Keep It In the Ground
“O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.” – Psalm 51: 15 KJV
On this Earth Day, my mouth is shut and my praise diminished because of my dismay.
A proposed tax hike on gasoline is intended to “restore” the Federal highway system. My head hurts with the very idea. Why spend any money on cars? Also, why not just leave the remaining oil in the ground?
Allan Temko says, “If we got rid of all cars, if someone put them all in a huge crate and dumped them into the ocean, the relief would be magnificent.” My only concern would be for the ocean.
Why not turn every other road and highway into a solar collector? Just put down solar panels on them, put trolleys on the remaining byways and get us out of our cars? Leave the dismaying oil alone.
I know: authoritarian leadership is not the American way. We will simply back into it at the next climate disaster. Now that will be cause for dismay.
Prayer
Help us, O God, govern ourselves well and soon. Open our lips and let our mouth bypass dismay on the highway to praise. Amen
About the AuthorDonna Schaper is Senior Minister at Judson Memorial Church in New York City. Check out her book: Prayers for People Who Say They Can’t Pray.