Taxing against Climate Change

Neither Prime Minister Rudd nor Opposition Leader Abbot sponsor policies that deal adequately with climate change challenges. Inevitably, the politics of funding gets in the way. A Eureka Street article by Peter Hodge points to a possible solution called the “Tobin Tax” – a tax on foreign currency transactions.

“Set at a tiny 0.005 per cent (the most commonly cited rate), the tax could collect around $76 billion each year, although estimates vary significantly. The funds could assist developing countries cope with the effects of climate change and finance the necessary technological adaptations; it is unlikely any legally binding climate agreement that includes most developing countries will be signed without such commitments.” (Hodge)

I guess it would be ever so slightly irritating for those of us who buy books on Amazon, but it would be a tax less worth grumbling about if we knew it was invested in  constructive solutions to protect developing countries from the effects of climate change catastrophe.

Not that this alone would address our global ecological responsibilities – incentives for renewable energy sources and reduction of carbon emissions would still be on the table, but funding arguments would differ.

I wonder if  economists and accountants who are much more qualified than I would be prepared to discuss the merits of such a solution?

This morning it worked…

My flock and I have been experimenting a little lately with “mutual mentoring” – something that Paul’s theology of the church says we ought to be good at. Reprising Eugene Peterson’s “Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work” as a framework, we use the Revised Common Lectionary, our source for Sunday’s readings, as a guide to reflect on how together we make stories, build community, share pain, direct prayer and nay-say. On the first Sunday of the month, we use “sermon-time” to share our stories and reflections and receive our fresh printed guide for the coming month. This morning was our third attempt, and by George, we got it! Reflecting on January’s Epiphany stories, we had been looking to be aware of how the presence of God was manifested in the ordinary, and particularly in the stories of Jesus’ growing awareness and announcement of his mission mandate to bring humanity to wholeness.

Some of what we heard from within our small 60 strong multi-generational congregation

• our Peruvian contact deploying the resources of their tourism business to bring relief and aid to hundreds of remote villagers whose livelihood and houses have been destroyed by mudslides
• a young lad who volunteers at a farm school “knowing himself to be close to God when he’s with the animals.”
• folk who, in seeking accommodation and relocating living quarters, discovered fresh connections to their vocations
• a couple sharing fifty years of marriage in celebration
• the trials, tribulations and joys of building community in a retirement village setting

As Epiphany comes to its climax and we prepare to begin the Lenten journey to Good Friday and Resurrection, this morning demonstrated to us all what strength there is in sharing our journeys of faith in the supportive setting of Sunday morning worship. The buzz over coffee and wedding anniversary cake afterwards suggests that stories continue to be shared and made.

For Dorothy Day fans

Reposting from a comment on Reckless Generosity

Hello

I’ve just uploaded two rare interviews with the Catholic activist Dorothy Day. One was made for the Christophers [1971]–i.e., Christopher Closeup– and the other for WCVB-TV Boston [1974].

Day had begun her service to the poor in New York City during the Depression with Peter Maurin, and it continued until her death in 1980. Their dedication to administering to the homeless, elderly, and disenfranchised continues with Catholic Worker homes in many parts of the world.

Please post or announce the availability of these videos for those who may be interested in hearing this remarkable lay minister.

They may be located here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/4854derrida

Thank you

Dean Taylor

(click here for Dean Taylor’s blog)

Climate Change – skeptics vs believers

Here’s a helpful chart setting out recent debating points between climate change skeptics and their opposites. Found it while taking a break from Christmas service preparations. Will there be peace and goodwill on the climate change front? Will Copenhagen chaos lead to something more than a whimper?

Faith – the evidence of things hoped for…

After many delays, work on rebuilding the shopping centre has begun. This calls for a haiku of celebration:
yellow dragon growls
she eats weeds and flattens hills
rests now, day’s work done.

Geothermal energy in Perth heralds PlanetPrayer

Great to see Norman Moore’s annoucement that  geothermal energy is to be implemented as a viable alternative for the cooling of Perth.

In the meantime and on the eve of COP15, the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen, PlanetPrayer begins its daily prayer cycle. You can subscribe for a daily email that includes environmental care tips, relevant scriptures, liturgy, stories and a daily prayer. Todays, prayer is:

Gracious and loving Creator,
Help us to stand against the culture of our times
where people speak cordially with people they meet while living lives that will destroy the lives of people they will never meet;
where institutions show no regard for the works of the Lord and what his hands have done;
where corporations are getting fat by consuming our children’s inheritance,
We ask that you transform them to respond to your divine calling and regard your creation with reverence.
Guide the leaders of the nations to find ways to support the earth.

What can we expect from Copenhagen?

Over the last day, the scene has certainly changed dramatically for what Australia can put on the table. The offering was going to be fairly paltry and ineffective anyway, and there is a sense in which I and others are relieved that it’s back to the drawing board for us as a country. There are so many more creative, inclusive and responsible environment care schemes than ETS that we might expect our government to encourage. COP15 is a critical gathering and we need to hear the voices that speak for environmental stewardship that includes the well-being of the planet’s poorest.

Wembley Downs shops. Signs of things to come…?

 

One year and one month after the fire that took out our local shops, and 13 months after expressions of an anticipated rebuilding and re-opening for this Christmas, the site is looking pretty bleak. The tremendous welling of community support and comfort for those who had lost livelihoods and a community meeting place have mellowed from immediate aftermath fervour to a silent wistful daring to hope that maybe, some day, this thriving centre will revive.

But right now, the lot is vacant and it is only the weeds that thrive. The noticeboard provided on site by the city council displays faded designs and hopeful news clippings that are now months out of date. There are gaps in the safety fence and the notices from shop owners redirecting valued customers are covered in graffiti.

The latest newspaper report indicated that tenders were out and that work on the site would start late November. This morning, as the last day of November dawned, there was no indication that anything was different. This afternoon, a semitrailer carrying earthmoving equipment was parked by the site. Does this mean anything? Is this a sign of things to come? Or is this machinery unrelated and just visiting? Who knows?

We are in the early part of the season of Advent, a season of anticipation on a much larger scale than a local shopping centre. Advent celebrates both the first coming of the reign of God as expressed in the life, teaching and mission of Jesus of Nazareth, a coming so tangible that collective memory refers to and celebrates Jesus as “God-with-us.” But there is also a “not-yetness” to all this – a call to “prepare the way” and to “recognise the signs” of the reign of Yahweh that, in the fullness of time, will manifest itself in world-shaking wonder. The signs are already present in those who embrace and apply the kind of peace, forgiveness and love that the way of Jesus manifests. It is obvious however, that shaking of mammoth proportions must occur throughout the planet before it can be asserted that this way has taken form and purpose amongst the world’s populations. It is a way that transcends philosophy, religions and mindsets. The institutional forms that have surrounded and, barnacle like, encrusted it  cannot contain it. It is accessible to every human being, no matter what culture, faith or disposition.  The prophet Isaiah foresaw this as, 500 years before Christ, he dreamed of the fulfillment of shalom, the completion of Yahweh’s purpose of the perfect harmony of human beings in relationship with self, neighbour, Yahweh and creation.

Just as the bobcat at the local shops site teases us at the possibility of things to come, so the season of Advent does likewise on a much bigger and more transcendent scale.

Back to active watching and active waiting!

It all begins…

Thought I could quietly slip into my seventh decade without anyone noticing. But the cover has been blown in the local church newsletter… and my sister’s not only blabbed it all over Face Book but she used my secret name! (Face-palm! Face-palm!). And I’ve already had two birthday cakes! This one emerged with some fanfare at today’s house group. Better remember to update my “About” page.. but not yet! Got to eke out those last few days in the fabulous fifties.

Yes – Christians & Muslims can Pro-exist!

So claimed Toby Keva, Uniting Church student minister who grew up in Indonesia. Toby was one of two key note speakers at this afternoon’s interfaith dialogue Can Christians and Muslims Co-exist in the Modern World. Toby contended that his own experience answered this question where, even in the face of sporadic violence in his home country, it was more the norm for Christians and Muslims to live peacefully together.  ”Pro-existence”, Toby encouraged, takes a further step in mutual active support for each other. While Toby gave many instances of this happening in practical and tangible ways around the globe, he believes, from the Christian perspective, that more work needs to be done on intelligent articulation of doctrinal reasons for doing so, particularly where the exclusive and inclusive claims of the gospel seem to be in conflict. He reminded us that every theology is derived from a specific historical context and that dogma needed to be understood and reinterpreted in this light.

In response, Mehmet Ozalp,  author of 101 Questions You Asked About Islam and representing the Australian Muslim initiative Intercultural Harmony Society, concurred, adding that history is replete with epochs of Christians, Muslims and Jews living mutually and peacefully together –  for example, Spain before the 15th century expulsion of non Christians, Jerusalem prior to the mid 20th century and the interfaith House of Wisdom project in medieval Baghdad.  Mehmet proposed education as a key principle for harmonious community living. This involved:

• raising a golden generation – where the “science of the mind” and “knowledge of the heart”  enjoyed balanced proportion
• promotion of the values that promoted harmony, ie
  • tolerance (as a starting point)
  • a view of all humans as equal
  • a belief that diversity leads to greater opportunity for mutual education rather than conflict.

This could be achieved by dialogue – listening with the intention to understand and competing in virtue (thus promoting constructiveness in mutual achievement).

Question time revealed that the 100 strong audience had been attentive listeners. One question arose that has often been asked of me, “If Islam is a religion of peace, why do its proponents not publicly oppose the destructive acts of its extremists.”

The answer?

“We put out a press release in response to every reported incident. The frustration is that major media outlets are more interested in whatever is sensational. Our most effective work is with community meetings and schools.”

I think I know where he’s coming from. Christian extremists also get the lion’s share of media attention, but the most effective learning comes through mutually respectful one to one listening anyway.

The gathering was jointly sponsored by Intercultural Harmony Society the Uniting Church in Australia National Assembly Working Group on Relations with Other Faiths.