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Show against the ethic of a conservative moderate lifestyle." The Law of Consecration is an LDS ethic that says there are enough resources for everyone in the world if we learn to equally and fairly distribute them. In other words, if we didn’t live past our means and lived a less materialist life, we probably would not be facing a resource crisis. "The scriptures are clear that as long as there is unequal distribution of resources and inequality in temporal terms, there is going to be an inequality in spiritual terms," Handley said. Handley has used his Mormon background to confirm why he is involved in the environmental and conservation movement. A mandate from the pulpit may actually be damaging because it could take responsibility away from the individual. "The church is teaching principles and doctrines and it’s encouraging members to make decisions on their own about particular issues. My activism in environmental issues is perfectly consistent with my religion. I would debate with members who are anti-environmental that they’re not being consistent with their religion," Handley said, "The environmental crisis is, at its roots, about individual attitudes toward the earth that add up into collectivity of communities and their attitudes toward the earth. And until the individual and the local communities can reorient themselves in powerful ways towards an environmental ethic, whatever the church does on a macro scale may actually displace the primary responsibility of the individual." World-renowned conservationist and devout Mormon Paul Alan Cox believes that members who use theology to justify environmental degradation and demonize conservationists are walking on very thin theological ground. Conserving faith protect the plants and animals of the world. I realized that a lot of the plants and animals in wild settings had no voice or protection. So, what became prayers ofa young boy become a guiding focus of my work now," explained Cox. "Theologically, my view is if you love the artist you shouldn’t slash the painting." He cites the Doctrine and Covenants 104: 13-14 to support his view of using the earth’s resources with judgment: "For it is expedient that I, the Lord, should make every man accountable, as a steward over earthly blessings, which I have made and prepared for my creatures. I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine." Throughout his life he has kept consistent with these beliefs. In the early 70s, he served Because he learned both Samoan and Tongan, he was able to return to the island of Savaii in Samoa in the late 80s to study how the natives used the different plants as medicine. Everything was going well, until loggers showed up to cut down a part of the rainforest. The government was planning to sell the timber, so it could pay for the construction of a school. Cox organized a movement and raised money to pay for the school without cutting down the rainforest. He says the natives interpreted events very differently than he did. "Here’s this white guy that shows up out of nowhere, speaking fluent Samoan; he spends all his time in the forest studying plants for healing; when the loggers come, he immediately leads an attempt to remove them from the forest. They thoughtI was somehow inspired by an ancient deity, Nafanua," recalls Cox. As a condition of signing a covenant to protect the forest on a long-term basis, the people of the island required him to accept a chief’s title as Nafanua, a god who protects the forest. "I think without exception every indigenous tribe I’ve worked with to this point believes the earth is sacred. It’s only western culture that sees it as a commodity. Yet in our scriptures the sacredness of the earth is asserted,” Cox said, "I consider the story of Noah a great saga about the preservation of biodiversity in the face of man’s depravity and depredations." The Doctrine and Covenants 59: 16 & 20 states, "Verily I say, that inasmuch KV] | » WEA a! \ ~ | in fine coffee, espres so drinks gourmet teas, Also serving fresh-baked Pastries, breakfast & lunch sandwiches Teshrsqueezed juices & fuit smoothies PLANET CADTH ¢ AWESOME FR made 02 eiwoowe | 4 DIRECTIONS GALLERY fresh...never from t. h, A matter of perspective Dr. JoAnn Valenti, a communications professor at BYU in Provo, has studied what influences positive environmental attitudes. She finds that attitudes of LDS members are high. But religion is just one factor that influences these attitudes; personal ideology, moral upbringing, media, economic background, career are just some of the others. Throughout her studies she found education was key to high levels of environmental awareness. Costa Rica has the highest literacy rate in Central and South America and its environmental awareness is so strong that conservation has become synonymous with patriotism. Sweden is another country with high environmental awareness. Education in Sweden is state-supported and through university, schooling is free to anyone who qualifies. "I think education, intelligence and a respect for intelligence sits right up there you find in a cross-section sample of the U.S. public. Education is valued in the Mormon culture," Valenti explained. It is difficult to acknowledge these positive attitudes, when so many of our LDS politicians seem to do so many things that go against the environmental and conservation movement. But Valenti says there is a line between actions of a politician and the faith of a politician. "When Al Gore does something, does it somehow spin off and it’s good news for the Baptists. When the Baptists do something inane like they're prone to do with great regularity does that somehow impact on Al Gore? There’s a tendency to buy into a paranoia that I don’t see as productive or constructive. Because for every Jim Hansen there’s a Ted Wilson," said Valenti, She says environmental awareness is in a downtime right now, not just in the Mormon Church and in Utah, but everywhere in this country. But because of people like Paul Cox, Richard Ingebretsen and Terry Tempest Williams she says the topic will move to the forefront again. As a Florida native, she remains positive about Utah’s future. She says it is too easy to rush to judgment and only see the negative. "It’s the mythology within the boundaries of this state, the limits of what we think about off the front pages. I think is an element of mythology, misinformation, paranoia, suspicion and distrust that taints our ability to see the positive and to look-.forward. We’re more reluctant to assume something good is going to happen than we are anxious to say, ‘Here we go again, the church is going to do something again, BYU is doing something again.’ When in fact, I’m seeing some pretty good things come out of it. As a person who does consider herself environmentally responsible, I have felt much more hopeful than in my home state of Florida," said Valenti. She does not anticipate any revelations on environmental attitudes, but because the doctrines and teachings are already in place; a new revelation is not needed. “I think it’s already there. If church leaders just continue to remind church members on what Brigham Young and Joseph Smith said, what's already in their doctrine, we're in fine shape. Those are fine principles to live by." And opening the discussion and environmental conflicts. dialogue is the first step towards SUBSCRIBE TO THE ZEPHYR Details on Page 3 Chris Muhr's — ALL METALS WELDING & FABRICATION CO. 1707 I-70 Bus. Loop Grand Jct., CO 81501 970.243.6310 FX: 970.241.5917 FIRE SALE! VINJE SOLO! through August 12 AMY GUY: Aug 16-Sept 9 "BOOKS & BOXES" Sept 12-Oct 14 Hey Stiles... How much longer are you CALL FOR ARTISTS!!! coming in October/// The Dark Show" 524 Colorado Ave. 970.256.9630 Caole Lo WIy, artis t/curator Gallery Of fine art/shows by local artists vintage housg 256-7446 clothing costume jewelry antiques & Collectibles resolving ooo00 COLORADO AVENUE COLORADO JAVA goons EM "Environmental degradation represents a tax on the poor. Those of us who are well off can buffer ourselves to d ffects of envi ld dation, but the poor . have no recourse. I see it as more than a moral issue; I see it as a spiritual issue,” Cox explains. Seav.soc 502 Colorado Avenue 970.256.7446 Cat Co ughran, owner Check out WF Cox believes that members who use theology to justify environmental degradation and demonize conservationists are walking on very thin theological ground. Every month, . church members fast and donate the money they saved on food to the poor. Cox says it would be hypocritical to help the needy on one level, but jeopardize them on another. hand-in-hand with attitudes toward the environment. I’m not surprised to find that attitudes toward the environment in the Mormon population are more present than what World-renowned conservationist Paul Alan Cox is a devout Mormon and a dedicated environmentalist. He is a prime example of how the LDS faith has fueled passions for protecting the natural world. Cox is currently the director of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, a project in Hawaii trying to preserve plants threatened with extinction. He comes from a long line of conservationists, but says it is his faith that keeps him dedicated to the preservation of the ecosystems. "As a young boy,I prayed that God would a mission in a remote rainforest in Samoa. as ye do this [keep the Sabbath holy], the fullness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the CUSTOM FABRICATION DRY BOXES BOAT PROP REPAIR FRAMES |
