On the one hand, we are faced with the stewardship of this beautiful, subtle, incredibly delicate, fragile planet. On the other, we confront the destiny of our fellow man, our brothers. How can we say that we are followers of Christ if this dual responsibility does not seem to us the essence and heart of our religion?
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the dual responsibility of caring for the planet and humanity as core to religious belief.
Barbara Ward highlights the moral obligation of humanity to both protect the earth and care for others, stressing that true following of Christ encompasses these responsibilities. She suggests that stewardship of the planet and compassion for fellow humans are essential elements of faith, and one cannot neglect either aspect.
In practice
In a church sermon discussing environmental responsibility, this quote could inspire action.
We cannot cheat on DNA. We cannot get round photosynthesis. We cannot say I am not going to give a damn about phytoplankton. All these tiny mechanisms provide the preconditions of our planetary life. To say we do not care is to say in the most literal sense that "we choose death."
It is good to know what a man is, and also what the world takes him for. But you do not understand him until you have learnt how he understands himself.
In all things there is a law of cycles.
And whereas this House desires to obtain a full knowledge of all the facts which go to establish whether the particular spot of soil which the blood of our citizens was so shed was, or was not, our own soil.
It's very hard to live with yourself if you don't stick with your moral code.
Four things to think about. 1. Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes, and not rather a new wearer of clothes. 2. Let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred. 3. Keep three chairs in your house. One for solitude, two for friendship, three for society. 4. To preserve your relationship to nature, make your life more moral, more pure, more innocent.
No human being, past the thoughtless age of boyhood, will wantonly murder any creature which holds its life by the same tenure that he does.
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