Oh and Joe! The world was made for all. Can you tell me, who's not welcome.

Lea

Exactly, QL ! The knowledge of the world belongs to everyone. The exclusiveness of most religions (and one its bogus alternatives, the extermination of all who refuse to follow the One True Religion, whatever it may be) are directly rebutted by the universalism of Science, the scientific method, available to everybody who makes the effort to understand it and its findings.

Knowledge and belief: how can one test whether a hypothesis or idea is genuine, falsifiable knowledge, or merely belief ? And if merely belief, why should anybody else give a toss ?

But by all means, give every crackpot notion and superstition the respect and reverence that it fully deserves. What a strange coincidence though, that so many religious beliefs - and cultural practices too, for that matter - justify the existing power structure and arrangement of social relations, the position of women, the power of older, wiser men, and so on.

Those venerable beliefs and practices should take their proper place, up there where the sun doesn't shine.

Science, QL, and knowledge and power should be available to everybody, not some exclusive, self-selected, group, and should be distributed as equally and fairly as possible, in secular, democratic societies which observe the rule of law and respect equal human rights.

Joe

Just joking. There are many issues thats not addressed.....Joe, and your right......When people are people, please:) let me know.

Over-valuational.

LEAP

I don't see what the big deal is in equating the earth with "mother

The earth nourishes us as a mother nourishes and nurtures her dependents. The language used is symbolism - and it's pertinent symbolism. The problem is its connotations to the New Age movement, but the author has simply couched his own theory in religious overtones - it has no bearing on the message from the UN.

Even if we're a species of self-serving and self-assured beings who have arrogantly and ideologically elevated ourelves above the biological reality of our condition, we can't deny the reality of our dependence on this biosphere and the simple fact that it sustains us.

Runner <"Fools who have rejected Father God worship mother earth and all the debauchery that go with it. Talk about self righteous nonsense."

Oh I don't know if the 'mother Earth' concept is so mad now, Pelican :)
Maybe we all deserve a break from the 'Father God' concept?

The world and it's environment doesn't seem in great shape since the male God apparently became more popular than the female one.

Maybe we should go back to worshiping a female God? :)

Suze,

"The world and its environment doesn't seem in great shape since the male God apparently became more popular than the female one."

Excellent point!

Yep, we sure took it seriously when God told us to subdue the earth and have dominion over all...although I don't think Genesis mentioned we should trash it as well.