Danielle Hawkins: what does ruling really mean?

 Last class we discussed ruling over nature in relationship to bugs and bacteria. I brought up a point of how in Genesis 1 God gives humans the command to rule over the Earth. 

Genesis 1:26-28 NLT

"Then God said, 'Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry on the ground.' So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, 'Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.' "

I wanted to further expand on what I interpret this to mean from my knowledge and pursuit of a relationship with God. 

I think Regan hit it right on the nail when she used the word Stewardship to explain what she thought of this idea. I recently have acquired a burning desire to be in nature and commune with it. I spent the whole summer gardening and being in the dirt. Sunsets fuel me. All I want to do (well not all but a lot) is be outside and frolic with nature. I think as humans we are called to take care of this planet. I think communing and being in nature is one way we can take care of it. The more I am experiencing nature for it self, the more I want to be in it. I used to hate the outdoors. But the more I am in it, the more I love it, and the more I want to see it flourish and thrive. While I do not think we have to like every part of it, bugs, snakes, and other things that can hurt me, I think there can be an appreciation for it in a way that we can live in harmony with the things we might not like. Maybe instead of killing the spider in my room I will put it out side (lol). I am not advocating for never killing anything but I think changing the idea that we as humans rule/ have the sole right to this planet needs to change. 

Humans often have the idea that we are the greatest thing there is. Even within the human race some think they are greater than others. Advancements can be down without harm to other beings. It just might take more effort. I think a shift in mentality needs to be from ruling to communing/stewardship. There is only one Earth and we should take care of it not only for ourselves and for future generations to come but for reverence for God.

Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 7, 2020 at 11:37 AM

    Well written. I agree with your ideas about the significance and beauty of nature, and even if we are, in a way, elevated over it, we still ought to treat it well as compassionate stewards. In many ways, treating the land that we've been given with respect is a way of worship in itself.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jack Snowdon: Danger in the Lake

I will readily admit that I may have procrastinated a bit much in regards to working on my blog posts, waiting for that perfect moment of inspiration to strike, when I should have been working to flesh out my own ideas rather than just letting them come to me. However, with that concession in mind, I am glad to say that something exactly like I had hoped for happened while reading the discussion between Ransom and Hyoi in Chapter 12 of Out of the Silent Planet . The discussion revolves largely around the concept and experience of love and appreciation among the hrossa, and sees Ransom struggling to understand how they can content themselves with valuing the memories rather than replicating the actions, as well as questioning why that can be the way it is with such dangers as the hnakra dwelling in the local waters. Though he does struggle to comprehend them, Hyoi has an answer every step of the way, culminating with the line, "...And I say also this, I do not think the forest woul...
Read more

Katelyn Joyce- The Magician's Nephew & Biblical Parallels

  When reading The Magician's Nephew, I am not sure why I was so shocked at all of the connections that can be made back to scripture. As this is a common occurrence in Lewis’ writing, it should not surprise and excite me as much as it does when I first grasp what is being said and I begin to make those connections. I think it will always catch me off guard and amaze me how intertwined the two storylines can be without them being identical. This is especially true in The Magician’s Nephew. You can see a clear parallel between this book and the book of Genesis in the Bible. Digory is sent to an area of Narnia closed off from the rest and surrounded by a golden gate to retrieve a fruit. He is tempted to use the powers of this fruit to his benefit, but he does the right thing and presents it to Aslan as requested of him. This is similar to the trees and the fruit in the Garden of Eden. There lies a tree with the power to give understanding to good and evil. Eve is tempted and takes th...
Read more

Samuel Swenson-Reinhold: Naming & Knowing

 Once again, I'm going to be referencing my favorite book of all time, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. One of the key elements of Kvothe's character is his desire to learn the 'name' of things - when you learn the name of something, you have control over it. However, learning the name of the wind, for example, is something incredibly difficult. You have to understand the nature of the wind, you have to know it. So knowing the word "wind" doesn't mean you have power over it. It requires this almost Heideggerian conception of listening and knowing the world and nature.  Kvothe grows in his understanding of the world and at one point learns the name of lightning and the wind, allowing him to wield immense power. This particular aspect of Rothfuss' fantasy had me thinking about our conversations in class about how we 'name' and label things in the prosaic. We think we "know" something, but really we are making an observation. It...
Read more