiots and would not make such a stupid kind of argument.
I am liking your explanation of the situation in terms of power dynamics, it is very practical and realistic. Solutions, (escapes) are not easy to see, and I wouldn't even try to think about it in terms of the saola, since you have already worked so hard and come up against all the obstacles already.
But how about we think about all the ways in which people are not special or more worthy and important than all other beings? I think there's a logical argument to be made there, but I'm not sure if that is what's needed. Logical arguments may not affect the power structures very much... Probably as you suggest what is really needed is a lot of money. A billionaire benefactor. I suppose they are rather hard to get hold of. Although I work in an art gallery, which attracts the kind of people who can spend £800 on a painting on a whim, which always blows my mind.