On the Brink of destruction: Losing heritage, culture, storytellers, fighting racism

Racism, spiritual terrorism and the loss of Indigenous culture are among numerous social issues being targeted by the Turtle Island Project - founded in northern Michigan in August 2007.

A pair of Midwest pastors launched the Turtle Island Project because they believe the world is sitting on the brink of important cultural, economic and religious issues that will either allow humans to prosper in harmony with the Earth or become the only species to cause its own extinction.

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard and Rev. Dr. George Cairns say some - if not many - Christians belittle the knowledge and heritage of Indigenous cultures like Native Americans, Celts and other centuries-old religions and beliefs that are aligned closely with nature and the environment.

They believe we can all learn a lot about nature and the environment by listening to these Earth-based cultures.

Rev. Hubbard is a Lutheran pastor, and Rev. Cairns is an ordained United Church of Christ minister.

Both have extensive backgrounds in interfaith and multi-cultural work.

The Turtle Island Project (TIP), based in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, promotes respect for the environment and Native Americans.

Turtle Island Project volunteer media advisor Greg Peterson has two stories on the founders, their goals and the first six months of the Turtle Island Project.

Turtle island TV on BlipTV:

Turtle Island Project: Respect for Indigenous Peoples, Environment

Click To Play

Brink of destruction: Losing Heritage, Culture, Storytellers

Click To Play

Turtle Island TV on YouTube:

Brink of destruction: Losing Heritage, Culture, Storytellers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg5abYD3T_c

Turtle Island Project: Respecting Indigenous Peoples, Earth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KM1RQ0lCzk

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Turtle Island Project main website:

http://www.turtleislandproject.org

Turtle Island TV (blipTV)

http://turtleislandtv.blip.tv

Turtle Island TV (youtube)

http://www.youtube.com/MunisingWhiteHorse

Turtle Island (myspace)

http://www.myspace.com/TurtleIslandProject

Turtle Island Project websites/Blogs:

http://groups.msn.com/WhisperingTurtle

http://turtleislandproject.wordpress.com

email:

TurtleIslandProject@charter.net

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Lakota words for God, Creator, Grandfather:

Tunkasila

Wakantanka

Gitchi Manitou

Lakota: Mitakyasi: "all my relatives"

http://www.dlncoalition.org/home.htm

Heraclitus "The essence of things"

http://www.thebigview.com/greeks/heraclitus.html

http://www.spaceandmotion.com/books/philosophy-book-heraclitus.htm

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Bishop Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston

President and Dean of Episcopal Divinity School and Professor of Theology

Cambridge, Mass.

http://www.eds.edu/indexDyn.asp

http://www.eds.edu/sec.asp?cat=92&page=85

Stepping Stones Podcasts: Daily meditation provided by Bishop Steven Charleston..

http://eds.libsyn.com

Steve Charleston (Choctaw) was consecrated as the sixth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska in 1991

Rev. Dr. Charleston was the national staff officer for Native American ministries in the Episcopal Church; he became the Director of the Dakota Leadership Program and developed alternative training models for indigenous laity and clergy on the many reservation communities of the Dakotas.

Bishop Charleston has appeared on ABC World News Tonight, BBC World News, BBC Today Programme, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, The O'Reilly Factor, and Hannity & Colmes, and WRKO radio in Boston.

scharleston@eds.edu

Websites about Bishop Charleston:

http://www.wfn.org/1999/05/msg00107.html

http://www.nah.uiuc.edu/faculty/treaty/NCcharleston.html

http://www.anglican.ca/news/news.php?newsItem=2001-07-05_st.news

http://www.bluecloud.org/shiningthrough.html

http://www.thewitness.org/agw/charleston042204.html

http://edoc.vox.com/library/posts/tags/steven+charleston

http://www.interfaithcreationfest.org/program.html#keynote

Jamestown summit remembers Native saints, prepares for future generations:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78695_91767_ENG_HTM.htm

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/images/elo_jamestown1_md.jpg