Saving the Creation part 1

“Dear Pastor, we haven’t met, yet I feel I know you well enough to call you friend. First of all, we grew up in the same faith. As a boy, I answered the altar call. I went under the water. Although I no longer belong to that faith, I’m confident that if we met and spoke privately of our deepest beliefs, it would be in the spirit of mutual respect and good will. I know that we share so many precepts of moral behavior.”

“I write to you know for your counsel and help. Of course, in doing so, I can see no way to avoid the fundamental differences in our respective world of views. You are a literalist interpreter of Christian Holy Scripture, and I am a secular humanist -- for you the glory of an unseen divinity, for me the glory of the universe revealed at last. For you the belief in God made flesh to save mankind. For me the belief in Promethean fire ceased to let men free.”

“You found your final truth. I’m still searching. I may be wrong. You may be wrong. We both may be partly right. Does this difference in world view separate us in all things? It does not. You and I and every other human being strive for the same imparities of security, freedom of choice, personal dignity, and of course, a cause to believe in something larger than ourselves. Let’s see then if we can, and you are willing, to meet on the near side of metaphysics, declare a truce in the culture wars in order to deal with the real world we share, or at least a big part of it.”

“I put it this way because you have the power to help solve a great problem about which I care deeply. I hope you have the same concern. I suggest we set aside our differences in order to save the creation. The defense of living nature is a universal value. It doesn’t rise from, nor does it promote any particular religious or ideological dogma. Rather it serves without discrimination the interest of all humans. Pastor, we need your help.”