3.5 – How can the Earth survive?

C.C.C 1846 -1869 Sin is an offence against reason, truth and right conscience – it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbour. While sin is a personal act, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them: by participating in them; by ordering, advising, praising or approving of them; not stopping sin when we have an obligation to; by protecting the evil-doers.

C.C.C 1846 -1869 Social sin arises from personal sin and the structures of sin – which together lead others to sin. The Gospel however is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God’s mercy to sinners. This is our hope - that we can be restored to grace by cooperating in God’s loving plan and confessing our sins.

As humans, God has given us the ability to distinguish between good and evil. We are called to recognise the good of creation and uphold this good. Justice and respect for the balance in creation go hand in hand. In many ways, we sin when we turn our backs on this balance in creation.

How Can The Earth Survive? Natural Law refers to the proper order and balance of creation that God intended for the universe. It is considered natural because it is in our human nature to recognize it. Procreation Not polluting Stewardship Preservation of life Scientific laws and principle

Procreation Males produce sperm, females produce eggs Sexual reproduction requires a sperm (23) and an egg (23) to combine to for a zygote (46) Sexual reproduction is only possible with a male and a female Males and females also need to reach an age of sexual maturity to be able to sexually reproduce Males and female have different specialized organs to help them carry out there roles in reproduction as part of natural law

Not Polluting The world is a balanced closed ecosystem which contains all of creation. When we upset that balance, changes occur to restore balance in some other way. We have to be conscious of how our species pollutes our environment as some of these changes cause our Earth to no longer be inhabitable for us (CO2 emissions and global warming, CFC’s and ozone layer depletion)

Stewardship We are the guardians of creations. God has entrusted us as stewards of the Earth for generations to come. 3 R’s – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle 4th R – Refuse – refuse products with unnecessary packaging We also need to consume resources in a sustainable manner so we don’t use them up faster that they are replaced

Preservation of Life We have an obligation to preserve the life that God gave us. We should avoid any lifestyle choices that may put our life in danger. We also should respect all other human life and do what we can to preserve it. We should also respect animal life, only consuming animals in a sustainable, humane way. We must preserve the environment to sustain creation

Natural Laws of Science Law of Gravity – Any 2 objects with mass are attracted to each other (earth and an apple) Law of Conservation of Mass and Energy – matter and energy in a closed system are constant (cannot be created or destroyed, only converted) Law of Inertia – objects in motion remain in motion and objects at rest remain at rest Law of Electrostatic Attraction – opposite charges attract, like charges repel

How Can The Earth Survive? Justice is both a demand and an outcome of natural law. The basic principle of natural law is that the demands of God are present in the nature and order of creation. Nature teaches us that all things are interconnected and exist in a delicate balance. We are to be just and respect this balance.

How Can The Earth Survive? The Earth is our common heritage and God intended that the fruits of the earth be used for the benefit of all people. We have a duty to respect and care for creation (as stewards) to preserve this gift for future generations. We also have an obligation to see that all peoples are receiving the benefits of the earth so that their basic needs are being met.

How Can The Earth Survive? We are called to be meek and change our lifestyles in order to find the solutions to our problems in nature and the environment. This means using resources conservatively and in a sustainable way. Respecting natural law and the complex balances in the universe. Using the SEE, JUDGE, ACT, EVALUATE model to recognize injustices and work for change.