From: atterlep@vela.acs.oakland.edu (Cardinal Ximenez)
Subject: Re: Pantheism & Environmentalism
Organization: National Association for the Disorganized
Lines: 46

by028@cleveland.freenet.edu (Gary V. Cavano) writes:

>...does anybody out there see the current emphasis on the
>environment being turned (unintentionally, of course) into
>pantheism?

>I've debated this quite a bit, and while I think a legitimate
>concern for the planet is a great thing, I can easily see it
>being perverted into something dangerous.

  Many pagans are involved in environmentalism--this is only natural, since
respect for the earth is a fundamental tenet of all pagan denominations.  This
doesn't mean that environmentalism is wrong, any more than supporting peace in
the Middle East is wrong because Jews and Muslims also work for it.

  Nonetheless, paganism is certainly on the rise, and we as Christians should
address this and look at what draws people from paganism to Christianity.  Like
it or not, pagan religions are addressing needs that Christianity should be,
and isn't.  
  I believe that paganism has hit upon some major truths that Christianity has
forgotten.  This doesn't mean that paganism is right, but it does mean that we
have something to learn from the pagan movement.
  First, paganism respects the feminine.  Christianity has a long history of
oppressing women, and many (if not most) male Christians are still unable to
live in a non-sexist manner.  The idea that God is sexless, or that Christ 
could have been a women and still accomplished his mission, is met with a great
deal of resistance.  This insistance on a male-dominated theology (and the 
male-dominated society that goes with it) drives away many young women who have
had to put up with sexist attitudes in their churches.
  Second, paganism respects the physical world.  This is an idea with great
ramifications.  One of these is environmentalism--respect for our surroundings
and our world.  Another is integration of sexuality.  Christianity has a long
tradition of calling ALL sexual feeelings sinful and urging people to suppress
and deny their sexuality.  This is too much--sex is clearly a part of human
experience and attempting to remove it is simply not a feasible option.  
Christianity has only begun to develop a workable sexual ethic, and paganism
is an attractive option.
  I'm not advocating that Christian doctrines (no sex before marriage, etc.)
should be changed--just that Christians work toward a more moderate ethic of
sexuality.  Denial of sexuality places as much emphasis on sex as unmoderated
sexuality, and neither one does much to bring us closer to God.

Alan Terlep				    "Incestuous vituperousness"
Oakland University, Rochester, MI			
atterlep@vela.acs.oakland.edu				   --Melissa Eggertsen
Rushing in where angels fear to tread.