God Please Save Your Planet...from us.

Chapter Fifteen- Dominion or Domination?

So, whose planet is it anyways? Do you see yourself as a good steward of the earth, or do you believe that possession is 9/10 of the law?

Perhaps, you subscribe to the views of quite a few of the characters in a book called: "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint Exupery. 'If I discover it, then it belongs to me.'

Struggles over land possession have dominated history, and wars over such lands, have been rampant. As I indicated in chapter seventeen, we should not expect this attitude towards real estate to change in the near future. Especially, if climate change has anything to do with it.

Once again, why are some, in fact, most humans, so obsessed with property ownership? Many indigenous cultures hold an entirely different perspective when it comes to the land on which they reside. This differing viewpoint made it easy for European explorers to swindle much of the world's landmass right out from under the indigenous cultures that lived there. People sell cheap when they don't know how valuable something may be.

Other more developed cultures dating back to antiquity, had a different perspective when it comes to land, precious minerals, crops, cattle, and yes, even people. Human slavery, actually seems to be in nearly every culture. Even the ones who didn't see land as a commodity to be bartered.

Man has dominated man, woman, child, and anything else he can get his hands on. So, the question remains: Why? Could it, at least in the case of Judeo-Christian adherents, be something they read?

If you read Genesis 1:28, 29 you will find God endowing humans with dominion over all the animals. Would this include the vegetation? Apparently, so. What about the land? Not only is it given out, but in many cases allotted by name to family and tribe, as in the case of Israel. Is the Bible responsible for our land possessing obsessions? Or could it be, that something got lost in translation?

Does dominion mean the same as dominance? The Hebrew Aramaic term used in Genesis (according to Strong's Encyclopedia) is Radah. It means, to tread down, or subjugate. Oh dear! That can't be right! That looks an awful lot like dominance. That's where we get the name domesticate from. Is God really advocating an authoritarian mindset in this verse. Based on a raw definition, it would appear so.

At least the translators of the King James Version used a term with a slightly softer tone. One of the reasons we may take this concept of dominance to a dark place is because we look at our world through a dark mirror. We must try to remember that the humans of Genesis 1:28, 29 are not exactly the same humans we find in Genesis Chapter three. Based on the narrative, something fundamentally changed in the way humans behave.

In our twenty first century minds, we may have a tendency to impose our current views on an ancient narrative that does not line up with the way those ancient people saw their world. To put it simply: As humans began to behave as sinners, the loving dominion of the creator, became a dark and twisted version of dominion. No wonder our lexicons support a more authoritarian tone in verses like these.

As Christians, if we are to believe that Jesus Christ is our lord, then we understand, that he did not advocate such a cruel attitude towards other living things on this planet. After all, his sacrifice ended the need for perpetual animal sacrifices. You might not have considered that before, if your primary concern as a Christian has always been your own personal salvation, and no doubt, that of your fellow man. I mean animals don't even have souls. Now, I want you to look in your animal companion's eyes, and tell me you believe that.

Perhaps, our view of animal and plant life is affecting our view of how we exercise dominion over such creatures. Didn't that mindset cause past generations to treat even some humans as less than human? It would seem, some extreme groups today still subscribe to this subhuman viewpoint. If such an attitude persists with some even now, what hope is there for other species?

Most mainstream Christian movements today wouldn't dare advocate such bigotry, but just last century, many did. You can deny it all you want. It doesn't change what happened. Is the Bible really to blame, or is it how it was interpreted that has caused so much harm?

If the Bible really does advocate these behaviors then Christians are going to have a serious problem going forward. How are you going to win people for Christ with that kind of rhetoric. Let me guess, you'll scare the Hell out of them. 🤦🏼‍♂️ We need a better hook if we want to be fishers of men, as our lord said.

Look, as Christians, we have a pretty good handle on how this story ends. That doesn't mean we have to be jerks about it. Maybe the domination model worked in previous centuries. I mean many of the indigenous cultures became some form of Christian in times past (albeit at sword point). After all, might makes right. Right? Right?

Hey, if that's what you believe. I'll be praying for you. Pray for me too. But enough picking on Christians. I see you Atheist's. See me on the next page. We need to talk.