Pollution and dilution
These days, in this information age, we talk more and more about pollution and its effects on the environment, human health and ecosystems, etc. Air, water, soil, noise and many other kinds of pollution tend to reduce or dilute the quality of life on earth.
Indeed, air, water, soil, noise and many other kinds of pollution tend to reduce or dilute the quality of life on earth. We are thus experiencing a dilution, a reduction in concentration, in the purity of our resources and capacities.
Nevertheless, without wishing to minimize the widespread pollution of our beloved planet, we don't talk enough about the pollution of our values, which, in my humble opinion, is the source of all pollution. Don't the Scriptures say in the book of Proverbs: "Guard your heart above all else, for from it come the springs of life"?
The impact of our values on the development of our societies cannot be denied. Canada's constitution and judicial system, for example, are based on Judeo-Christian values that continue to serve as guarantors after so many centuries.
On the other hand, it's important to recognize that pollution in our character and identity leads to a dilution or reduction of our potential and ability to produce lasting results.
In the text of 2 Kings 2:19, it says: "The people of the city said to Elisha, 'Behold, the sojourn of the city is good, as my lord sees; but the waters are evil, and the land is barren'."
This story reveals the somewhat alarming assessment of the people of Jericho about the state of their city. The city is endowed with enormous potential, "the city's sojourn is good", but without producing any results, a dilution or reduction of its potential, "the land is barren". And this is due to pollution at its springs "but the waters are bad".
Unfortunately, this sad description resembles that of societies such as Ancient Rome, which, despite its pre-eminence, experienced an implosion undermined by anti-values. Our Quebec society is in the process of cracking up, flouting universal laws such as the law of honor, to name but one.
So how do we remedy this disastrous fate?
First and foremost, we need to clearly define the problem, as well as the evidence of value pollution and potential dilution.
Pollution is defined as the contamination, corruption or degradation of an environment through the introduction of toxic substances or waste.
Dilution, on the other hand, can be defined as a reduction in concentration, a loss of power, content or value. This problem is simplified by the fact that the dilution of potential is a consequence of the pollution of values.
As far as some of the evidence of value pollution is concerned, we have the presence of impurities in our authenticity, the denaturing of our character and the corruption of our identity, which are often exposed by the leadership and identity crises that are glaring today.
As for some evidence of the dilution of potential, obviously when we're talking about potential here, we're talking about the potential to do good, because the world's real problem isn't necessarily the abundance of evil, but the absence of good or people who do good and good. We have the sterility of our potential to do good as a society, and the presence of limited results where we produce seemingly noble works that end up destroying us.
Once the problem has been clearly defined and the evidence recognized, we need to go to the sources of the pollution of values, following the example of the prophet Elisha, who went to the sources to resolve the situation.
"He said: bring me a new dish, and put salt on it. And they brought it to him.
And he went to the spring of the waters, and cast salt into it, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I will cleanse these waters, and there shall be no more death or barrenness therefrom.
And the waters were cleansed, to this day, according to the word that Elisha had spoken." (2 Kings 2: 20-22)
We agree that there can be no pollution without polluting elements. What are some polluting elements that can contaminate our values and subsequently dilute our results as individuals or communities?
- The spirit of fear is a polluting element that can distort our identity and freeze our impulse to do good;
- A poorly digested or unforgiven past will corrode our present and mortgage our future;
- Anger that isn't directed at resolving problems ends up slowly rotting the life of the person carrying it;
- Unhealed wounds not only lead to more wounds, but also to septicemia, the sole purpose of which is to activate the death of our communities;
- The wickedness of the heart, which, far from being a builder, is a minefield that can detonate anything.
The list is not exhaustive, but here are a few polluting elements that we absolutely must dislodge as individuals and communities.
In conclusion, the prophet Elisha not only went to the sources of pollution, he also performed a prophetic act and declared prophetic words that were intended to spark a revolution.
Indeed, air, water, soil, noise and many other kinds of pollution tend to reduce or dilute the quality of life on earth. We are thus experiencing a dilution, a reduction in concentration, in the purity of our resources and capacities.
Nevertheless, without wishing to minimize the widespread pollution of our beloved planet, we don't talk enough about the pollution of our values, which, in my humble opinion, is the source of all pollution. Don't the Scriptures say in the book of Proverbs: "Guard your heart above all else, for from it come the springs of life"?
The impact of our values on the development of our societies cannot be denied. Canada's constitution and judicial system, for example, are based on Judeo-Christian values that continue to serve as guarantors after so many centuries.
On the other hand, it's important to recognize that pollution in our character and identity leads to a dilution or reduction of our potential and ability to produce lasting results.
In the text of 2 Kings 2:19, it says: "The people of the city said to Elisha, 'Behold, the sojourn of the city is good, as my lord sees; but the waters are evil, and the land is barren'."
This story reveals the somewhat alarming assessment of the people of Jericho about the state of their city. The city is endowed with enormous potential, "the city's sojourn is good", but without producing any results, a dilution or reduction of its potential, "the land is barren". And this is due to pollution at its springs "but the waters are bad".
Unfortunately, this sad description resembles that of societies such as Ancient Rome, which, despite its pre-eminence, experienced an implosion undermined by anti-values. Our Quebec society is in the process of cracking up, flouting universal laws such as the law of honor, to name but one.
So how do we remedy this disastrous fate?
First and foremost, we need to clearly define the problem, as well as the evidence of value pollution and potential dilution.
Pollution is defined as the contamination, corruption or degradation of an environment through the introduction of toxic substances or waste.
Dilution, on the other hand, can be defined as a reduction in concentration, a loss of power, content or value. This problem is simplified by the fact that the dilution of potential is a consequence of the pollution of values.
As far as some of the evidence of value pollution is concerned, we have the presence of impurities in our authenticity, the denaturing of our character and the corruption of our identity, which are often exposed by the leadership and identity crises that are glaring today.
As for some evidence of the dilution of potential, obviously when we're talking about potential here, we're talking about the potential to do good, because the world's real problem isn't necessarily the abundance of evil, but the absence of good or people who do good and good. We have the sterility of our potential to do good as a society, and the presence of limited results where we produce seemingly noble works that end up destroying us.
Once the problem has been clearly defined and the evidence recognized, we need to go to the sources of the pollution of values, following the example of the prophet Elisha, who went to the sources to resolve the situation.
"He said: bring me a new dish, and put salt on it. And they brought it to him.
And he went to the spring of the waters, and cast salt into it, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I will cleanse these waters, and there shall be no more death or barrenness therefrom.
And the waters were cleansed, to this day, according to the word that Elisha had spoken." (2 Kings 2: 20-22)
We agree that there can be no pollution without polluting elements. What are some polluting elements that can contaminate our values and subsequently dilute our results as individuals or communities?
- The spirit of fear is a polluting element that can distort our identity and freeze our impulse to do good;
- A poorly digested or unforgiven past will corrode our present and mortgage our future;
- Anger that isn't directed at resolving problems ends up slowly rotting the life of the person carrying it;
- Unhealed wounds not only lead to more wounds, but also to septicemia, the sole purpose of which is to activate the death of our communities;
- The wickedness of the heart, which, far from being a builder, is a minefield that can detonate anything.
The list is not exhaustive, but here are a few polluting elements that we absolutely must dislodge as individuals and communities.
In conclusion, the prophet Elisha not only went to the sources of pollution, he also performed a prophetic act and declared prophetic words that were intended to spark a revolution.