[LINK] "World's 'holiest' rivers being destroyed"

[rfmcdonald]

Taking the specific examples of the Jordan and Ganges rivers, Douglas Todd of The Search examines the paradoxes of how some of the holiest rivers in the world are also some of the most polluted rivers of the world, drained of irrigation water and filled with all manner of waste.

What happens to 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,' 'Wade in the Water' and many other spirituals that make direct reference to the sacred Jordan? What happens to the Jordan River that the ancient Hebrews crossed into the Promised Land, a symbol of freedom from bondage?

"The sight of pilgrims getting baptized in polluted water, reduced to 10 per cent of its normal flow, is a bit sad & pathetic," says Haddock. Some organizations are trying to do something about it: See www.savethejordan.org

Haddock also met an environmental lawyer from India who faced the same issue with Hinduism's holy Ganges River, about which The Vancouver Sun published a revealing and disturbing op-ed piece on April 8, 2010, by Vancouver Island writer Schachi Kurl (Agence-France Press photo, right)

[. . .]

The question of whether governments should protect geographical features considered "sacred" is a fascinating one, particularly in B.C. As Haddock says, some aboriginals have challenged logging and mining on the grounds that the areas are sacred to them. There is no current law in B.C. by which geographical features could be declared sacred, but Haddock said it could be done. "Likely such an area would be protected under the Park Act or other similar designation, which protects it from development but without getting into the 'sacred' issue."