THE SYNCRETISM OF UTILIZING THE WORLD, ITS

RESOURCES AND ORGANISMS:

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY VS.

INTERPRETATION OF RELIGIOUS SCRIPTURE

Emily RinaldiWildlife & Fisheries Biology

Spring 2013

“The cowman who cleans his range of wolves does not realize that he is taking over the wolf’s job of trimming the herd to fit the range. He has not learned to think like a mountain. Hence we have

dustbowls, and rivers washing the future into the sea.”~Aldo Leopold

“Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living

things that move on earth… I am giving all this land, as far as you can

see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendents that, like

the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted.”

~ Genesis 13: 15-16

Breakdown of Brief Genesis Quote

God’s plan Humans have the power to rule over

everything. Result of this interpretation

Humans assume they can utilize Earth’s resources in completefavor of themselves.

Moral Syncretism

Consists of the attempt to reconcile contrasting

or contradictory moral beliefs. Often while blending

the ethical practices of various schools of thought.

Fundmentalists

Fundamentalists (cont…)

Fundamentalism Demand for a strict adherence to specific

theological doctrines Usually understood as a reaction against

Modernist theology Primarily to promote continuity and accuracy

of a specific belief system Includes a lot of political and economical

values See the scripture as giving the “okay” to

use the planet to their advantage

Fundamentalists (cont…)

They illustrate the fear/ ignorance to accept nor initiate change

Throwing out evidence that goes against their plan/ what the book “states”

This cultural relativism is used to mask the effects of Western colonialism and imperialism

Not the end product of reasoning A way for humans to feel they have

status, possession, and importance

Conservationists

Conservationists (cont…)

Conservation biology is the interest in protecting the world’s resources, plants, and animals Diversity Habitat Sustainability

Have seen the results of humans utilizing land and animals for their own benefit

An Exception

“If god is to blame, it’s for giving humans the freedom to make their own decisions. [however] the bible… teaches that humans are the ones responsible because they misused that freedom.”

Not all decisions humans make are harmful to the world’s community.

Extinction

In the last century, humans have been the main cause of vertebrate and invertebrate extinction.

Tend to run down habitat and species until there is almost no turning back.

Then humans have to work extremely hard to try to fix what they destroyed.

Conclusions

Humans are responsible for nature Lack of environmental education being

passed to the next generation If readers read further in Genesis, they

would find: “The Lord God had sent no rain upon the earth

and there was no man to till the soil… [after the creation of man]… The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it.” ~ Genesis

“Your eyes will be opened… knowing both good and evil.” ~Genesis

Questions?