George Monbiot brings us a speculation based on research that links the types of soil found in an area to the types of gods to whom temples were built. The ancient gods tended to reign over a cyclical universe. Eventually, the monotheistic religions of nomads came to dominate farming peoples. As surpluses were attained and cities built, the notion of a unidirectional world devoid of cyclicality prevailed giving rise to ideas of progress and ultimate perfection. Of course, that perfection is based on controlling nature, not adapting to it. Read the whole thing. You'll see the outlines of an argument that our ecological crisis that is just as much a spiritual one.
(Via Flying Talking Donkey.)
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