Captain Baccard Did It Again

The Proper Treatment of Animals and their Place in the Plan of Salvation

The Proper Treatment of Animals and their Place in the Plan of Salvation

“Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul. “ –Doctrine & Covenants
“The earth in its pristine beauty is an expression of the nature of its creator… I believe in the beauty of nature- the flowers, the fruit, the sky, the peaks, and the plains from which they rise. I see and believe in the beauty of animals.” –President Gordon B. Hinckley
This unique and intriguing doctrine- proper treatment of animals and the environment- I believe, should be an important part of our personal worship, and I have been surprised in my conversations with others, the lack of knowledge concerning their purpose in Gods plan and the Church’s doctrine concerning them. A better understanding in these respects can help everyone see our spiritual companions in a more eternal perspective, which will help them to treat them with the respect and kindness they deserve.
There exist two opposing sides of the spectrum concerning the level of authority of which we possess over the earth and the animals thereon. One is that held by organizations such as PETA who believe:
…that animals are not ours to use for food, clothing, entertainment, experimentation, or any other purpose and that animals deserve consideration of their best interests regardless of whether they are cute, useful to humans, or endangered and regardless of whether any human cares about them at all (just as a mentally challenged human has rights even if he or she is not cute or useful and even if everyone dislikes him or her).

While there is other individuals who give no value to the life of an animal and no thought in taking it at his or her will. The same ideas exist with respect to the use of the earths resources. So where is the line drawn? Why did God give us these animals and to what end? How are we to treat them? Where do they come from and where will they go after this life?
I will mainly focus on animals in addressing these issues and I will begin with their role in the plan of salvation and their level of intelligence, with a combination of religious and secular view points. In addition I will address the topic of dominion and stewardship that man may have over the animal kingdom.
The Creation
“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31
The scientific community puts the creation of the earth at around 4.54 billion years. This age was determined by combining the interpretations of oldest-known terrestrial minerals – small crystals of zircon from the Jack Hills of Western Australia – and astronomers' and planetologists' determinations of the age of the solar system based in part on radiometric age dating of meteorite material and lunar samples.( "Age of the Earth." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 11 Dec 2007, 18:20 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 12 Dec 2007)
Joseph Smith once commented that if you were to ask the learned men why they say the world was made out of nothing, they may answer, “Doesn’t the Bible say He created the world?”, and that by this they would infer, from the word create, that it must have been made out of nothing. The Websters Dictionary states that the word create came from the word baurau, which does not mean to create out of nothing, but rather to organize; the same as an artist may organize clay into a sculptured masterpiece. Thus is the context for which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints defines creation, as stated in the Biblical text, and so “we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos- chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all glory.” –Joseph Smith Jr. (pg3)

These materials are referred to as Element, and are believed to have always existed in its raw form, and “they can never be destroyed; the may be organized and reorganized but not destroyed. They had no beginning and they will have no end.” –Joseph Smith Jr. (pg. 3)
It is out of these same elements that all things were made, man and animal alike. If we mention the physical, we must also look at the spiritual, because it is common belief that animals have no soul and therefore are not of God and are with out feeling. This idea is not held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, that’s is to say that I have not found in any church literature the view that animals have no reason, and cannot think. Joseph Fielding Smith had this to say about the matter:
We have divine knowledge that each possess a spirit in the likeness of its body, and that each was created spiritually before it was naturally, or given a body on the earth. Naturally, then, there is some measure of intelligence in members of the animal kingdom. The fact remains, however, that they received their place and their bounds by divine decree, which they cannot pass. –Joseph Fielding Smith (pg. 2)
The secular world on the other hand doesn’t of course concern itself with matters of the spirit, but there are many studies on the intelligence of animals, for example not long ago, many scientists ranked humans as the smartest animals and all other creatures inferior. Others relied on anthropomorphism or testing animals purely by human attributes. Today's studies show that animals solve problems, make decisions, and show emotions--not unlike humans."We share the planet with thinking animals," says Harvard ethologist Marc Hauser.
The statement in the previous quotation concerning the bounds by which “they” (animals) “cannot pass” is worthy of noting, because as it says in another place:
It (animals) remaineth in the sphere in which I, God, created it. This means that a plant for example may not aspire to become an animal, nor an animal advance to the level of intelligence of a human. “There is no jumping from order to order. The limits of these orders are yet to be found. - John A. Widtsoe
Dominion and Stewardship
“And I, the Lord God, took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it.
-Moses 3:15
Brigham Young points out that, “although we are the “lords of creation”, and hold in subjection the creation; “we avail ourselves of the great truths found in the arts and science, we navigate the seas, survey the land, and convey intelligence with lightning speed, we harness steam and make it our servant, we tame the animals and make them do our drudgery and administer to our wants in many ways, yet man alone is not tamed- he is not subject to his ‘Great Creator.’ Our ignorant animals are faithful to us, and will do our bidding as long as they have strength; yet man who is the offspring of God, will not become subject to the most reasonable and self exalting principles. Doesn’t this faithless obedience demand respect and reverence? Then why are so many atrocities committed against our fury friends? Why do we hunt them for sport and abuse them for their ignorance? Do we have a right to use the authority that we have been allotted in this manner? Is this what is meant by dominion?”
It is true that [God made Adam] lord over the whole earth and gave him dominion over everything on the face of the earth. Lordship and dominion is the same thing. I found that the word lord is the usual English slurring of half-weard, hlaford, or the loaf-ward or keeper of the bread, because according to the Oxford English Dictionary, “in its original sense the word denotes the head of a household in his relation to servants and dependents who ‘eat his bread’… the development of sense has been largely influenced by the adoption of the word as the customary rendering of the Latin dominus.” Which brings us in the same dictionary to “dominion, derivative of domini-um, property, ownership, from dominus, lord, specifically “the lord of the household” [domus]. In short, lordship and dominion is the same thing, the responsibility of the master for the comfort and well being of his dependents and guests; he is the generous host, the kind “pater familias” to whom all look for support. He is the lord who provides bread for all… This definition of dominion places us as caretakers of the earth and the animals the dwell thereon. The question is, are we taking care or advantage of that which we have been made stewards.
The Unnecessary Taking of Animal Life
“And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion. –D&C 59:20
Granted there are different levels and degrees that exist within as well as between species, still it is the privilege of every form of life to multiply in its own sphere and element and have joy therein… Adam’s dominion was a charge to see to it that God’s all went well with creatures; it was not a license to exterminate them… Hugh Nibley (pg.15)

The United States is clearly actively and financially involved in hunting and fishing, be it for sport or necessity. Over 87 million U.S. residents 16 years old and older fished, hunted in 2006. During that year, 29.9 million people fished, 12.5 million hunted. Wildlife recreationists' avidity was reflected in their spending which totaled over $120 billion in 2006. This amounted to 1% of the United States GDP. Of the total amount spent, $37 billion was for trips, $64 billion for equipment, and $16 billion for other items. Sportspersons spent a total of $75 billion in 2006—$41 billion on fishing, $23 billion on hunting, and $11 billion on items used for both hunting and fishing. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation for 2006 http:// federalaid. fws.gov /surveys/ surveys.html)
Hunting and fishing are a huge pastime in America, making it a big part of American culture. I myself have been influenced by it, because the male side of my family has always been involved in it.
When growing up I idealized my older brother and wanted to be a part of everything they did, so when my oldest brother Rob came home excited one day with a new ‘toy.’ I was eager to participate. The toy turned out to be a blowgun, which is basically a pipe that propels small darts. I watched intently as my brother shot with great accuracy out of our back window at any unsuspecting sparrow or robin that happened upon a branch within the distance of their fatal breath. After my brother had taken down a couple birds he was anxious me a turn and a chance to prove myself worthy. I did not want to disappoint, and I didn’t. It wasn’t long before I had found my victim and brought it to its bitter end in life. After I hit it, I watched as it clumsily fell from branch to branch to it found the ground behind a bush. My successful shot was met with instant approval, praise and high-fives. I wanted to see my feathery trophy so I ran out the back door to find where it had landed. When I finally did find it, it was not dead but rather barely alive and fluttering and flopping around awkwardly- with the dart in its side-gasping for air. I immediately felt a great regret for what I had done when I saw the pain this small innocent bird was experiencing because of my actions, and cried as I did my best to put it out of its misery.
I had always admired the little birds that sang outside my window and always wanted to see one up close, but never like this. I decided then and there that I would never intentionally harm another one of Gods creatures.
Don’t kill the little birds
That sing on bush and tree,
All thro’ the summer days,
Their sweetest melody.
Don’t shoot the little birds!
The earth is God’s estate,
And he provideth food
For small as well as great.(Deseret Song1909, no. 163)
Spencer W. Kimbell (pg. 81) had this to say about the innocent taking of life:
And not less with reference to the killing of innocent birds is the wildlife of our country… in my opinion, I think that this principle should extend not only to the bird life but to the life of all animals…
One of the poets stated in this connection:
“Take not away the life you cannot give,
For all things have an equal right to live.”
Then Spencer W. Kimball (pg. 81) added to the poem: “…because God gave it to them, and they were to be used only, as I understand, for food and to supply the needs of men.”
My older brother never has quit hunting and I doubt he ever will but I have been impressed by his practice of giving the meat of his kill to a family that is in need, so as to not waste it, and thereby puts it to proper use and blessed the life of a family, thus honoring in my opinion the animal. “We hope, if men are hungry, they will get enough to satisfy their wants, but no more” –George Q. Cannon
All muscle tissue is very high in protein, containing all of the essential amino acids, However muscle tissue is very low in carbohydrates and contains no fiber. The fat content of meat can vary widely depending on the species and breed of animal, the way in which the animal was raised including what it was fed, the anatomical part of its body, and the methods of butchering and cooking. Wild animals such as deer are typically leaner than farm animals, leading those concerned about fat content to choose game such as venison, despite the increased danger of exposure to chronic wasting disease; however, centuries of breeding meat animals for size and fatness is being reversed by consumer demand for meat with less fat. Animal fat is relatively high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which have been linked to various health problems, including heart disease. ("Meat." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 23 Feb 2009, 22:18 UTC. 24 Feb 2009 .) Therefore eating meat has its pros and cons, but in moderation it can be very nutritionally valuable and was without a doubt an integral part of helping the pioneers cross the plains.
George Q. Cannon addressed the topic in this way: “The Lord has given animals, fowls and fish to man for his use. They are under man’s control, to be used for food with prudence and thanksgiving and not wastefully. But we have heard of animals’ life being very much wasted to gratify the hunting propensity of some man. This is wrong. When people can use game for any kind of food, and they stand in need of it, the Lord is not displeased if they kill it. When however, they hunt it for the mere pleasure of killing, then sin is committed.” This quote makes clear the Churches view of the proper use of these animals.
Accountability and Judgment
“And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.” Genesis 9:11
The words of the scripture allude to the fact that we will be judged for misusing or abusing the charge for which we have been entrusted, namely the proper care and use of God’s creatures.
George Q. Cannon explained it in this way: “The birds and animals cannot speak, but they can suffer, and our God, who created them, knows their sufferings, and will hold him who causes them to suffer unnecessarily to answer for it. It is a sin against their creator.”(pg. 94)
Therefore, we will all have to answer for the lives we take, so it would be wise to judge well whether the need justifies the act, so as not to bring blood upon ourselves in the day of judgment, John the Revelator declared that in the millennium the animal creation will manifest more intelligence then they now possess, in their “fallen condition”, and he continues in stating that they will even know how to praise God. He says, “And every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and all that are in them, heard I, saying, blessing, and honor and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb forever and ever.” What? The animals will be endowed with language? If, this is the case then they may have power to speak against us for say sins we have committed against them. This brings up our final and ever important question: Do all dogs go to heaven?
The Resurrection
“For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the fulness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand.” -D&C 29:24-25
I’ll let Joseph F. Smith answer this question… “The simple answer is that animals do have spirits and that through the redemption made by our Savior they will come forth in the resurrection to enjoy the blessing of immortal life.”
We learn from this that the animals will be resurrected, but the question remains: Where do the beasts, birds, and fish, and all other creatures will go after the resurrection? We can only express opinion. John the Revelator saw many of them in heaven in the presence of God. It is I believe very probable that they, like mankind, may be distributed in the various kingdoms, as does Joseph F. Smith, who said: “We may well believe that each of the kingdoms such creatures will be assigned” (pg. 108)
In conclusion, I have attempted here to show through the words of God through his servants and facts and opinions surrounding this important topic of the proper place and use of animals and there place in the plan of salvation. I have learned that animals truly are an integral part of the plan of salvation and organized from the same elements as ourselves by the same hands of our Creator, with spirit and intelligence much like ourselves and fell and will stand before Him he will take in account our treatment of these His creations, the animals, He will look to see if we have accented righteous dominion, kindness, and prudence.
Animals are truly a blessing and a wonderful example of humble obedience, such as those animals that gathered at the ark in answer to the revelations of God, of which they were a far better judge than the world of mankind in that age.
I would hope that we could learn from them and respect them and honor them in our treatment towards them that we may begin to execute righteous dominion, in preparation to create worlds as Gods in embryo, and to each remember these verses:

He prayeth well, who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast,
He liveth best who lovest best.
All things both great and small
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all. (pg. 83)

References:
The majority of the citations compiled here, are found in a book of Mormon quotations, entitled:
“Kindness to animals and caring for the Earth: selections from the sermons and writings of Latter-day Saint church leaders / compiled by Richard D. Stratton.”

A Finite World of Compromise

The truth of our earth is that it will not last forever. Even with the best care, we still live on a finite planet. This does not mean that we should abuse the earth or take advantage of it, nor does it mean that we shouldn’t use what the earth has to offer. When studying the earth and our relationship to it there are two extremes, those who believe that our technological advances are entirely to blame for the damages done to the planet, and those who believe that the earth is something to subject without regard to the effects of subjection. Though not all are extremists (and most aren’t), people tend to lean towards one end of the spectrum or the other. The truth is that we cannot take to one end or the other without damaging ourselves and our earth. If we were to abandon technology millions who could have been saved from premature death, or starvation, due to medical and transportation advances would die. However, if we ignore the needs of our earth, and shamelessly take all we want with no thought for the future, we will find ourselves in a horrific situation. By understanding the nature of our earth, and the nature of our needs, we as inhabitants of earth, will be able to create a balance of our interests and resources.
The earth in its most basic terms is a mass of elements put together. Knowing this we can conclude that this mass only has so much of all the elements that compose it. There is only so much silver, so much gold and so much oxygen. Therefore our earth can only give mankind so much of any resource, no matter how much of a resource we want, earth will only be able to supply so much of it. The earth is also a system, which has an established way of working. The water cycle, the tides, storms, currents, the life and death of plants and even warming and cooling. The cycles of the earth can be influenced, but none of them can be done away with completely. By understanding and knowing the limits of our earth we can learn how to treat it with respect to its needs.
While the earth has needs, so does the human species. To live we need food, shelter, and clothing. Of himself man cannot provide all these things. Mankind needs the earth for food, for shelter, and for clothing. In the pursuit of these things we’ve learned how to use the earth, and created our attitudes and feelings towards the earth that provides us with them.
The human race cannot live without the earth, cannot ignore its needs and cannot ignore the fact that as the human race we need to use what the earth has to offer. It is our role to be stewards of the earth that we live on. It is our responsibility to wisely take care of the earth we have been entrusted with. I hope that mankind can come to a compromise between his needs and the needs of the earth he has been entrusted to care for.

What time is it???

Much has been made in the last few decades about how humans are destroying the world and if something isn’t done now to stop the destruction we will lose many things that we enjoy now. We are already starting to see that this process has already begun as many species are becoming extinct and many land features are becoming unrecognizable. Man has held a long belief that the earth acts as a permanent life source of goods and products that will always be available to us for our use. Only recently has that view started to change but is it too late?

There was a study done about the rate of extinction and I can’t exactly remember what the exact study was about but the moral of the story is what stood out the most to me. The results came back that after 10% of the “unnamed” goods had been eliminated over the past few years nobody had really noticed the difference or loss. After the pace of extinction picked up over the next few years to 25% people started to realize that something should be done in the future to combat the loss, but after all was said and done nobody did anything. Only a few short years later the extinction rate had jumped to 50% and people and legislation were beginning to realize that something needed to be done now and they started to make the appropriate actions to fight the extinction. Amidst their efforts the rate of extinction had grown too fast for them to overcome the destruction and all was lost. What I remember from this study was that by the time people began to realize that it was “go time” to act and do something about it, it was too late and something that they cherished was completely wiped out.

Another image that has stuck with me was a demonstration showing lots of clocks after different hours representing the earth and its age. 1:00 AM being the first, noon following later going all the way to midnight. Each clock had a percentage associated with it and it represented the amount of extinction the earth was experiencing. From the first clocks in the morning until about 11 o’clock at night the percentages were really low in the single digits with not much change. The rates then began to slowly rise exponentially. By 11:15 the number was around 10%. But compared to earlier times it was not that much different. By the time 11:30 had rolled around the number was around 25%. By that time it was a significant change and noticeable. By the time 11:45 rolled around it was near 50% extinction. Then by 11:59 it was around 95%. Again, this was another display like the previous paragraph that shows that we have lived on this earth taking and taking and taking and eventually it not only going to catch up with us but it is going to eliminate everything that we know. Our expectations and way of life is going to have to change dramatically in the very near future in order to preserve what we currently enjoy.

There has been much debate about whether government should step in and take control or should the people be left to decide where our money is spent and the best way to use it to combat the extinction of the earth’s resources. Because the economy is where it is at today I just don’t see many of the legislatures caring enough to take an active role with money to make a difference at least in the near future as it is going to take at least a decade to get out of our current recession. This puts the ownership on our shoulders. Although great things probably can’t be done like the gov’t could and its billions of dollars, a large accumulation of little acts can make dents. Although groups and organizations are gathering and pooling resources for their cause it just might not be enough. It might just be a little too late to really stop what is happening in the world today. I guess it all really depends what time is it? Is it noon, dinnertime, late night snack time? Or is it 11:30 or even 11:45???? Is the time to act already past us?

Man is a child of his environment

“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.” This is a quote by Rachel Carson, the marine biologist and nature writer. It brings up two very important points. One, that children everywhere are born with an innate wonder and curiosity of the natural world and two, that unless that excitement in nature is fostered and cultivated it will fade.
I remember being outside every day after school. We had a large forested area behind my house as I was growing up and I would run out back to imagine new worlds with tree forts and vast kingdoms. During these ventures I would wander around collecting stones, dig and play in the earth, and climb through tall plants and trees. As I grew up, I became entranced in biology eventually seeking a degree in it. The natural world has never lost its magic for me. In class the other day, Clayton White shared the story of a teacher who told his class to go outside during a storm and put their ears against a tree. A small boy wrapped his arms around the large tree and listened to the creaking and groaning of the tree. He said he never forgot how a tree feels in the midst of a storm. This small boy found wonder in nature and through an in tune teacher was able to capture it.
Today however, there is a lack of natural curiosity for the natural world. Children grow up in front of the television or computer. They are constantly plugged into their ipods or cell phones. It is a constant source of entertainment and amusement that continually gratifies. It inundates the brain with a constant barrage of signals that lets in little else. Professor White shared another example of how his wife was trying to speak to their son but was unable to because he was listening to his ipod. He was physically present with them, but mentally was somewhere else. Children today are having their childhood cut short by all the media. Just as in many animals where there is a critical time in their lives that they imprint on their species or learn certain behaviors, I believe it is the same with human children. If they do not experience that natural curiosity when they are young it may be too late to develop it at a later time. I see students all around me that would rather play video or computer games than play a game of frisbee outside or hike a trail. I see my younger brother who spends his waking hours on myspace, his ipod and computer games. The earth is biological and we are biological organisms. We lose a lot when we cannot connect with other biological beings. In the words of Aldo Leopold,“ We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”

Our Landscape of Language

As we’ve studied shamanism among the indigenous tribes, there is one word that lurks in the back of my head: primitive. Though I respect the beliefs of the Kogi, the Australian Aborigines, and the Navajo, I must admit that at times I’ve felt a sense of superiority. I’ve felt that my beliefs and my lifestyle have reached a higher condition of evolution, a more civilized state. And yet, the more I read in The Spell of the Sensuous, the more I realize the connection between their ideals and actions and mine. According to Abram in Spell of the Sensuous, Western civilization “lost all sense of reciprocity and relationship with the animate natural world”. He argues that where once the hills and grasses spoke to our senses, the letters and marks of the alphabet have now replaced the natural world, and our senses are coupled to the written word. I agree with Abram in that we have lost much of our ability to understand the sensuous world around us. However, I believe that we still use our limited ability to commune with the surrounding world. We just do not recognize what we are doing.
As I read the chapter In the Landscape of Language, I saw multiple parallels between my life and the cultures described within. The Australian Aborigines tradition of Dreamtime was fascinating. The Dreamtime was (and still is) a time where “the earth itself was still in a malleable, half-awake state”. It is the time when the spirits of the world, or the Ancestors, first became oriented and took on a physical form. The Ancestors would travel across the world, leaving marks of their trail behind, before finally settling down and becoming a physical feature. The Aborigines remember this trail through song, and by singing the song, relive the landscape through which the Ancestor traveled.
Though I do not sing, I remember, and the remembering relives the landscapes around me and my ancestors. I am the fifth generation of my family to live in my town. It’s a small town where you can walk from one side to the other in half an hour. At times, I like to walk past certain areas and think of the memories attached to them. I walk past our first house, the house where I spent my childhood in, and I remember time spent climbing trees, building forts, hiding in the garden. I walk past the theatre and remember the story of how my grandma and grandpa met. I ride my bike out past the old family farm, and I can hear the voice of my great-uncle explaining how to herd the sheep. I past the hill scarred with motocross trails towards the cemetery, and memories of my uncle, brother, and grandpa flood in. Each of these memories has a location, a landscape associated with it, and even now as I write this I’m traveling through my town.
There are even more memories of landscapes that I have never seen. I think of my ancestors who fought in the Revolutionary War, who crossed the oceans from green England to this unknown continent, who lived here before the Europeans arrived, and I feel like I can see their travel, their views, and their land. Perhaps this makes me primitive. Or perhaps the beliefs of indigenous tribes aren’t “primitive”. They are a basic part of human nature. I’m not absolutely sure, but after reading more, I’m leaning towards the latter.

Inextricably Intertwined

How can Christianity and Environmentalism be reconciled? From one perspective, it seems as though the two groups lie on opposite ends of a spectrum. Christianity places the highest priority on human life and exaltation. Environmentalism places the highest value on keeping the Earth in balance. Humans have a long and ugly tradition of mistreating their environment. I will attempt to argue that neither group is mutually exclusive, that to truly belong to one necessitates belonging to the other.
What does it mean to be a Christian? In the most fundamental of terms, Christians are followers of Christ’s teachings and example. Since there is wide debate on what religions fall into this category, let us focus on the teachings of Christ. Man was created from the earth. “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)” It seems that man must be composed, at least partly, of the earth to be considered a living soul. There is a link throughout the scriptures between the immortal spirit and the earth. The Lord said, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:19) He continued his teaching of the interdependence of man and his surroundings with the Parable of the Sower, “Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. “(Matthew 13:5-6) It seems that the earth is not only important, but necessary, for eternal salvation. In Christ’s final hour he said, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4) Christ’s ministry could not have been complete without the Earth. What then of the eternal destiny of the earth? Christ spoke on this matter as well, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) For the earth to be mentioned by name as part of one’s eternal inheritance, there must be some significance to it’s place now and in the eternities. (This fact is further expounded upon through the revelations of Joseph Smith who revealed that the earth would one day become celestial.)
What of the Environmentalists? How does devotion to the planet and balance necessitate grounding in Christianity? As previously stated, devotion to the planet is inextricably linked to Christianity. If indeed the Earth has a soul, or some other aspect of being that can become immortal, explanation through religion is necessary. Balance is the key reason for any Environmentalist to become a Christian, or at the very least religious. Throughout environmental literature, there is a consistent theme of the interrelated, the connection between who and what a person is and their surroundings. Many authors find a lack of words to describe the connection that a person feels with the Earth, to one’s environment. I would like to name the indescribable: spirit. There is a link from spirit to spirit of things all around us. Just as the physical elements interact, there is a spiritual interaction that can be sensed, influenced. It is the neglect of this spiritual element that disrupts balance and can only be rebalanced through religion, an understanding of the spiritual elements.
Just as there is sin and repentance of the spiritual, there is misuse/neglect and reconciliation with the environment. No one is perfect, but it is the stewardship and steady progression within our lives that determines who we are. I believe that as we come to accept and understand this truth as Christians, we will come to appreciate and revere the Earth while we continually improve our surroundings and ourselves.

Earth's Probation

Reading through the standard works of the Church reveals some curious doctrines concerning the earth. The Pearl of Great Price, in particular, shows how the earth is more than a solid mass of dirt. In the Book of Moses, Enoch hears the earth groan because of the wickedness of the people thereon. The earth actually has an audible voice, or so it seems, that can be heard and understood by Enoch. This gives life to the planet and raises the question as to whether the planet has a soul. Does Earth live and breath, or at least have a soul?
Every once in a while, the phrase "and the earth groaned" appears in the Book of Mormon, speaking of the wickedness of mankind. The wording, "crying from the dust" is also scattered through the text. Does this mean that the earth is actually crying for the sins of the people? Or, does this mean that the spirits of the deceased are the ones crying for relief from sin? If we take a few steps back and look at the Plan of Salvation, we can learn a little more about the spirituality of our planet. This will aid us in answering the question, "Is the planet alive?"
Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation contains three pillars: Creation, Fall, and Atonement. We know that each applies to mankind, but do they pertain to the planet as well? Adam and Eve were created and placed in the Garden of Eden and they dwelt with God. They were given commandments, and they transgressed. Partaking of the forbidden fruit, got them booted out of the garden. This was the Fall. Men were separated from God and needed to be reconciled with God. Jesus Christ came in the Meridian of Time to deliver the world from sin and death. His infinite Atonement made it possible for mankind to overcome the grave, and the plague of sin. Now let's relate all of this to the earth.
From the books of Genesis and Moses we learn that the earth started as a "void." By the time God created all things including Adam, He "breathed" life into Adam. It seems like this breath of life into Adam's nostrils is wind. Perhaps this breath, or wind, or even spirit, was blown into the earth as well. All other creations such as plants, animals, and people all lived in perfect harmony. Earth and its Garden of Eden was a paradisaical and glorious place on earth wherein The Father Himself dwelt. After the Fall of Man, the earth brought forth thorns, thistles, and "cursed [was] be the ground for [Adam's] sake" (Moses 4:23-4). This was also like a Fall for the earth; a fall that needed to be atoned for. The earth was cleansed, or "baptized" when the floods of Noah came. The earth will also be baptized with fire when the Second Coming of the Lord comes to pass. Fire will fall from heaven and incinerate all that is defiled. Furthermore the earth will be celestialized or resurrected and become a Urim and Thummim. It seems that the main ordinances that men are commanded to partake of, the earth too goes through.
If the earth does have life then it would seem good to take good care of it. Environmentalism is a little extreme for me, but I do believe that there is something super special about our planet and that we should take good care of it. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't chop down any trees or divert some riverways with dams and harness energy. It simply means to live within your means and respect nature. Even if earth does have a spirit, we as humans are still entitled to reap benefits from its surface. God himself told Adam and Eve that they were to work and till the ground and use things for their needs and growth. We shouldn't be outrageous and hug trees because there is potential that we are killing the tabernacle of God's creation. The earth was created (and maybe given a spirit) that man might have a mortal probation.

The Desire to Reconcile

From the Christian and Jewish Genesis to the Kogi Luna and the Underworld myths of the Navajo Indians, every culture has a story of creation. As I watched the movie about the Kogi tribe, I was struck with the realization that every person on this earth has had some innate need to create a point of origin for him/ her.

I was amazed by the obvious need that is within the human mind to answer the basic questions of our existence. I’m sure we all recognize the following questions: Where do I come from? Why am I here? And where am I going? I decided to focus this entry on the assumed need to conjure a connection between ourselves and a creator—be it a God, science, or an element.

According to a new psychological study conducted by Steven Reiss at Ohio State University, “People are not drawn to religion just because of a fear of death or any other single reason. There are actually 16 basic human psychological needs that motivate people to seek meaning through religion”. Several of the factors discussed in the article included power, independence, curiosity, acceptance, order, idealism, social contact, family, status, vengeance, and romance.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe that every person on this earth is a son or daughter of our Heavenly Father. My monotheistic belief has come to me through a combination of my country’s strong Christian background, my personal family values, and my own interpretation of and exposure to certain books of scripture. I believe that each person has a need to answer the aforementioned questions, and each individual does so in a completely individualistic way that coincides with his or her upbringing.

The story of the Kogi view of the creation of the earth, along with their religious views was astonishing. Because they were not exposed to a Christian Bible, a Koran or another form of scripture, they developed a slightly different view of religion. However, their close, personal interactions with nature, (and what I will term Heavenly Father’s creations) has still given them a similar view of the nature of God.

While we worship a pious Heavenly Father, they worship the Earth. They view Her as a living, breathing entity. We, too, believe that the earth and all of its constituents contain spirits because they were all created for us by a loving Heavenly Father. I was pleased with the similarities of the creationist attitude and the awesome power that the Kogi recognized was responsible for shaping the world that they lived upon. I was also impressed with their idea of stewardship. They believed themselves to be the older brothers of the human race. Likewise, we have been counseled to be stewards over all the earth.

I believe these similarities are not merely consequences, but rather evidence that all beings on this earth were created by the same loving, powerful God, and that He has instilled in us a yearning to remember and seek Him. Each culture reconciles this engrained need with whatever tools it has, but every culture has the drive to do so.