Gary Suttle Day  ( August 27, 1945 -  March 14, 2015) 

A member of the Universal Pantheist Society since 1981, Gary Suttle was an environmental activist and the author of California County Summits. In 1992 Gary received the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club "Conservation Activist of the Year" award for his role in stopping a proposed roadway from slicing through Mission Trails Regional Park.  

He was a frequent contributor to our newsletter since 1981, and served for many years on the board of directors of the Universal Pantheist Society - between 1999-2010.  He was also founder and President of the Pantheist Association for Nature. which hosts a wonderful collection of his original writings about Pantheism. His many essays cover various facets of ancient and modern forms of pantheism, and honors dozens of Pantheists old and new.  His unbridled enthusiasm for nature is revealed in his website's motto:  "Bringing a radiant sense of the sacred to everyday life."   

​HIs writings can be viewed at www.naturepantheist.org.  Gary retired from the UPS board due to health problems in 2010, and passed away in March, 2015. Gary lived in San Diego, California, and is survived by his wife and two adult children.

August 23    Arnold Toynbee (1889-1975)     

Arnold Toynbee was an eminent British historian and major interpreter of Western Civilization in the 20th century. Toynbee’s sweeping perspective on human history led him to affirm a Pantheist world view. He wrote:

 "If I am right in my diagnosis of mankind's present-day distress, the remedy lies in reverting from the Weltanschauung of monotheism to the Weltanschauung of pantheism, which is older and was once universal.”

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As scholar of what he terms “dark green religion,”  Professor Bron Taylor of the University of Florida [ http://www.brontaylor.com ] has pointed out, although neither the term anthropocentrism nor biocentrism had been coined, John Muir clearly had contempt for the former and affinity with the latter.  Read an essay Dr. Taylor put together summarizing and extensively quoting from Muir's writings decrying anthropocentrism here: 
https://johnmuir.org/john-muirs-stance-against-anthropocentrism/

Since 1975, the Universal Pantheist Society has had as part of its statement of purpose: " to stimulate a revision of social attitudes away from anthropocentrism and toward reverence for the Earth and a vision of the ultimate context for human existence, and to take appropriate action toward the protection and restoration of the Earth." Among the "Key Ideas" on our website is this essay criticizing anthropocentrism by Australian Rainforest Activist John Seed: "http://www.pantheist.net/anthopocentrism-by-john-seed.html

So we were delighted to discover a new online journal, The Ecological Citizen, which makes a direct attack against anthropocentrism, with the tagline, "confronting human supremacy in defence of the Earth."

The Ecological Citizen is an independent, peer-reviewed, free-to-access journal that provides a forum for inspiring and mobilizing discussion with an Earth-centred perspective. They list five goals:

1 To advance ecological knowledge
2 To champion Earth-centred action
3 To inspire ecocentric citizenship
4 To promote ecocentrism in political debates
5 To nurture an ecocentric lexicon
 
Their site gives a definition of anthropocentrism congruent with our own view. 

​Check them out!
www.ecologicalcitizen.net

Friday May 21, 2021 is Endangered Species Day!

Learn about threatened and endangered species and how you can help them.

Because of the pandemic, most events and activities, including a K through 12 art contest, will be held online. Learn more at:
www.endangered.org/campaigns/endangered-species-day/.

April 3 is World Aquatic Animal Day. he first World Aquatic Animal Day was started last year by the Aquatic Animal Law Initiative at Lewis & Clark Law School to raise global awareness about aquatic animals.This year’s theme is “The Impact of Human Activities on Aquatic Animals.”

Find out more at Lewis & Clark Law School. 

Members now are receiving the Spring 2021 issue of Pantheist Vision. Members can receive either the print edition or the digital edition for the annual membership dues rate of $25/yr.  Check it out!

In This Issue

Gardening for Your Ecosystem
New Membership Dues and Outreach
Pantheist Celebrations for Spring
What Pantheism Means to Me
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​To subscribe, join us!

Hope you're enjoying your Saturday, wherever you are.  

"I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful -- an endless prospect of magic and wonder."  (Ansel Adams)
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From the current issue of Pantheist Vision, we read about this famous landscape photographer, born this day in 1902 in San Francisco.  He "believed in the sanctity of Nature.  He raised photography to the status of fine art and used his photographs in efforts to preserve wilderness and protect the planet.  Adams wrote, "I knew my destiny when I first experienced Yosemite" -- at the age of 14, on a vacation with his family. "

From Pantheist Vision, we read:

Join the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention.  This year's theme is "wetlands and water" -- healthy wetlands have a rich natural diversity of life that maintains and improves water quality. 

Discover activities worldwide at https://www.worldwetlandsday.org.