User:Mokiach/Future sustainability

Future Sustainability

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I have been working on a book for about ten years, entitled: These Things I See: Interdependence as the Path for Future Sustainability and World Peace

It belongs to the classes of thinking in Interdependence Liberalism and Progressivism.

The major thesis of the book is based on the idea that human kind has reached a point of critical mass, where the need for embracing and facilitating a change is at hand. It is based on a new idea that the relationship between the three major religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are at the nexus of world conflict, and that solving the conflict would open up new doors. I posit that religious tolerance will never work, and is not enough, but rather these three religions must alternately link arms and join together as an interdependent whole -- three organs of one body. Since religion is at the root of conflict, and also at the nexus of the solution, political theory and academic thought alone will not solve the problem; but rather prayer and spiritual guidance is required for us to know what our next steps are to be. I have prayed, worked, studied, and written on this subject for many years, which has led me to this point in the process.

I have worked out an an analysis of the three religions, in the spirit of understanding what the nature of each are, which brings out interests of each as would be required as part of a mediation process. I have also formalized a series of processes and solutions, such that this book is not simply a criticism of what is or an idealistic vision of what could be, but rather a practical foundation and steps for change.

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About the Author George Michael Payne (1957- ) Mr. Payne has studied International Human Rights Law in Geneva, Switzerland and Strasbourg, France. He is a trained mediator, facilitator, and executive coach.

Most of the research for this book was conducted in a PhD Organizational Systems program at Saybrook Research Institute in San Francisco, California.

Currently living in Houston, TX

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OVERVIEW

The Conclusive Proposition If I had to reduce my precept down to one concept, generally it would be that a better understanding and utilization of interdependence as a tool is the key to sustainability, and that sustainability and peace are dependent upon one another. Regardless of what philosophies we may embrace of the day, I believe that in truth we, all people living on this planet, are one solid interdependent whole social structure – or at least we should be. Not independent as individualists would have us believe; not dependent as those who have, fear; not codependent as the helpless and helpers seek out to use one another for their own personal gain; but interdependent for our daily survival today, and also for security against the eminent threat of our future survival. Specifically, also identifying that the primary problem is conflict between the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is the problem, and that they need to engage and transform themselves into interdependent organs of one body, and make peace as the solution. There are exceptions of course, but most lie in isolated short-term situations. How can one focus on the future horizon when we are in crisis today? I recognize that the topic is huge, and that there are no simple answers to complex problems, just as simple answers are to simple problems, big problems necessitate complex solutions. It is my hope that this writing creates a stepping stone with new paradigms for tackling the big social problem of future sustainability, while being realistic in living life today. To that degree, I might begin by suggesting that attention be split between the acts of today, together with constant awareness of future ramifications – not one, or the other, but both simultaneously. Second, that none of us can hold on to everything, all the time, thus a goal would be to find our place or role in the greater scheme of things, and be willing to synchronize with other parts to a much greater degree than we are doing today. Theoretically speaking, from one perspective, there is a theory that goes something like this: If we harm others, individually, culturally, or spiritually, we are in some way harming ourselves. From another perspective, if we fail to engage, elicit, nurture, or develop mutually beneficial relationships, it would be opportunity lost. The scale or scope of such an opportunity lost may seem expendable to our immediate purposes, but in the long run I believe that it is necessary rather than optional for future sustainability. Everyone seems to be talking about the sustainability trend. At first it was environmental sustainability. The two great questions initially seemed to be: How can life perpetuate on this planet if we poison or consume the finite resources that we depend on; and the other being, How can we possibly ever survive an ever exponentially increasing growth model, both economically and population wise. Even if the first could be overcome, experiments with stability in growth seemed to be detrimental, thus leading to albeit realistic decisions based upon lesser of two evils of reducing, slowing down, or mitigating the damage we cause as a consequence of simply existing, versus actually stabilizing the support/ consumption balance. Whereas an economist might look at the great problem of sustainability as having some policy or mathematical solution, a politician as having the Our governmental system will work solution and so on, I hold that the answer, or rather the process will come for a spiritual basis, and possibly utilize economic or system solutions as part of the equation. The great problem is that few from any walk of life recognize the depth and gravity of what is at hand, and I hold that we must strive harder for solutions, not which settle for a decrease of the time to our demise, but to figure out processes which will lead to actual sustainability for the next 100,000 years. Each of the great Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, believes that each of them independently has the whole answer. In truth, I contend that none of us is completely right, but rather each has but one piece of the puzzle that God has given us to nurture through the ages; and that part of what we have a hold of is incorrect, to the degree that our philosophy, belief, or approach to life will work for all. I do not deny that each belief structure works for each group independently, but that is not enough. There is a riddle, “When is love not love?” The answer is that love is not love, when it is love for us, but not for them. In talking with people over the years, it seems that Love, although overly simplistic and abstract might be the answer, but no one can agree upon what love is. As a Christian, I have noticed that even other Christians struggle with the abstract notion of Love. For the time being as I will discuss what love is in more depth with its own section below, I would like to point out four simple observations to all Jews, Christians, and Muslims. First that we all believe and recognize that there is only one God, and that we all are aware that each of the three religions worship that same God. Second, that in each of our respective religious texts (the Hebrew Bible/ old testament, the New Testament, and the Koran), we understand that God has given us an edict that we are to love and worship God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength. Third, that each of us, Jew, Christian, and Muslim, is what I would deem as, being that of God. And finally, that in affect, to love God is to love the other people and their respective religions; and failure to do so is in affect, not loving God – and each of us collectively has fallen short of this goal. The major thesis as a mode of operation of this book is that we, within our own respective religions, need to correct our thinking by accepting that each of the Abrahamic religions are, or should be, interdependent upon one another, and actually need the love of the other two; and that we should become as coordinated but separate body parts, of one body. I believe that as we struggle to accomplish this goal, not when we finish it or reach utopia, but as we struggle, God will bestow upon us skills, tools, and gifts unlike anything that we have ever seen before. We will advance in mutual gain, not at the expense of the other, but made better because of it. Evolution will come, and change will always happen, new problems will continually arise, but we will be better equipped to solve those problems than we have ever have before. It seems that the great threat, weakness, or nemesis of human kind has always been confined to famine, poverty, disease, and war. The great distinction between then and now is that we have reached a point of critical mass on this planet such that sustainability can now be added to that list. I wonder if departure from God is not also part of that equation. To put it bluntly, our current trajectory without change, sooner or later, will lead to a finite end. I get much of my inspiration from the Bible, and have come to think of it like this: In the book of Genesis, we are given the task by God to go forth, multiply, and take dominion over the planet. My sense is that we have basically accomplished that goal. Since the era between the task given and accomplishment of the goal is in its final stages, the great question for God now is what’s next? I don’t think the answers will come from any written source that we have previously relied upon, as they were designed for support of that phase of our evolution, but by prayer and meditation. I believe that we need to pray to God, collectively with Jew, Christian, and Muslim, side by side, and ask for guidance from God, and being open to what may come. I began my life as an artist, then as a peacemaker, mediator, human rights advocate, social change worker through the third sector (nonprofit organizations) and as an organizational development consultant. I was raised in a military family as a child, and saw far too much violence, within our household, and between nations as a child. Raised as an American Methodist abroad in a Muslim country, Iran, I sought out the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker) religion as a way to promote peace and oppose violence after I finished college. I learned many lessons during my twenty-four years with the Quakers, but then moved to the Episcopal Church when my Quaker environment became a hindrance of diminishing returns. I had given up on peace as my social service life purpose, and have rekindled my work after I started over. I had written for more than fifteen years in my journal about peace, love, and truth, forever seeking answers, enlightenment, and tools, strictly as a spiritual and academic exercise. With a touch of a nonchalant attitude, I have eventually come to actually believe that I might be able to affect war through some of my writing, thus submit this book to the public with the solid belief that sustainability, peace in the Middle East, and world peace is possible. In my darkest hour, I thought that neither Jews, Christians, Muslims, nor God itself really wanted peace or sustainability – and that if no one else wanted it, then I stopped working on it too. I have since returned to working on it, and believing in it, even though I may be the only one. It is my hope that by the time people have finished reading this book, that there would be at least one other person on this planet that is influenced by it, and comes to believe in it too. This book is not about a theoretical vision, but a solid plan to making peace happen. If we have the will, I have a way. I hope too that the will to do so engages in this process and takes root – this is my prayer. Here it is, truth as I see it, for the purpose of creating peace and sustainability. The study of war, and peace in the Middle East was my teething ring, but I have now come to believe that Gods master plan is to have the three Abrahamic religions come together as one body. War and peace is still a part of the picture, but peace in the Middle East is merely a byproduct. The real fruit of the endeavor is that by working on the problem of peace in the Middle East, together, we gain a new set of problem solving skills. If the Judaism, Christianity, and Islamic religions can work on the problem of war, as one body, from one side of the fence, we will be able to solve almost anything. Sustainability is the bigger picture, and the solution of war is but one of any number of problems which need to be worked on down the road to achieving sustainability. The question has also been posed about other religions, and how they play out in the scheme of my thesis. I believe that they are also other parts of the whole body, but to take on incorporating those elements before the three Abrahamic religions have figured out how to work together would be too complex for the time being. Let us work on the singular task of figuring out how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam can join together. After we figure that out we will be better equipped to bring in other religions. It is also a great fear and concern of mine on the issue of relationship with China and their agenda. I set my fears aside, and hope with baited breath that we can figure out how to use our own tri-organ body, and that we do so soon, so that we can get around the corner to see what we cannot see from our current independent locations. I see no other solution to this problem. My sense is that there are a great many things around the corner that we cannot even see from here, which we will be able to see, and solve from there. My sense is too that if we do not figure this out, that God does have a Plan B, and that we would all prefer working together if we knew what God has planned if we don’t. As to my specific concerns and observations about China, let me just say the following. Whereas western nations, or the global north, seem to be focused on human rights issues, it seems to me that China operates in a different paradigm. My thumbnail view is that China has a long history and experience with social reform. It seems to me that these so-called human rights violations are acts of desperation to control itself. It has set up a priority system of controlling population, which it has determined that its own survival is at the top of its agenda. Yes, there are social policies there to sterilize women after one pregnancy, and as a consequence women children are killed, aborted, or adopted out, primarily because parents rely on their sons to maintain adults in retirement years. China points to the historical and current policy that the United States has with the native American Indians as justification to systematically conduct genocide of fringe populations that surround its borders, also through sterilization. I am reminded of an ancient policy in the west where the firstborn always ate first. Although not a governmental policy, it was enacted in families because the major successor patriarch and heir to the assets a family or clan needed to be guaranteed survival above the others in the family, leaving others to starve if there was not enough food. China's desperate sterilization policies are made out of necessity -- there is not enough food and resources to feed the whole population, so decisions are made to decide who gets fed, and who not. In addition to their problems of imbalance between supporting resources and population, even in a declining population rate, the increased overgrazing and poor farming practices has initiated an out-of-control expansion of desertification where the resources are declining even faster than the decline of population. One consequence is that they are dependent on imports. Another consequence is their agenda to expand to the rest of the world, unfortunately bringing both the assets they have gained from their experience, and liabilities that they will bring as contaminants to the rest of the world. China is as China does. It is interdependent upon the rest of the world, as are the rest of us. They also think and believe that they have the right answers, but they are subject to the same philosophic rules and infirmities that the rest of the world is. If they succeed with their current agenda, we will all loose. Cooperation and adjustments in their thinking, policies, and strategic plan for the future must be worked out together. In sum, sustainability as a future for humankind is the big goal; Interdependence and working together as three organs of one body between the three Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is a necessary prerequisite to ending war, and ending war is a necessary prerequisite to future sustainability. The problem of working out the solution to war in the Middle East is the vehicle to gaining a new skill set; and the new problem solving skill set is the fruit of the exercise by which we will be able to solve new problems on the way to total sustainability. God as the spiritual coach will guide us through all of this if we collectively ask, pray and have the will. From either of the Christian or Jewish perspective, Islam is not the enemy nor are Christians and Jews from the Islamic side. And finally, as a consequence, if we join together as separate parts of one body, sustainability will come, God will become closer to us, and we will become closer to God. The issue of how to work with China and other organs of human kind will come to us after we have figured out how to join the first three organs together, which are Christianity, Judaism, and Islam -- three organs, one body.