Holy Lands: On the View of Mauna Kea
Image by Steve Halama
I am intensely for discovery, for scientific understanding, and interested in the universe. For this reason the Protect Mauna Kea protest, over the construction of a massive telescope at the summit of a holy volcano, is so captivating to me.
On one side, several world governments, independently wealthy financiers and Caltech want to build what will essentially be one of the most powerful telescopes in the world atop an ancient sacred site for Hawaiians.
On the other, Hawaiians have viewed Mauna Kea, a gargantuan god of a volcano that begins deep at the base of the ocean, as central and deeply holy in their beliefs since… well, forever.
The National Guard was, interestingly enough, called in to protect construction from the native people. You’d think the National Guard would protect the locals before any pet project, high tech or not. How must these soldiers feel telling a non-violent neighborhood to keep away while outside contractors desecrate the site behind them. What that must do to the young soldier’s soul.
Some dry and serious-minded person out there may think, “Be serious Tony, we can’t let every holy indigenous site stop the progress of science! This is the best location and the best technology!”
And to this I’d respond, “You’d protest too if a consortium of groups you have no voice among suddenly desecrated your sacred place, whatever the reason… a church, a park, or beach, or graveyard where a family member is buried.”
But, “That’s different,” this person might reply. “Are we supposed to constantly check and see if literally EVERY place is important before we do anything?”
And to that I’d say, “Yes. Absolutely. Now you get it.”
But then this person could say, “That’s absurd Tony! You could say that ANYWHERE is a holy site we can’t use for any reason and block progress!”
And to that I’d ask: how would you treat this planet if everywhere WAS a holy site? Every inch of the planet, including where you’re sitting right now? Every cube — even the air around you, all of it. Would you still build oil and gas pipelines, test nuclear weapons and pesticides, frack and dynamite, or spew plastics and toxins into the land or water or air if you knew absolutely that this place, all of it, was Holy? Pause for a moment, seriously, look around you right now and think about it. Whether you’re an atheist or spiritual, think about the atoms you’re breathing in, and shedding off… that you’re part of this porous holy land, and that polluting or desecrating it also means polluting or desecrating yourself.
What if the first thing God says to you when you die is, “Surprise: The land you came from and returned to is Holy. You were given a Garden of Eden to share, but you personally elected to exploit it while suppressing or dismissing those who fought to defend it. And so, you’ll be judged accordingly.”
Anyway, reverence seems to be in critically short supply in this case (which seems to involve groups you’d think are progressive and/or enlightened). Consider a small donation to maybe increase the amount of reverence in the world? http://kahea.org/donate/mauna-kea-legal-defense-fund
And thanks for the sacred attention, friends.
Article originally published on Medium.com