Inherit the Earth

In response to Sarah Palin’s recent claims that climate change is based on “junk science and doomsday scare tactics pushed by an environmental priesthood,” Al Gore said that global warming is not a political issue but a moral one. Which is it? Is it immoral to do nothing about global warming?

One theme common to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is the conviction that God has given us stewardship over the earth, making us partners in caring for the rest of creation. In Islam, this charge is especially poignant: according to the Qur’an, God first offered the trust for creation to the heavens, earth, and mountains themselves. But they were afraid, and it was only humans who were willing to accept it.

Like it or not, we’ve been given the trust of caring for this planet.

When we exhaust its resources, upset the balance of the ecosystem, or ignore the pollution resulting from our own carelessness—we betray the trust.

When we, as a developed industrial nation, continue to serve our own needs—at the expense of others affected by environmental degradation—we betray the trust.

When we deny climate problems we know may grow worse over time, instead of focusing on ways to protect the planet for future generations—we betray the trust.

An ancient Indian proverb reminds us of our true relationship to the planet:

Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents,
it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the earth
from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

We do not inherit the earth, we are heirs to the trust God has placed in our hands. Perhaps we think we, too, can refuse that trust. But it’s too late for that now.