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The inherent devilishness of monotheism

The monotheistic religions have led the world to the edge of the cliff with its twisted view of nature, believes religious historian Jens-André P. Herbener.




(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)

Jens-André P. Herbener:
Nature is sacred. Climate disaster and religon
Flux publisher, 2016

nature-is-sacred-front-smallThe Bible is a multitude of texts compiled into one book. But the message is simple. You will believe, and it will go well for eternity. The glories of the world are transient phenomena, and insignificant compared to the salvation of the soul and the lateral communion with God. According to the Danish religious historian and author Jens-André P. Herbener, this message is to blame for today's climate problems, which will end in disaster. The monotheistic religions stand behind a stunted view of nature. They destroyed the past animistic and sacred relationship with the world.

It is a highly engaged writer we meet, almost an announcer. Herbener has taught and brought pedagogical storytelling. The book's message comes in four parts. The first is devoted to what the author calls the religious roots of the global climate crisis. Through brief chapters he describes how Western Christianity bears much of the responsibility for what he believes is the misery of today. He expands the perspective of the other two monotheistic religions as well, the older Judaism and the younger Islam. But since Herbener lives in a Christian religious circle, he concentrates mainly on the source evidence that official Christianity has rendered Western man homeless in nature.

Competitive directions. The church has had several different philosophical directions, and these are not undermined. The conclusion, however, is that the Church's victorious interpretation has led to the modern view of nature rooted in a false Bible interpretation. Thinkers and trainees, such as Francis of Assisi, had influence in their time, but did not win in the long run. However, there is still a lot going on today of alternative thinking within the monotheistic religions. The second part of the book is therefore devoted to the religion's attitude to the global climate crisis. Here Herbener writes interestingly about so-called renal religiosity. He includes here what he calls "Gentiles," as part of the religious seekers.

And today the church has partially awakened from its long hibernation. In recent years, the Norwegian church has shown a strong climate commitment. So strong that both Frp and Right representatives have come out and said that this is not their church. Herbener also mentions the commitment of the World Council of Churches and not least the present Pope Frans. His climate encyclical urges the world community to put sustainability, distribution and justice at the center. The name of Frans' climate letter, Laudato si ', by the way, is taken from the famous "Sun Song", written by the mentioned Francis of Assisi in 1224, a song of praise to the creator, creatures, nature and the universe.

The three ecological sins. The third part of the book is the most interesting. Here the author divides world history into three ecological sins. Herben referred to the first of these as the agricultural revolution, as our ancestors transitioned from free hunting and sanctuary life to more urban farming. We then got surplus food, cities and a new, hierarchical division of society. With this, the birth of the monotheistic religion also took place, like the second ecological fall. The sanctity of nature was lost; everything was about a distant God in the Hereafter.

The last of the three ecological fallacies is the industrial-technological revolution, which has really accelerated our use of natural resources, with the subsequent loss of natural diversity and harmful greenhouse gases.

A religious fire torch. The book is a fire torch that should hit many religious readers. It is a powerful emotional document, a modern warning of the apocalypse. Herben appears as one of the ancient prophets who stands alone and proclaims his message to a people who will not hear. The author describes the current ecological situation, and brings out some of the more bleak scenarios, based on the UN's various reports, both on the climate and natural diversity side. He is scared and puts nothing in between.

"Modern society is a cult of suicide."

Herben is good when he uses the Bible's own words, and puts them in a larger civilizational context. The monotheistic revolution and subsequent church fathers convinced us that the only just existence of the physical world is to serve man, and it is God's will that we utilize nature. We have always been greedy creatures. Although Herbener is fascinated by the primordial and animist traditions, he does not look blind to the fact that our eternal "hunger" after laying the world under us has led to overconsumption even before the time of the great religions. But – and this is a crucial point for the author – animism and nature worship previously kept these greed tendencies in check. The monotheistic religions, on the other hand, gave us a linear understanding of evolution, with man as the ruler of the earth.

We should therefore welcome other forms of religion, such as some of the Asian ones, says Herbener. They are able to see the world as sacred, through pantheism. The deity permeates everything that exists.

The problem here in the West is that the "little Christian dragon" has become a "worm" that has swallowed other religions in its path. In this way it has "drained the nature of spirit". The root of evil, or the problem of evil, if we will, is our cynical view of nature. This view has spread throughout the world like a tumor, through Western expansionism. Herbs don't put your fingers in between.

The activist and writer. But despite new, promising tones from the church, as well as several good initiatives in Islam, Herbener remains a pessimist. The fourth and final part of the book is therefore devoted to what we as affected human beings can do. No more talking. We get activist advice. The author believes that we can learn from missionary religions and begin to mission for environmental protection. We must seek out people at home and abroad. But now the mission is about what we must do to save the globe. And we must lower our consumption, and above all we only have one child each. Therefore, both Catholicism and Islam are subjected to criticism because of what Herbener describes as their lukewarm relationship to birth control.

If you are religious, join religious communities that put nature at the center. But we must hurry before it's too late. Herbener bottles and asks if those who come after us will judge us more leniently than we judge the Nazis of our time.

Religions part of the solution. "Modern society is a cult of suicide." Therefore, civil disobedience will be an important weapon. The author creates a separate word, ecotage, for such. Herbener repeats himself often, he brings out the message in good religious spirit. He is not too pessimistic for my taste, but has a clearer narrative voice. And, my God, so liberating with such a clear analysis of the inherent limitations of monotheism!

As an interesting end point, Herbener writes that the world's religions are now entering their "ecological phase". Religion cannot be eradicated – we are genetically predisposed to religiousness. Bottom line, religion and spirituality will be part of the solution. There will be one survival of the fittest among religions, writes Herbener. Those who put Mother Earth at the center will contribute to human survival, and thus to the survival of their own religion.

The publisher has been a little unlucky with the fact that the notes are designed to follow the chapters, but have nevertheless been collected at the back, from 1 to 228, which makes it a little difficult to use. Somewhat close to Danish is the translation once in a while, such as when the International Energy Agency is called the International Energy Agency. But this means little in the big picture. Herbener accuses today's press and publishers of writing about insignificance. Flux publishers pass the needle eye and continue to publish books that engage.

andrewkroglund@gmail.com

Andrew P. Kroglund
Andrew P. Kroglund
Kroglund is a critic and writer. Also Secretary General of BKA (Grandparents' Climate Action).

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