The “Pastor’s Forum” should have been called “Firing Line” when I presented there. What great questions and comments came from those attending. They didn’t even wait until I had completed showing the 24 slides I’d prepared. By the way, you can watch the slides that I used in the presentation because their free online at Slideshare.net (click here). But about half way through, as I was talking about my quest for a strong economy that does not require unending growth from a planet with limits, this question was fired at me:
- Do you have investments in the stock market? What would you want the CEO of the companies to do that you’re invested in? (Implying that I want them to grow, right? They’re my retirement after all.)
I loved the question and the conversation did exactly what we need: it went further than these conversations usually go and, even with greatly limited time, choices were revealed that tilt toward OneEarth living.
Later, these questions came:
- How will we overcome selfishness in human nature? (This question I run into repeatedly; spirituality must address this compellingly because the marketplace undercuts lots of answers.)
- Are you researching solutions as much as you’ve researched the problem? (Revealing the eagerness we all have for solutions.)
Far from being conversation stoppers, these questions take us right to the edge of where deeper conversations can begin, and more compelling solutions can follow. I love each of these questions. My thanks to Rev. Tony Wolfe, pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church, San Diego, for hosting this “Pastor’s Forum.” And a special thanks to the 10 people who bought copies of Blinded by Progress. May your read strengthen your own choices as talking with you is adding muscle to mine.