In reading the news of the past week
I came upon a fundamentally surprising
article suggesting the Bible's organizers,
over the years, edited out mention of
Asherah, whom the Book of Kings and
other sources suggest was worshiped
alongside Yahweh, in his temple, as his
wife.
The comments following on the article
were heated beyond the usual urgency
that drives people to contribute. As one
can imagine, there were those eager to
discredit (God is neither he nor she; it
is our language that uses pronouns), as
well as those eager to see vindication
(at last, we're finally appreciating our
Queen).
Let's just say I think both perspectives
are right. And here's an example of why:
As I read on, I came upon an article about
a well-intentioned group called the
Archangel Ancient Tree Archive whose love
for ancient trees has led them to clone the
mightiest specimens still living on earth
(think towering redwoods and sequoias)
and to plant these clones hither and yon,
hoping they will succeed in growing to the
size of their clone-sakes.
The AATA is probably going about their
work with a minimum of smarts; they probably
aren't planting their clones in unsuitable climes.
But they are ignoring Ashera; essentially,
they're growing environmental isolates. One
has only to look at secondary forests growing
on land that once saw wilderness in all it's glory.
After the old growth is cut down, decades of
rain leach the soil of nutrients; the complex
web of life, involving animals, fungi, microbes
and temperature modulation are swept away
and often a monoculture is then planted instead.
Such second-generation trees are guaranteed
to be compromised in stature.
This is why wilderness is so valuable. It is not
just isolated champions standing tall, proving
themselves superior and able to pass on genetic
success; it is the nurturing entirety of the dead
and the living, creating the fertile soil and
enveloping circumstance that enable greatness.
