Jul 02, 2016 — UK (SUN) —
Recently whilst going door to door skp, I met one gentleman who was an engineer by occupation. He had designed a mobile research station, which is taking readings of the current c02 emissions in Antarctica. He commented that these are currently very high, and on course to cause the heating of the current of water that runs underneath the ice caps and which will melt them.
He concluded that the problems of excessive c02 emissions could be solved by lowering the population. He thought current projections of population forecasts will mean huge problems for those wishing to have sustained living.
He personally lived a simple life, with an old car that he had not had any desire to change, and he expressed a wish that people could stay put, stop flying all over the world, and could be satisfied in their lives without excessive consumerism.
We had suggested that indeed the real problems facing mankind will be solved when spiritual paths were followed. This self satisfaction where hankering and lamenting is minimised and where simple living is practised is the real means by which Mother earth can be happy along with her citizens, and co2 emissions cease to be a problem.
However despite the fact that a huge number of people see these problems coming down the line, they cannot see how to really solve the problem. They tend to tinker around trying to make this adjustment or that, which is getting nowhere, as we can see from current co2 emissions.
There is an urgent priority for ISKCON to show and demonstrate what it knows on these fronts, and how it can contribute in the social and political field, with simple living and high thinking projects. We perhaps should steer away from being funded by the Indian community; wealthy businessmen who are very much part of the established economic model that is causing the above problems, as some think this is success. I say this firmly keeps ISKCON grounded and unable to give and show the real direction that our acaryas are calling us to show.
Suppose for example, our society is taking donations from companies that are involved in supplying arms, or companies that are treating their work force badly, or from companies that are contributing greatly to the greenhouse effect, or any number of things that go against our goals. Will this not be hypocritical of us? Is it not time to be ethical and take a little from many instead of a lot from the few who well might make us look ineffective at calling for change?
