Several
early Quakers wrote of their mystical understanding of our harmony
with all creation, and many Friends have held
themselves to be stewards of nature, taking little and using it wisely.
We
now find ourselves called toward a new testimony. We must witness
to the planetary crisis of our times and to our own role in
it. We can no longer turn away from the harm done to fragile
biological systems.
We
know that our power as human beings to alter nature for good and
ill makes us responsible in a way that is different from
other creatures. Our way of living needs to change in a profound
ways, and we who are affluent must curb our demands.
At
the same time, we cannot turn away from the modern world. However
simply we may each try to live as individuals, we are
almost wholly dependent upon the society that causes the
destruction we abhor.We cannot simply abandon all of its benefits.
Friends seek that which urges not our dominance over nature but
our care for and unity with it. This calls for a deeper understanding
of ourselves as continuous with nature. Friends do not seek to
dominate nature but rather to live in harmony with it. This calls
for
a deeper understanding of the fundamental patterns of
organization and interaction that govern life on Earth. Our task
is
to turn toward the Light for guidance about the meaning of these
patterns for human beings, and to discern the values and behaviors
that will lead us to be in harmony with them.
Cultivating
a deeper awareness of our connections with all of Creation enables
us to live more Spirit-filled lives. Every person,
animal, and every other entity has its own wondrous reality, its
own
authenticity. Such awareness brings us great joy, it reminds us of
the
sacred in all of nature, leads to greater clarity and acceptance
of
ourselves as creatures of the Source of life, and helps us avoid
the
traps of busyness and striving after material things. As we seek
to
live in the awareness of connectedness, we become more sensitive
to
the consequences of our words, deeds, and attitudes, and we enter
a
deeper, more joyous relationship with the Divine. We call upon
Friends, individually and corporately, to live in a more loving
relationship with the Earth and all its inhabitants.We may be led
to
transform our understanding, our hearts, and our lives.