Geography, Culture and Faith

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Geography weaves our faith. Perhaps it is the medium through which God uses in communing with us. Geography plays a huge part in culture and faith itself. Certain conformities, constants and phenomenon caused by the earth’s formation generate feelings; feelings such as awe, horror, joy and curiosity. From the spark of emotions we humans wield the power of imagination and the wisdom that plays with it. In some way, with the help of geography which may or may not be under God’s control, we created the idea of God itself.  These beliefs and common practices came with it in vain to control our surrounding by pleasing and displeasing God or the gods. With conformity generated from belief, we generated Culture.

Geography did not always bring us pleasure and beauty; it also brought horrors and violence. Geography provided windows of opportunity for some to dictate conformity as regimes spread their ideology with their heavy hands. Many wars were fought for dominance and ownership of lands. Some culture were even created war-centric or products of war itself. Suffice to recall Alexander’s military campaign, Genghis Khan, the Romans, the Ottoman, Hitler and many more. Humans, animals and plants suffered alike; the balance in nature was destroyed. Geography punished us with diseases and illnesses. Precisely at this point is the significance of Geography: Geography created and shaped Culture which shape Geography itself. Hence there can be no Culture without Geography and vice-versa. But as our progress unfold, the finite  and contingent nature of our world becomes clear. Our survival and the survival of the world depend on our ability to coexist in peace. Although mankind will always yearn for more, searching for new boundaries just to break through them, nevertheless every culture had taken the wisdom that: this world is one in which we all share. Hence we assume the responsibility of knowing that the decision we make today will have a lasting impact on the generations of tomorrow.