Internal Environment Shapes Our External Environment

The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge. ~Stephen Hawking .

Environmental dangers are touted as the foremost threat to human existence today. But all the present day environmental anomalies can be directly linked to our lack of spiritual culture and values. Forgetfulness of our spiritual nature is making us overuse the technology to meet the exaggerated demands of the senses which is leading to global crises of different sorts.

If the world is ever to become free from the threat of environmental annihilation, we shall have to undertake a thorough reexamination of the materialistic assumptions underlying not only our picture of nature but our conception of our very selves.

Ideas Have Consequences. Adolf Hitler had ideas that he expressed in a book entitled “Mein Kampf.” Karl Marx had ideas that he expressed in “Das Kapital.” Both sets of ideas have had enormous consequences for human history. Our world crises have their roots in incorrect and imperfect idea of the self and the universe. When we understand our true spiritual nature, our unlimited urge to consume things and to produce things for consumption can be curbed. The natural result will be a better environment in which to pursue spiritual growth instead of excessive economic growth.

The theologian Jürgen Moltmann wrote that the “alienation of nature brought about by human beings can never be overcome until men find a new understanding of themselves and a new interpretation of their world in the framework of nature.”

With a deep, spiritual change of heart, a permanent change of goals and values, environmental reform would take place as a by-product, almost automatically.

---