Can any man own the land?

By Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Ownership of land is alien to many people who have a nature philosophy and to the original Gypsy People that is the same. In addition to that, theoretically, from a biblical standpoint it is also a notion that must be rejected. No man can own the land, as that would mean owning the Earth and the Earth is the Lord's and everything on it and in it.

According to that perspective the Land, everywhere, ultimately belongs to G-d the Creator. G-d is the original owner. We are simply stewards whose job is to insure that G-d’s gift of the land and its resources, is managed with justice, fairness and for the benefit of all not just some.

However, for some reason we do not seem to have understood this at all and have, and the Bible has even been used to justify those things, always been obsessed by possessing more and more, and that also in terms of land.

The great majority of wars, in the past, until about and including World War II, have been fought for domination of people and, primarily, to add possessions of land (and thus also people) to this or that kingdom.

Man, and not just colonial white man, has been exploiting the Earth, G-d's Creation and our Mother, as if he was the owner of it and everything in it and on it. Justified this was, more often than not, by the biblical term of G-d having given man dominion over the Earth.

But dominion does not mean domination; those are two totally separate and – basically – unrelated words even though they sound as being on a similar vein. Dominion means being a husbandman, a steward, of the Earth, of Creation, and of everything on and in the Earth.

“Lord! The Earth belongs to you and everything that is on it and in it. Teach us in the West the value of a simpler lifestyle so that we will not exploit the resources of the world you have given us and to ensure that those resources that can be renewed will be renewed. We also pray that governments may grant just access to land for all those denied it. Amen”

© 2011