Though higher than ever before, the average lifespan of a human still does not allow one to fully comprehend the timescale on which the history of our planet unfolds. The astrological, cosmological, and geological processes that have led to the formation of Earth as we know it today can only be understood by a regular person through a series of simplifications and shortcuts. The documentary by Riddle presents an impressive overview of the formation of our planet and the events that led to it, including heavy meteoritic bombardments, the Snowball Earth epoch, the Cambrian explosion, and life development (Full History of Earth in 10 Minutes). The billions of years containing numerous events, from the birth of the Solar system to the appearance of the first living organisms, are almost impossible to comprehend through human experience fully. These thoughts evoke the feeling of awe at the grand scale of the Universe unraveled in a single tiny pocket of space humanity calls home. At the same time, it is difficult to resist the dreadful feeling of insignificance in the global cosmic arrangement when facing such revelations.
The topic of cosmogony, or the world’s creation, is touched upon in all human religions. While some similarities exist between various interpretations, they rarely agree on the ideas and concepts. Most religions have ideas that conflict with scientific observations in this regard, and the issue of incorporating scientific knowledge into religions remains a puzzling task. For example, the Bible, from which Christianity, Islam, and Judaism stem, says that the world was created in just seven days and is less than 6000 years old. At the same time, numerous geological, astronomical, cosmological, and other scientific data put the age of the Earth at around four and a half billion years of continuous change and formation (Full History of Earth in 10 Minutes). Successfully incorporating scientific knowledge into religious concepts would mark a significant milestone in humanity’s spiritual development.
The most relevant issue today is protecting and preserving the world we live in and all the marvels nature has produced for billions of years. Though an enormous number of organizations worldwide are dedicated to environmental issues, the protection of indigenous cultures, and social justice, it does not seem enough to resist the inevitable and mostly irreversible technogenic changes. However, even small-scale local activism can have an effect on a larger scale which can be seen in changing attitudes toward wildlife preservation in society (Manfredo 1550). Considering the degree humanity interacts with nature today, it is our responsibility to preserve it for future generations.
The movies presented in the assignment revealed a deep and complex history of the Earth, which remains unknown to many despite easy access to scientific knowledge. The problem of combining scientific discoveries and religious ideas is also something that we rarely discuss and think about despite its considerable importance. The other revelation from these movies was about the enormous number of activist organizations worldwide with millions of people involved. This issue, in particular, provides a great motivation to self-educate on environmental protection and related policies and find ways to act.
What for one is a little effort can be a great help to other. As the scripture teaches, “whoever saves a single life is considered to have saved the whole world” (Moskotitz). With this in mind, I have participated in several humanitarian missions aimed at helping people in need. A local humanitarian organization regularly provides public service, including assembling and distributing food rations, cleaning public areas, and attending social meetings. Some of these issues have become especially relevant during the recent pandemic. Though the protective measures have restricted the organization’s operations, we still managed to help those in need. Assigning a portion of time and resources is a personal contribution that, when combined with other people’s actions, can significantly impact the life of the local community and beyond.
Works Cited
“Full History of Earth in 10 Minutes.” YouTube, uploaded by Riddle, Web.
Manfredo, Michael J., et al. “The Changing Sociocultural Context of Wildlife Conservation.” Conservation Biology, no. 34, vol. 6, 2020, pp. 1549–1559. Web.
Moskovitz, Rabbi Dan. “Save One Life, Save the Entire World (Including Yourself).” Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Web.