Am I pissed again!
I really try to stay calm so that I am perceived by others as a reasonable and rational human; especially in an era when woman’s abilities at intuitional reasoning are considered suspect, ( little do you reason addicts know that is is the reading of a situation or “intuition” that probably kept your neanderthal ancestors alive to breed and eventually create you..). So I have been hearing a lot about something called the Gaia Hypothesis again and I thought I would refresh my brain cells with the Wiki version and learn about the political arm of this theory. WOW! All I can say is… what the hell is wrong with these people????
SO! To quell said anger and save my already tattered carpet from wearing to the nub form frantic pacing and save my spouse from listening to me rant like a fool, I purpose to you, good reader, the following…..
Real Pagans Hate the Gaia Hypothesis!! ( hence..the title of the blog…)
And why do I say this?
I will point out 3 MAJOR issues with this theory in a moment. But, first, I have to give you the biggest reason why we hate it.. IT MAKES US LOOK BAD! I am so sick of book worm scientists that take the names of my gods and goddesses and a little of the lore and combine them with some theory and then we Pagans get looked at like cat coughed up. How would the Christians feel if this guy called it the “Archangel Micheal Hypothesis” or the ” Jesus Hypothesis” and then tacked on the fact that Jesus really didn’t want the human on the planet and they were equivalent to a cockroach or a virus??? I find it HIGHLY improbably that one of the pantheon sees us as either, considering we have learned from working with our gods and goddesses that we are created in the image of these and given higher enlightenment to be companions and “middle men” for the care of the earth. The Pagan Human sees their role, in part, as a steward; infused with both ethereal and carnal qualities so that we can relate to our deities and perform earthly work for them that is out of their reach by their higher vibrations or ethereal energies.
This includes the work of Gaea or as you know her today Gaia.
Yes, we do see the earth as a goddess figure. Or, more accurately, containing a goddess figure. In as such, we do not beleive that we can destroy her nature our selves. She will always cleanse and repair herself without concern for us, if we become to much of a menace. You may say that sounds a bit like the virus argument the GH give. Well, let’s look at the GH and rationalize it as a Pagan and then we will see…
Now, to be fair, James Lovelock has got a few things right. The earth is an interconnected “being” that works continuously to stay at a certain level of homeostasis. Example: The sun has been allowed to show more and different types of energy rays through the ozone than in previous history. One defense the planet takes is allowing for the overgrowth of green algae, ( as mentioned in the Wiki article a bit.), that algae protects the soils and water of the body of water this happens in. Yes, it does kill off some of the water life; but the earth’s repair system is unforgiving, it has no thoughts about it. It is not thinking about this. It is “programmed” to cleanse and protect it self.
Now, from what I read of the GH, Lovelock believes that the earth a single interconnected organism. Like a human body, and this includes the creatures on it. Lovelock also believes that the Homeostasis is specifically for the hospitality of nature and that WE humans are the only creature throwing it off. This is where I get confused by his argument as he does seem to go back and forth a bit.
So, I will state the first issue, as I see it:
1. James Lovelock sees the earth as a single organism with everything on the planet as an interlocking piece in the organism’s puzzle and that the organism will self regulate to consistently maintain a perfect, hospitable environment for the creatures living on it.
Pagans DO NOT beleive that the planet is a single organism self regulating for the benefit of the creatures on it. It is a complex organism that the gods and goddesses were able to place the animals and the humans to live and work with the gods and goddesses. Some beleive the earth was created by them as well and others believe the earth created itself and offered itself up as a place for the creatures to live. The creatures are separate entities from the earth and must learn to be connected to her by following and working with her cleansing and healing events, ( tornados, winter, hurricanes, wildfires, etc.) These are not man’s fault and, while they may be accelerated by some of our more stupid actions, are not going to destroy the planet, just the creatures on it.
2. James Lovelock believes that Gaia is so fragile and we, the human, need to “self regulate” because we have grown out of control, used up all the earth’s resources and kill her off. He employed the help of a mathematician and they created the Daisy World model using math to justify this.
Pagans, as a spirituality group, work hard to be in tune with nature and watch with awe how the earth works through the seasons and it’s cycles completely oblivious to our presence. She causes earthquakes and avalanches and storms and tsunamis all without our help. She self regulates just fine. Mathematical models cannot take into account the spontaneous actions the planet takes. Yes, She has patterns that can be followed. But, like a sudden itch, or stretch, She may decide to “get up for a glass of water” In January and it is 60 degrees in North Minnesota for three days. If Lovelock is going to equate her to the human than he needs to remember that the human is fickle. This is how the Pagan sees Gaea. She is her own self and we are allowed to use her resources as long as we are careful. Not because we can destroy Her, but because she will stop stocking her fridge with our brand of beer if we mooch too much!!!
So, Lovelock’s BS about us self regulating for the sake of Gaea is a load of shit. If she is so weak then how come I can look back on many disasters in the past year and confidently say Gaea: 5 million…Human:0 !!! Let me repeat… the earth don’t care about YOU if YOU don’t pay attention to what has been provided. That’s all their is, folks and we will be wiped off the planet by the planet if it is sick of providing for us.
Still sound like I am agreeing with the virus theory??? I let that for last because it is THIS SIMPLE….
3. Lovelock says we are a virus.
A virus does not think, invent, ponder existence and happenstance. It does not ponder whether or not the earth can sustain us. It does not care for it’s young and celebrate the turning of the seasons or the birth of a Savior god. It does not fight both create and fight evil in the same distinct race. It does not wish to live to see it’s grandchildren graduate high school. It does not tear up at a sunset. It does not appreciate it’s “host”.
We Pagans appreciate our “hostess”. We clean up garbage, plant gardens,leave untamed areas for wildlife. We would never condone the wholesale slaughter of humans or any creature. And I can bet, that if Lovelock was asked to prove his position by gakking himself first, he would never do it. Remember, it always sounds good as long as you don’t have to make the sacrifice!!!!
GETTING OUT! 