Christian and Atheistic Environmental Ethics by Harrison Dear
Artist statement:
I have developed a growing interest in the links between environmental ethics and theological viewpoints.
I have written songs consistently since the age of 17, and I view my musical projects as sources of enjoyment for myself/others as well as a landscape for philosophical thought. I have written music for a final project before, and it was with my twin in 12th grade AP Lit, where we wrote a song regarding two characters from two separate books we read in that class. Annotated lyrics came with it, and the teacher enjoyed seeing said work. I have attempted to do something similar for this project.
This song regards links between different religious views and environmental ethics with extra notes on Catholicism, and the research along the way helped me gain further understanding about those links and my perspectives on such. The song does rely on my opinions not only since most music is somewhat personal, but because I wanted the song to be narrative based, as I generally like to write songs through human perspectives.
I care deeply about the horrors that the planet is undergoing, and this song is supposed to note that anger while yearning for a better tomorrow. As individuals, we can only do so much alone, but we often rally behind music to remind ourselves we have common experiences and goals, and to build strength and community through art. I hope that my project here will help y'all feel inspired to write/write again (and show me please!), find an emotion along the way, and/or to have a good listening experience during the live performance.
The Lyrics
Why is God's green earth so scuffed
Whining loud; spitting blood
Maybe triads say enough
Epochs turned; epic you're us
I can't say this is God's haunting
To say such would be dishonest
I think humans caused these traumas
If I'm counting out the problems
Spell out subsistence with poles in the S
How many bills does it take for a mess?
Crossing out T's there's only duress
Passing the buck; spending the rest
You'd have to sell me quite a bit
Silver tongues with emerald tips
I don't think I'd believe in it
But between us can we make a pitch
Tight subsidiarity
No final words on property
I can't say laudato si
But let's be loud, fight, and see
No-
Spelling subsistence with poles in the S
What can be built in place of this mess?
Crossing the T's to end this duress
Adding our letters; make some due rest
The Annotations
Whining loud and spitting blood is a reference to living creatures that whine in pain as well as spit blood, two signs of deep pain. Whine is a homonym for wine, and wine is representative of the blood of Christ in some traditions. If God's earth is scuffed, and animals are his, if they are spitting blood/dying then arguably their blood loss is indicative of an injury to worldly creation. This wordplay is rather vague; however, those are some connections that can be rexplored.
The triad, in this case, is a reference to Epicurus' trilemma, where he argues that God cannot be both all-knowing and all-good, and if he is, why does evil exist? Additionally, the words "epic you're us" is not only a near rhyme with "epochs turned", but "epic you're us" spells out Epicurus.
This is my personal opinion regarding the climate crisis on earth. I am an agnostic atheist, and do not believe there is an all-good God, nor a sadist God. I am preparing to list out in the next lines what I think the issues we are up against as a society (Christian or not) when it comes to climate change.
Subsistence is the aim of our species, especially when facing grand existential tasks like the climate crisis. A threat to our current subsistence and a cause of many issues regarding the climate has been financial greed. If the word "subsisted" is spelled out with poles (vertical lines) in the s', there are dollar signs ($). People who profit off of climate destruction see subsistence and want to overturn it in favor of avarice, and this wordplay is symbolism for people wanting to add dollar signs (monetary gain) where it need not be. The word bills in the next line can refer to money, or it can also refer to faulty legislation. The question can be asked: how much money or poor legislation does it take for a mess like this, and what would a reversal look like?
The phrase "crossing our T's" refers to handling business properly, which ideally those with the relevant influence would have done already regarding the climate. Crossing out T's refers to the idea that business is thrown out. "Passing the buck; spending the rest" is a turn of phrase meant to say that those who've been failing have often passed the buck and are often spending money in harmful ways.
This section refers to the idea that, for me to become religious, a few things would have to change for me. I have a few large reasons for not believing in God (at least the Christian God), and I would need some smooth talkers focused on green messaging to win me over (people with "silver tongues" and "emerald tips".) However, although I am not religious, I recognize that many religious people want the same environmental care I do, and that I am no better at stewardship as an atheist. Perhaps I will never be convinced to Christianity and them never of my theological views, but there could still be shared ethics forged.
Subsidiarity refers to the Christian viewpoint that decisions should be decentralized. I generally like decentralization; however, such a method would have to be tight/strict to not let bucks be passed around. Regardless of faith, when power is dispersed, there is great responsibility to not pass the buck. The second sentence refers to a quote by Pope Benedict XVI when he said how creation is harmed "where we ourselves have the final word, where everything is simply our property." We should not have final words regarding nature, it should not be seen as something for us to create into property or finalize.
I cannot say Laudato Si, since I am not praising God since I do not believe in one, nor am I Catholic. It would probably be disrespectful for me to do such in some contexts. The broader point is that I am not part of this certain tradition, and so many people differ theologically and metaphysically. However, just because we have differences does not mean we cannot work together on commonalities, and we can all be "loud", we can all "fight", and we will see what happens. Additionally, I find the rhyme nice, so it sticks for that reason as well.
This is a message against the financial greed I mentioned above and a hope for better things and a unified theological front against environmental degradation. Additionally, hopefully now the T's will be crossed/business will be handled properly, and if we add our letters/words to the broad fight, it will be faster. Additionally, if a T is crossed, so therefore the letter T is completed as a letter, and the "letter is added" at the end of duress, the word becomes a homonym for due-rest. I think, after a lot of the hellscape we and other life have been up against, we will be due some rest :D