I don't think a worship of nature is necessary to mount a really strong defense of the environment. Tim DeChristopher More Quotes by Tim DeChristopher More Quotes From Tim DeChristopher Spirituality has to play an important role, particularly in resistance movements. The institutions we are fighting against - corporations and governments - use alienation as one of their primary weapons. A big part of their messaging is intended to make people feel separated from each other, which disempowers them, which makes them ever easier to exploit. This is really a spiritual weapon they are using. It isolates people and breaks their spirit. Tim DeChristopher governmentfightingspiritual We think we have no power when in fact we have more than enough power. Tim DeChristopher enoughfactsthinking My spiritual path has largely been Christianity - a label that I embraced and then rejected and have partially embraced again, as my understanding of Christianity has changed over time. When I accepted the mainstream, dogmatic definition of Christianity there came a point when I had to say, "Well, if that's what a Christian is, I'm not one." Tim DeChristopher understandingspiritualchristian With a nonviolent movement we are still inviting a strong reaction from the government or ruling authorities. We are inviting a powerful reaction against ourselves. But it undermines the moral legitimacy of our current government. That is the path we need to pursue. Rather than reinforcing their legitimacy we need to undermine their legitimacy. Tim DeChristopher governmentpowerfulstrong Excess consumption doesn't make people happy. We can continue to provide for our needs, but we can't continue the endless pursuit of ever more consumer goods. There is no energy source that can provide enough consumer goods to meet our human and emotional needs; there never has been, and that's why it's been such a fruitless pursuit. Tim DeChristopher emotionalenergypeople That's why there is such alienation, depression, and despair in our society - because the means we're employing doesn't lead to the ends we desire, no matter how hard we work, nor how much "stuff" we accumulate. Tim DeChristopher despairdesiremean Going through intense change with an ignorant and apathetic citizenry, driven by a corporate agenda, is a really, really scary proposition. But going into it with an educated and empowered citizenry that feels it can determine the course of its society and can hold its corporations and governments accountable has a lot of power and potential to it. To me, that's what makes activism so important. Tim DeChristopher ignorantscarygovernment I would never go to jail to protect animals or plants or wilderness. For me, it’s about the people. Tim DeChristopher jailanimalpeople
