Two Levels of Reality

To achieve Earth Trustee goals it is important to recognize two levels of reality -- the physical and the metaphysical, or spiritual.

People of all creeds and cultures can now agree on physical reality. We agree we have a great planet and can benefit by its nurture.

In the larger question, "What’s life all about?" we are faced with profound mysteries of life and death. Conflicting creeds try to deal with them.

Some of my best friends and I disagree on life after death. I don’t believe in reincarnation. When I met with the Dali Lama, I praised him for his strong support of peace and the care of Earth. We agreed that in our differences over reincarnation we each based our beliefs on hypothesis that could not be scientifically proven. I did not have a videotape of what people were doing in heaven – and he did not have an X-ray of a soul waiting for reincarnation. We must recognize our differences and work together where we agree.

The best of our science and logic provide no answers all can agree on. Our beliefs are based on faith. While we may differ on the nature of God and life after death, we can commend actions that nurture people and planet -- regardless of the persons creed.

The Earth Trustee agenda should not be a stumbling block to people of any creed -- who want to help "peace, justice and the care of Earth."

When it comes to the mysteries of life the human search continues and will not diminish. The explosion of knowledge about the Cosmos is accompanied by scientific study of spiritual healing and psychic phenomena. The more we learn, the greater the mystery! The Astrophysicist, Stephen Hawking, is concentrating on how the Cosmos grows. The results are astounding. However, in his last words on a recent TV program, "The Universe" he stated, "We are finding the answer to 'how.' When we find the answer to Why?, we will have the mind of God."

To continue our quest to understand the great mysteries of life we must avoid the death of nature and the collapse of civilization -- a real present danger. Let us now convert Earth Kill to Earth Care and make the next millennium an Earth Trustee Millennium.

Earth Day

International Earth Day -- 2000 -- was celebrated at the United Nations in New York – on Monday, March 20. At 2:35 a.m. the United Nations Peace Bell rang -- followed by two minutes for silent prayer and meditation. This was the moment that Spring began and provided a powerful time for people worldwide to join in dedication to be responsible Trustees of Earth.

The March Equinox was chosen for the first Earth Day (1970). The idea was not local convenience or comfortable weather -- which varies from place to place, but a day suitable for international celebration. On this day, night and day are equal. This day is a million year symbol of the balance of nature and the equilibrium we seek on Earth.

The local time of the equinox – which changes every year -- is always more convenient in some places than in others. In the year 2000, the area where the equinox was at High Noon is Bombay, India. (12:05 p. m. March 20) Midnight Equinox occurred in the longitude of Mexico City on March 20 at 12:35 a. m.

What Individuals Can Do

If you agree in principle with this Earth Trustee proposal for a sustainable future, then decide you will help make it work.

First, adopt an Earth Trustee attitude. That means an Earth Trustee way of looking at everything. You want your daily choices in work, travel, shopping and other activities to naturally reflect your Earth Trustee values. Individuals will differ in what they pay most attention to. You may get interested in composting, planting trees, or volunteering for some project that is bringing peace and justice with understanding and action to better your neighborhood.

If you have not already done so, join some group that you feel will assist Earth Trustee goals. Where possible get them to use the Earth Trustee label for their efforts. All who seek to further peace, justice and the care of our planet can foster mutual understanding and cooperation by labeling their effort an "Earth Trustee" effort. The Earth Day/Earth Trustee agenda in the Earth Magna Charta can help any worthwhile project. Your church, club, school or business can adopt the Earth Magna Charta and in its own way implement its policies and agenda.

Earth Trustee Institutions

Individual Earth Trustee actions can improve conditions in institutions as they presently exist. Far more will result as we restructure institutions to conform with Earth Trustee policies and purposes. Businesses, banks, churches and temples, clubs, towns and cities, are all invited to help implement the Earth Trustee Agenda. They can adopt the Earth Magna Charta (http://www.earthsite.org) and implement its Earth Trustee ideas in their own way. Every web site can be an Earth Trustee site and do their part to help people and planet.

World Wide Web -- Make Earth Day an Internet Earth Day

Proceed Earth Day with Earth Trustee solutions on Internet. On Earth Day join with your friends and family at home, church, school or work to mark this day with attention for the wonder of life and what we can do for people and planet. Let's have bells ring all over the world when the Peace Bells are rung on Earth Day. Explorers in Space will share their inspiring views of our beautiful planet as they join in the celebration. The new Earth Trustee Millennium was designed to be a new beginning of promise and hope. Spread the word. Now is humanity’s greatest opportunity.

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