Some Scary Thoughts on Halloween

Today is Halloween. It's a beautiful day in the Northeast, so I thought I'd write a blog about some things I find frightening, in between opening my front door to adorable children dressed in costumes and wide smiles.

Human beings can be kind, wonderful, intelligent, generous and very good at times and at other times they can be mired in pride and arrogance which gets in the way of clear thinking. Pride is a deadly sin and arrogance isn't too far behind. What I'm referring to is a rather disturbing article I read at the Washington Post website titled, "Global Extinction Crisis Looms, New Study Says," by Juliet Eilperin. These types of articles "scare" me and my concern is not for myself but for my children and future generations of children. According to the article, "A growing number of creatures could disappear from the earth, with one-fifth of all vertebrates and as many as a third of all sharks and rays now facing the threat of extinction, according to a new survey assessing nearly 26,000 species across the globe." What are the causes? There are many causes such as destroying habitats where animals live, pollution, "invasive competitors," lack of concern and care. Selfishness, arrogance and greed would be some problems also associated with the loss of species. In my opinion, we're all guility to some extent, I don't think anyone has a perfect record on protecting the earth or the earth's creatures, to some degree we all have a part in this problem. Of course, there are some people who work very hard protecting the earth and the earth's creatures, and I think they should be applauded for their efforts.

Thank God for conservation efforts. According to an article in the Journal- Science, without conservation efforts now taking place, these losses would be twenty percent higher.

We always have to have hope. I try to be a hopeful Christian and think everything will turn out OK. I hope and pray future generations will take the problem of environmental degradation and global extinction of species seriously and they'll take action to improve conservation efforts. We can't really believe that we can continue the present course of action and not have a day of reckoning. We depend on the earth, it is our home too and we have to ensure that future generations are left with a flourishing natural environment.

May the Saints of God pray for us and ask God to give us the will and enlightenment to do the right thing! All you Holy Men and Women of God pray for us!

NJA

Compassion for the Gulf Coast Region of the U.S.

The weather has been so beautiful in the Northeast and there are so many wonderful occasions to celebrate in the Spring, such as graduations, Holy Communions and Confirmations, that it bothers me to keeping writing about negative events. But I guess on some level it helps me to process them and also keeps me mindful to pray about them. I feel compassion for the people of the Gulf Coast region whose livelihoods come from fishing, which is now off limits in many parts of the Gulf of Mexico. And also, of course for those who lost loved ones in the explosion that caused the oil spill.  The massive oil spill in the Gulf is being called one of the "worst environmental disasters of the modern era." That's very serious. When I saw video footage of the toxic oil pouring into the Gulf last night on CNN, I couldn't sleep afterwards. It might seem ridiculous to some, but I get very upset with visual video footage like that, knowing sea life and many forms of wildlife will die from this catastrophe and possibly be affected for generations.

In congressional testimony on Wed. the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  (NOAA) was criticized for "failing to conduct adequate scientific analysis of the spill."  At present there is still no confirmed estimate of how much oil is flowing into the Gulf." This oil spill has now invaded some of the sensitive marshes of the Gulf Coast region. 

Some people, like me, believe that God suffers for our failings, sins and the atrocities that humans cause, whether it's intentional or not. I'm sure God is suffering through this oil spill and others like it. Believers think that the earth and all living creatures are part of God's creation and should be protected. All living things are gifts from our Creator. One definition of the word greed that I read was, "disregard for the spiritual realm." 

There are certainly lessons to be learned from this environmental disaster, but the question is: Will we learn? Will we change our priorities? After other massive oil spills which happened in the past, why weren't the best and brightest experts, innovative leaders in their field, given jobs to ensure this event never occurred again. And yet here we are in the 21st century, powerless to turn off a toxic plume of crude oil pouring into the Gulf of Mexico. It almost sounds like fiction, like a scene from a doomsday movie. 

I hope future generations make sure these oil spills are things of the past. I hope they read these accounts of the Gulf Oil spill with disbelief and concern. I hope future generations extract oil and other forms of energy with the greatest care and safeguards, using every resource available to make sure the environment is cared for and protected, at all cost. 

Thank God I have some pleasant, fun things to do this weekend with friends, I have to get away from the news. That's obvious enough.

NJA

You can't pressure-wash a marsh  (Denise Reed)

The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. The sea turned to blood like that from a corpse; every creature living in the sea died. 

(Rev. 16:3)