community and sprituality

[raininberkeley]

Today I checked out the Universal Unitarian church in Palo Alto. I've always wanted to check out a UU, but I've always been hesitant, afraid that they might be a little too new-agey? airy? not gritty enough? for an atheist leaning agnostic like me. But no, the message was right on! The topic today was that the environment, and global warming in

Comments

[veleda]

yay.

keep me posted on events!

[ankh_f_n_khonsu]

I don't really bother much with moral issues. Since morality requires belief and principles (that often have foundations in faith), it seems much less responsible than ethics (that often have foundations in logic). So I disagree that the environment/global warming is "THE moral issue of our time". Much data suggests that global warming may be impacted by the abuse of humans, but the actual variation arises from fluctuations within the sun (which seems to match the empirical data much better than the alarmist, reactionary wacko-environmentalists).

Now, I'd certainly agree with something akin to, "Synergy seems like one of the most pressing ethical issues of our time." Or, "Sustainability seems like one of the most pressing ethical issues of our time." But I just don't see any reason to degrade the conversation to the base level of morality. It has too much baggage.

I'd be interested in hearing what the Gnostic presentation entails.

Namaste.

Ethics and morality

[raininberkeley]

I agree with much of what you have said. I base my actions on logic rather than faith. I often struggle with the term morality, and I often contemplate whether an issue is a moral issue or not, and discern the difference between morality and ethics. However, few progressive thinkers or scientists would deny (as you have not) that the current global warming trend is a direct result of the activities of humans. And few would deny that the ethical response to this would be to reduce that behavior and make an attempt to reverse what damage we can.

If these people want to "tread lightly on the earth" or "think globally and act locally" (cliches, yes, but necessary ones in this age), then I'm down with that! If they want to call it a moral issue - THE moral issue, and then do something about it... at the end of the day, I'm good with that!