Editorial – May 23
Guest submission: Part two
BTW, I think the Tropical Mansion Suites hotel in Sweeney’s should be a training campus for the Community College. Likewise, the Cultural Centre should be a multimedia and arts campus and production facility. We should look to a natural ampitheatre across from it past the little ghaut that could work with a cycle of music and/or drama festivals. Some reworking is necessary.
Having suggested such, there is much more. My big concern is that we need to change our mindset in light of environment and sustainability concerns.
With all due respect, I must ask: are we thinking and acting wisely, soundly as a community, after 18 years to think about what we are doing with Little Bay and Environs? Or, is business as usual leading us to give short shrift to long term issues that may not be so obvious but like water flowing downhill to seek its own level, in the end exert forces that we neglect at peril? Or is it all one-man thoughts?
Frankly, I am seriously disturbed by how within a year we have put significant natural and cultural heritage under the bulldozer in questionable circumstances, where there were options that did not have to go that way. In that context, I am led to look at economics as reflecting underlying values that drive decisions on alternatives which in turn brings ethics and morality to the centre of focus.
Indeed, the sustainable development principle — I adapt Madam Gro Harlem Bruntland of Norway’s famous 1987 WCED formulation — is at heart, ethics. Kant’s Categorical Imperative and/or the Golden Rule of Moshe, Jesus and Paul in action. Yes, Paul too, Rom 13:8 – 10 is a citizenship formulation of the Golden Rule.
And yes, ethics is now a driving concern.
Where also in the below I have to expose the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of lab coat clad evolutionary materialism.
We cannot allow ourselves to be misled by the impressive impact of the lab coat.
We HAVE to ask and address pointed worldview foundation questions, including the notorious IS-OUGHT gap.
Such matters, whether or not we are inclined to enjoy thinking about them, are now central to the policy challenges we face.
Dismissive willful ignorance is no excuse.
Nor, is smug intellectual laziness.
We have to take the time and pains to get things right, so that we may be rightly guided.
At risk of being dismissed (we live in an era that is often hostile to the Word of God and our inherently good all-wise Creator God and Lord who stands behind it attested by Messiah who came in fulfillment of prophecy and in accord with it rose from unjust death with 500 witnesses who could be murdered but could not be intimidated . . . ), I cite scripture:
Ps 32:8 I will instruct and teach you about how you should live.
I will advise you as I look you in the eye.
9 Do not be like an unintelligent horse or mule,
which will not obey you
unless they are controlled by a bridle and bit.
