19. Spiritual values helping a sustainable future

 Lead Papers

, Heather Eaton , Dr. Yuriy Grynyuk, Dr. Galina Gutina, Alexander Theodore Lopin,Ahto Oja, Andras (Andy) Tamas

Heather Eaton described an initial approach to the relationship between ecofeminism and globalization, I drafted, what seemed to be, useful categories of reflection: 1) to challenge the theoretical framework of religious ecofeminism to move beyond the cultural, ideological and conceptual connections between women and nature into acknowledging the centrality of the concrete incidents of deforestation, drought, pollution, militarization and socio-economic impoverishment; 2) to support the need for religious critiques of the dominant global systems of economic profit which function through oppression of those who benefit least, and leave ecological and social ruin in its wake; 3) to suggest paths of liberation from the vantage points of ecofeminist liberation theologies, North/South experiences, and radical religious movements.

  introduced a strategy aimed to change the focus of the capitalist economy. She considered Indigenous peoples and their nurturing of spiritual and environmental partnership with nature - a valuable and integral part of their socio-economic structure. The change of focus platform preserves the socio-economic relationship with nature that is evident in many Indigenous societies, and calls for the integration of contemporary environmental sciences to assist in environmental goals.

The social fabric of life is changing and with it the aspects of family well-being. We observe changes resulting in weak family values, a lack of respect, the impersonality of daily life, individualism at the expense of personal responsibility, and a lack of community sense. We also observe that people would trade in their incomes and material possessions for meaning in their lives. When individuals and families derive meaning and purpose in life from having more material things rather than relating to others, they are lost since they tend to focus on themselves all the time rather than others in the home or in the larger local and global community.  Humanity lost itself in creating an economic security to replace the spiritual security. People are truly searching for themselves and for a focus in life. Material possessions are not given people all what they need. Materialism has failed to provide them with the psychological comfort that they need. This failure is seen by people' attempts to "fill the gap"  by over-consumption, materialism, addictions, withdrawal and violence, conflicts.  People crave for inner peace; they feel disconnected with reality and others in the world, and they need more substance in their life and are searching for spiritual well-being.