Relgion and Ecology 2021

When discussing the sacred exchange of energy and the thought that people are not as attentive to the fact that animals are sacrificing their lives so that we may live I realized a parallel with Christianity. Christ sacrificed his life so that we may truly live and Christian's try to be very cognizant of this. This belief is reinforced every Sunday at church with communion and celebrated on Christmas and Easter. Why is the sacrifice that animals make not given a similar amount of attention or reflection? I believe this is because there is such a disconnect between the food being killed and prepared to be eaten on our tables. A significant part of Catholic mass is dedicated to the consecration of the Eucharist with the priest reciting the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. If the same attention was given to the food that we eat on a daily basis I believe there would be more appreciation and respect for the animals which feed us. Hello Dr. Redick I'm not sure you'll read this ...

  Homosapians had evolved in nature but had subsequently simultaneously diverged away from nature as modernization took place. Although the effects of evolution and urbanization have driven the species from its origin, natural spaces are still where humans are most comfortable. It has been scientifically proven that when humans spend time in nature, the brain behaves differently. It affects emotions and thoughts, which has a direct impact on immunity and healing powers. These inherent healing qualities natural systems provide are directly correlated to our neurological development and human biological ties to primates due to evolution. In the past several decades there have been many scientific studies that demonstrate the mechanisms behind the healing effects of nature immersion. Countries such as South Korea and Japan have funded extensive research for comprehending the beneficial contributions forest environments have on human mental, spiritual, and physical health. In order ...

  Since Europeans made the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, the white man has been under the impression that America was an empty land, teeming with wild vegetation and foreign animals. What the newcomers did not realize was that this new land was peppered with Native Indians of whom were caretakers for this American landscape.  To the Old World settlers, the terrain was unkempt and savage, truly an uncultivated land. The ignorance that played into their initial impressions of America made a resounding impact on how their successors ultimately viewed the landscape they were settling. America’s wilderness was interpreted to be a cultural construct due to the various interpretations of what nature means to different individuals. Nature exists as it is in its natural state, however, the wild aspect is up to the interpretation of these natural spaces being a sublime setting or a frontier of some sort. Based on the various evaluations made by humans, nature’s rugged wilderness was...

  As the growth and innovation of society and populations peak in developing countries, one must think to consider how this world, full of finite resources and land acreage, will account for the seemingly ever-growing population. Disputes transpire between the opposing conditions of development over how “clean” the country ought to develop as. Two terms for delineating between the different stages of evolution are developed and developing countries. Developed countries wish to enforce sustainable construction and progression. Developing countries believe they should be grandfathered in and relieved of global restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions and the usage of fossil fuels. The countries prospering in their establishment push for clean and sustainable methods of doing so in order to mitigate the possibility of increased exploitation of fossil fuels. Countries working on establishing themselves in the worldwide market economy perceive themselves to be at a disadvantage if not g...

  Due to the complexity of this systemic exclusion and repression, it is pertinent to shed light on historical events that have previously been excluded from the scholarly realm. By providing a multifaceted and layered context of Indigenouse’s disproportionate experience of the climate crisis, one might come to understand how this deep divide came to be. Historical treaties, government-mandated relocations, and subsequent genocide impacted Native American populations and set them up for nonsuccess. It is the Aboriginals who have been on the front lines experiencing the extremities of the climate crisis. A more expansive comprehension of the historical narrative forced upon the indigenous people will illustrate the circumstances to contemporary scholars to formulate a greater understanding of indigenous treatment over the years. By setting the stage of how residual oppression sets the indigenous community apart, one can come to understand how these injustices have tellingly led to t...

  This animation of Mother Earth Indigenous populations realize does not exempt these populations from enacting impacts on the land. Evading the “Ecological Indian” bias, there are lessons to be learned by observing Indigenous cultural practices as they interact amongst the land. Their ancestral knowledge of the land is a proficiency lost in post-colonist education. When colonizers declared America to be theirs, they were under the assumption that the land had not been touched, that it was pristine nature, wild and unkempt. Because the land was not managed the European way, the conscious husbandry of the landscape was not made evident. To white settlers, it was a novel and virgin land. To Native inhabitants, it was their ancestral home. Subtle but in no way “unimproved”, American landscapes were humanized environments. Regular vegetation burns facilitated the formation of grassy habitats open to berry bushes, birds, deer, and game for the purpose of hunting and gathering for calori...

  Within chapters 22 and 23, the concept of being a "plant manager" is presented to the reader. setting the intentions of one's actions as a plant manager coincides with the concept of ecocentric ethics.  Originally conceived by Aldo Leopold, the ecocentric ethic advocates for biospherical egalitarianism. Maintenance of the current ecosystem composition and ecological processes are key to environmental management. Author Evan Eisenberg mirrors Leopold’s sentiments in his novel, Ecology of Eden by writing that man acting as plant managers manage nature by minimizing the need to manage nature. Minimal land management strategies can be observed in many Indigenous cultures around the world and have the potential of being adopted by others, both personally and nationally.

 In chapter 21, the Gaia Hypothesis is brought up. This scientific understanding of the animated biosphere we live within exemplifies how Earth herself is a living organism. All life evolves with Her. However, in class we discussed how humans are a cancer to Earth, to Gaia, and it's seemingly terminal in our diagnosis. Humanity's prohibition of the proliferation of life is detrimental to the health of ALL parties involved. Those who dwell here and the Earth we stand upon are set up for nonsuccess with the existence of human infrastructure, a wound that keeps cutting deeper with time. Now, realistically speaking, the humans should be shaking in their boots over the distress they've caused on Earth's beings. Ultimately, mankind will be wiped from existence and Mother Earth will persevere, allowing nature to take back what humans stole. 

  The redwood giants soar into the sky with crowns poking up into the clouds, man stands juxtaposed as insignificant. These biological masterpieces are forces of nature with entire ecosystems nestled amongst their branches and humanity, a species not even native to this land saw at their trunks because we “need” a dining room table. We cut and hack away at their red wood, parasites in their grove with the abominable belief that we are deserving of the right to disrupt their land, their home. Now replace the subject of the redwoods with Indigenous Peoples. Would humanity still weep for their lost home? Would they fall to their knees in agonizing pain as man reflects on the actions of their people displacing an entire culture simply because their existence impeded the colonizer’s capitalistic market gains? Under the guise that imperialists were exploring for the good of their country, the New World was stolen and exploited. Ripping out indigenous populations’ sacred lands right from ...

  Harmonious in their existence, the Aboriginals exemplify how humans can manage to not disrupt the natural balance the Earth has to offer. In doing so, institutionalized sexism has no place, as discrimination based on sex is not present in the ecological world. Nature is inherently valuable. Objectifying women, objectifying nature, are causes of a fissure from humanity’s connection to nature and devalues it. The Aboriginal’s respect for their ancestral land, humanity can come to terms with the place and subsequent respect of women co-inhabiting the Earth we all share. This ecofeminist stance advocates for a broadened worldview that values the Earth as sacred and recognizes the dependency humanity has on the successful proliferation of the natural world, valuing all life.

  Shalom is a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility and can be used idiomatically to mean both hello and goodbye. Although shalom is most heavily used as a greeting/departing message of peace, its definition also encompasses a meaning of harmony and prosperity. In relation to the environment, I find a connection between this location and placement with others along with their surrounding ecosphere. The existing binary between humans and nonhumans construes the “place” in which humans fall amongst nature. Are we to domineer, co-inhabit, or remain in wilderness? In searching for a belonging amongst community membership, shalom reminds us that we also have a place with nature. In my interpretation, humans' place in nature has thus far been one rooted in selfishness. Based on my rudimentary understanding of religion, selfishness has no place in the eyes of god. Shalom acts as a reminder that we are all evolved from the same pla...

  Within the Christian faith, Wirzba iterates the importance of appreciating god’s creations. Because Christians “see” god personified in the natural world, there is an aura of respect for the encompassing ecosphere that He created. This essence of reverence is much like the use of shalom in Judaism. As discussed previously, an interpreted meaning of shalom is a permanent agreement. In this context, there is a permanent agreement between the human and nonhuman realms to establish a sort of “peace” that reconciles the two as they are connected by a higher power of whom created all life. 

 Especially after majoring in Environmental Studies, I have become more passionate about my work as an advocate. Finding the confidence to use my voice for good has been pivotal in defining what I wish to do with my life. Regardless of which profession I end up in, whether it's a vegan chef or environmental anthropologist studying forest therapy, I will attend, organize, rally, and celebrate the Earth in all Her glory. My purpose is to spread environmental awareness and I plan on living out that commitment for as long as I walk this Earth. This is from a climate demonstration  I worked on organizing in an extension  of Greta Thunberg's Fridays for Future last year.   

 Walking around campus, it's hard to identify who of us is passionate about sustainability. I feel most students carry their own water bottle around. Whether that's for convenience, cost-effectiveness, or a social norm people participate in to fit in, at least single-use water bottles aren't as common. However, fewer use their own silverware and fewer participated in the reusable to-go box initiative. Although, there is hope as I have transitioned out of leadership and seen the resurgence of underclassmen interested in environmentalism. Because CNU is not proactive with accepting sustainability initiatives, environmentalism is slow to roll. Without top-down support, CNU will not be the green-friendly I wish it to be.

A blog on an assigned class reading                  American Front Lawn are a failure of a garden. Lawns don’t act as a reminder of the garden of Eden and the beauty of extra-humans. Instead, lawns are a monocrop gas-guzzling chore. Lawn mowing had the potential to connect the lord of the estate to extra-humans. Instead of being a connective and contemplative experience, lawn mowing is a chore that most people just go through the motions of doing. I find the criticism of lawn care’s monotony and waste fascinating as I’ve never mowed the lawn (I’m allergic to grass).  To me lawns just seem like a really plain (and itchy) version of a garden. Gardens are more manicured more meticulously, but less frequently than lawns.  Even the Great Lawn on CNU’s campus seem suburban and boring. At least the Great lawn serves as a communal space for people to gather when the weather is nice. The problem, the care of this lawn goes unseen ...

 In this poem, Wendell Berry finds peace in the natural world, in the midst of fearing for the future of the natural world. He states this peace he finds in the wildness of the natural world. Taking in the world both above and below, through the stars and the water, to find peace and security in its presence. This peace within the natural world sees freedom for Berry. This found sense of freedom can act as an inspiration for others to find a similar connection and utilize it as a call to protect the world around us and all things within it, as it protects us everyday. 

  In reflecting on the class presentations of Ecology of Eden, I wanted to share my thoughts on Eisenberg's final chapter. In this chapter, Eisenberg illustrates how dangerous it is for us as humans to pretend that we are just animals, further that animals can simply live in harmony with us. This has created this idealization of Eden as a dream, which can serve to be more dangerous than one would think. Eisenberg instead pushes the reader to let Eden serve as a motivator in living a better life both individually and as a society. We as a society have acted in such a consumerist manner with nature, that we can take and take and take with no repercussions. We create these places of dwelling that are so detached from true nature that we forget how to appreciate it. It is in finding ways to experience and connect with nature that we can relearn as a society how to exist within nature as ethically as possible.

 A blog on an assigned class reading        I have only had one day of backpacking in which I have wondered where I would stay that night. At that time, I was working on a summer camp staff, calling a platform tent my home in New Mexico a long way from my mom’s homecooked meals and my comfy childhood bed in Virginia. One day in August I decided to hike out from the backcountry a new way so that I could     hiking up our tallest peak on property. The only problem was, much like those on spiritual journeys on the Camino or through hiking the Appalachian trial, I had no place to call home at the end of the day. I knew there was a staffed camp in the area, so I decided to just hike by there and see if they had room for the night. I had planned my trip at the spur of the moment, so it was too late to send the camp a message with their food delivery.        I started hiking at six thirty in the morning, summited Mt. Baldy at around o...

  In this piece, Edna St. Vincent Millay, a prominent deep ecologist, illustrates the beautifully romantic yet also morbid view of love and life. Utilizing the butterfly to illustrate how beautiful yet short life can be. The butterfly can also be seen to represent the changes we make within our lives. Using language like transient and wander, creates a dream-like feel in the poem. This dream-like sense is later countered with the use of phrases such as “suffer me to take your hand, suffer me to cherish you”. This strategic word choice creates a stark change in the feeling of the overall short poem. I think that this notion of our desire to love and give love as humans, even though we know our time here is short, can be connected with nature in a sense. I think that it is something that we have strayed away from. Adopting this view of the world that is dream-like yet also realistic can stand to have us appreciate nature in our day-to-day lives. Looking at the world with such intenti...

  After completing our term paper assignment, the topic of ecofeminist and feminist theologians really piqued my interest. In researching a bit Rosemary Radford Ruether seems to draw on a discussion I am more closely familiar with through my gender communication background. In her piece titled “Feminism, Future Hope, and the Crisis of Modernity” Ruether illustrates that to move toward the future hope that modern feminism strives for, deeply rooted manifestations of the patriarchy within Christianity have to be addressed (p.69). On an even broader scale, Ruether calls out western Semitic religions as most of them were founded on this patriarchal, or male lead, view of society and its relationship to God who acts as the ultimate patriarch. God, as depicted in western theology creates and rules over the cosmos and all within it, reinforcing power structures that we see played out in society today. Variations of these arguments from communication and intersectional theorists like Patri...

 Kenotic walking was a concept that I had not heard before until this class, but is definitely something that I have experienced in my own time.  The first time. experienced kenotic walking was probably when I was ten years old and had decided to roam the 70 acres of my mother's estate. Most of these acres were heavily forested, and therefore I was truly isolated in nature.  Kenosis is the process of absolving the mind of thoughts related to oneself and society and hone in on just the action of walking. It essentially removes the awareness of the subconscious.  Kenosis also has a religious implication as well, as the imagery of Christ on the cross can be seen as a kenotic act, as he was emptying himself on the cross and absorbing the sins of the people on Earth.  Kenosis also has a parallel action, which is likely the more popular one: self-reflective walking.  Popularized by Thoreau and Emerson, self-reflective walking occurs when you remove thoughts about...

 In reflecting on the poem titled "For the children" from Gary Synder's Turtle Island, the piece beautifully articulates the state of our natural world. It begins with linking together the natural and mechanical world, moving through the prospects of our world as intimidating as they may be. The line "we can meet there in peace if we make it" shines a light on the impact we have made on the natural world around us, and hinting that if we continue on the path we are on, we may not make it into the next century. The poem closes by sharing wisdom with the reader and their children to "stay together forever, learn the flowers, go light". These closing remakes urge the reader to place value in human connection, take time to learn about the natural world around you, and go in light. This piece really stood out to me when reading through Gary Synder's Turtle Island. The vivid imagery illustrates how vital our role is in protecting the environment, and how...

  A blog on an assigned class reading   The discussion of Biotechnology and Genetic engineering the modular approach of modern society made apparent and keystone role of scientists. In discussing this view of extra-humans and the role of scientists, I was reminded of the TV series  Snowpiercer. Snowpiercer  takes place in the future on a train that holds the ruminates of the globe. This train is necessary to survival because in an effort to halt climate change scientists froze the Earth. Unfortunately, this fictious future is not unimaginable.             The problem is that the extra-human systems are more complicated than we understand. Humans have a history or trying solutions before we know the side effects. The other issue is that that humans tend to be reactive, creating solutions to ecological problems, rather than having an awareness and being proactively intentional in our actions.   ...

 Jainism was a religion that we discussed in class, although the discussion was relatively short. In this blog post, I try to expand upon Jainism, and its relevance to American culture.  To begin, Jainism is derived from the Sanskrit "Jaina," which means Victor. Perhaps Jainism is about being victorious over being detached from the world, as the main tenet of Jainism is about removing attachments, physically, from worldly objects and possessions.  According to an article from The Los Angeles Times, “Jainism is a very old tradition with a very rich history of nonviolence, ecology, environment, respect for women, business ethics…. I could go on,” said Sulekh Jain, a retired engineer and leader in the American Jain community." It seems as though Jainism aligns with various topics that are popular with the American youth. That said, one of the principles of Jainism that was discussed in class was that food consumed by the Jain people must be prepared by someone else, and tha...

 One of the boldest claims in class is that we need to return to a hunter-gatherer society. The argument for this is rooted in the fact that nature is better appreciated in the hunt. When hunters are in the middle of a chase, they enter a more focused mindset, and in traditional cultures a hunt is regarded as a religious ceremony. The hunter, furthermore, is risking his life to take the life of another being. By having a real hunt, a person is capable of seeing the true stakes of mortality, thus appreciating life itself more.  The hunter-gatherer society is also supported in class because the model allows for a population decline, since it would be impossible to feed 8 billion people through hunted mammals. The agricultural complex has artificially increased the human species, and will continue to artificially increase the human species past the carrying capacity of Earth.  Yet, with all of these pros I still cannot personally support the hunter-gatherer society model....

       A blog on a topic of student’s choosing Those who work closely with wildfires have categorized them as unpredictable, uncontrollable, and unimaginable. The reason fires are captivating national media attention is the damage of their force. Despite efforts to minimize casualties, the unimaginable toll of wildfires on human infrastructure and lives is becoming more apparent. Recent fire news revolved around Australia’s 2019-2020 fire season. California was also in the news in 2018 for its fire season. Fires across the globe have captured our attention. The news coverage is based in the increasing severity of fires. The term "megafire" has been coined to emphasize the increase in severity. Megafires are fires that have burned over 40,000 hectares (almost 10,000 acres). These Mega fires are in part an issue as a result of human failure to understand the extra-human fire cycles and locations of fire.  The increasing proximity of homes to fires is a recent conc...

The backpacker vs. the farmer was one of the larger concepts that we explored in the end of the semester.  To explain this, the backpacker loves nature chastely, as he (or she) wanders through nature solely for the appreciation of its beauty.  The farmer, however, loves nature for the promise of offspring. There is almost something "rapacious" about this relationship, as the farmer is the only one that benefits off of this relationship.  With the backpacker, though, the relationship remains equal. Additionally, the backpacker only enters places that offer hospitality, meaning that there is no exchange of currency or labor for the backpacker. After all, a key concept of the backpacker is that he can move through space without having to contribute to the economic systems of society.  This concept of the backpacker is especially explored in Chapter 28 of Ecology of Eden, as it discusses the possibility of reclaiming Arcadia. If more people were to follow the model of th...

 One of the most distinct conservationists is John Muir. From the John Muir Foundation, the following is a summary of what Muir accomplished in his life: The last 25 years of Muir's life were consumed with constant travel, writing, and oversight of the Sierra Club—for which he served as president from its creation in 1892. He lobbied successfully for the creation of Yosemite Park in 1890 and then asked for additional protections when he toured President Theodore Roosevelt in the park in 1903. Muir's persuasive words to Roosevelt and state authorities led to the return of Yosemite Grant to the federal government in 1906. His published writings were also instrumental in the creation of Grand Canyon and Sequoia national parks. I think that Muir's lifestyle heavily follows what this class has taught, which is to find a balance between nature (the mountain) and urban life (the tower). Muir's trips to Yosemite were often in-between periods of living in California with his wif...

               For another one of my classes I am writing a paper about the painting by Rembrandt called  The Return of the Prodigal Son . This painting is obviously based on the parable of Jesus called the prodigal son. In this story, there is a son who decides that he wants his inheritance, so he asks his father for it. His father gives it to him, and the son takes off and leaves home. He spends his money wastefully on prostitutes and other nefarious things and ends up losing it all. He takes a job feeding pigs to make more money and is at such a low point that he wishes he could eat the food given to the pigs. Finally, he decides to go back home and ask his father for a job as a servant. He expects that his father will hate him but might hire him as a lowly worker. When he arrives home, his father runs out to meet him with open arms and hugs him. His father sends his servants to slaughter a calf and starts a celebration for him. ...

            After reading  From Nature to Creation  by Norman Wirzba, I decided to read some of Wendell Berry’s works to prepare for my final paper. I just finished his article about Christianity and Creation, and I thought it was great. Berry talks about the problem with modern Christians and their relationship to Creation. This mirrors much of what Wirzba said likely because Wirzba has focused his studies upon Wendell Berry. In simple terms, like Wirzba, Berry believes that the key to fixing this relationship is understanding the true biblical concept of love for creation. This mostly comes from Genesis 1:31 when God says that what he has created is very good. Additionally, Berry puts a focus on Genesis 2:7 where God creates human out of dust and his breath. He interprets this to mean that a living soul is made from material and immaterial and thus rejects the dualistic view of body and soul being material and immaterial, respectively. I pl...

               There is an idea that I have started to study in another class called dualism. This is a concept that is pervasive in our Western culture and it is a way that most of us look at the world without even realizing it. From what I have read, it seems that this stems from the philosopher Plato, although it certainly could have been present in the Pre-Socratic philosophers as well. In simple terms, Plato seemed to see the universe in two supposed realms, the immaterial and the material. This means physical things that we can see and touch and intangible things. For Plato, the immaterial was better than the material. While this seems simple at first, it has some consequences that are serious.              The first great example of dualism that I can think of in the Christian tradition is the modern view of heaven or the afterlife. Western Christians regularly think of h...

               One of the main ideas from Paul Shepard’s  The Tender Carnivore  is allowing plants and animals to grow freely. Shepard eventually recommends everyone living in urban centers as hunter-gatherers and allowing everything outside the city to grow freely. This has been a theme that we have discussed many times throughout in this class, and one that I want to address. We have discussed it regarding Dr. Redick’s backyard in which he allows some areas to grow free. Also, in New York’s Central Park, there is the area called the Ramble in which is more freely growing. These areas seem to be the healthiest places and are like what Shepard describes in his book. Another example of this would be the front lawns of Americans and people in most developed countries. We spend money and time trying to make the grass as green and as short as it can be to make our lawns look neat. This is quite the opposite of what Shepard is calling fo...

               I just finished the short story by Jack London called  All Gold Canyon . The story focuses on a man in search of gold in California around the time of the gold rush. As most of Jack London’s writing, it is a very descriptive look into the life of a gold prospector. The prospector finds a vein of gold that is fuller than any he has seen before. He continues to follow it as far as he can until it becomes the most concentrated before he begins digging. Throughout the story, London does a great job describing his lust for the gold and his simple life as a prospector. He explains the connection between the prospector and the wilderness in an interesting way. He has respect for the wild, but he also wants to exploit it deep-down. His motivation for being in California is not that of John Muir. This leaves an interesting back and forth in which the prospector communicates with the vein of gold as if it were a person that he could...

            Starting in part three, Eisenberg begins talking about what he calls idylls. These peaceful, happy episodes that can be shown in different mediums of literature and art. The most common are the pastoral poems which have now become widespread. Basically, idylls depict rural-like scenery, but in a positive and happy way. They certainly don’t approach wilderness like the American settlers in a negative way as something that needs to be controlled. Still, they are still idealistic in that they leave out the negative sides of more rural living. The point that Eisenberg makes is that these idylls are basically trying to show Arcadia in an artistic way. Arcadia was a literal place on the Peloponnesian Peninsula. It was a place of legend where people lived in communion with nature and was depicted as the perfect middle-ground between the mountain and the tower that I discussed in the last blog. Many of the pastoral poems depict Arcadia as this supe...

               I just finished the book  God and the Pandemic  by N.T. Wright. In this small book, Wright, a foremost New Testament scholar, addresses the coronavirus and what it means for us as Christians. To preface this blog, I disagree with much of what Wright says in his books and his general theology. He is an outspoken supporter of the New Perspective on Paul which makes the case that much of Christian theology up until this point has misunderstood the historical context of the Apostle Paul and his writings. Still, I think this book was somewhat valuable. Wright talks about the Christian attitude towards Creation and the idea that the pandemic might be the cause of our disrespect for Creation. It seems that if God were to use a situation to  punish  humans for their misdeeds, it would certainly make sense for it to be a virus that has killed many people. Wright goes on to say that we cannot know the purpose of this ...

                 After reading the entirety of the second part of  Ecology of Eden  by Evan Eisenberg, I was most struck by his comparison of the mountain and the tower. Having read further into part three, I know that this distinction is very important to the rest of the book and thus I want to reflect on the distinction in this blog. Eisenberg describes the mountain as something like what we have previously defined as wilderness. On the other hand, there is the tower, which is basically just civilization. They both serve a similar purpose as the tower is literally a man-made mountain. What was really interesting to me was how cultures will define themselves around the two of these things. What comes into play in the next part is the attempt to find the middle-ground between the two which would be Arcadia, but I will hold off on discussing that until the next blog.           ...

This is creation. All this is going on today, only men are blind to see it. They think only of food. They are not content to provide three meals a day; they must have enough for a thousand meals. And so they build ships to carry the food that they call commerce, and they build houses to store food in, and other houses to buy and sell it in, and houses to eat it in, and load themselves down with the care of it so that they cannot get away. They cannot pause long enough to go out into the wilderness where God has provided every sparrow enough to eat and to spare, and contemplate for even an hour the wonderful world that they live in. You say that what I write may bring this beauty to the hearts of those that do not get out to see it. They have no right to it the good Lord put those things here as a free gift that he who chooses may take with joy. and he who will not walk out of the smoke of the cities to see them has no right to them. -         John Muir...