“Collapsing…”
Terry Dashner……………………..Faith Fellowship Church PO Box 1586 Broken Arrow, OK 74013
Capitol Reader Political Book Summaries writes, “In Collapse, Jared Diamond argues that present global resource consumption trends are not sustainable. Throughout history, civilizations have collapsed or declined, in no small measure, because their populations have undermined the ecological niches upon which their existence depends. Diamond believes that a complex set of factors, such as environmental resilience (or fragility), social flexibility, larger global trends and even pure luck, combine in unpredictable ways to influence whether societies fail or succeed.”
I have a point of contention with the stated summary. But first, let me tell you something about Jared Diamond. Diamond is brilliant and tends to see the greater picture of things by studying the significance of the small things. His book, Guns, Germs, and Steel was a very rich read. It’s amazing how unseen germs, industrialized steel, and other small things shaped world history.
Diamond teaches geography at the University of California and is the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel. (It seems that others thought the book was good also.) He is one of the most distinguished experts in the field of evolutionary biology. He has written more than 200 articles for magazines such as Discover, Nature and Geo, and his work has proven highly influential in informing public discourse on a range of environmental and social issues. He is a smart, very smart guy.
Now back to my point of contention. Let me start by stating a disclaimer. I’m far from qualified to match wits or backgrounds with Diamond. I resist the temptation to flatter myself in thinking that I could add or take away anything Professor Diamond states in his well written book. Nevertheless, I would be remiss to neglect in telling you something that Diamond and other highly educated men and women oftentimes overlook when it comes to telling a story on how things came to be. I refuse to believe that “pure luck” is equal to science and technology in either augmenting or whithering civilizations. I refuse to accept this.
Why am I being pig headed, you may ask? Granted, my background pre-disposes me to “pig headedness.” I grew up in a minister’s home. I attended school in a small town and left home at 18 to serve in the United States military. The year was 1973. I returned in 1977 to marry my high school sweetheart with whom I’ve enjoyed her love and acceptance for the past 27 years. I’ve reared three children, all grown. I served my community as a police officer through the years and now enjoy retirement. In retirement I’ve chosen to pastor a small church that my father founded.
I tell you my background of the past 50 years to set the stage for what I’m about to write. When it comes to human history “luck” may seem the order of the day, but it isn’t. “…pure luck…” should be changed to “God’s Providence and over riding hand in the affairs of men.” Yes the longer I live, the more I study history (my life’s passion), the more I see the movement and aligning of nations—either past or present—the more I am convinced that “luck” in world affairs has little to do with the way things are. It is God who holds the course of human history in the palms of His Hands.
So, when you are tempted to scratch your head and think—Wow—what luck! Try this. God doesn’t rule His world and universe by luck. He rules by His Sovereignty and favors those who will serve Him willingly. No my friend, it isn’t luck that’s covering history. It’s the goodness and favor of God who is The Almighty history maker.
Keep the faith. Stay the course. Jesus is coming soon. Are you ready? Or maybe I should inquire—are you feeling lucky?
Pastor T.dash
About the Author
Pastors a small church in what used to be a small town.