“Nature is to zoos as God is to churches.”
Margaret Atwood on the Relationship between Nature and Zoos
"“Nature is to zoos as God is to churches.” - Margaret Atwood"
Quote Analysis
In her quote, Margaret Atwood compares the relationship between nature and zoos to that of God and churches. Atwood brings attention to the way in which zoos, like churches, attempt to encapsulate and control something grand and powerful - whether it be the natural world or spirituality. The comparison highlights the human desire to organize and domesticate inherent aspects of life that may be beyond our control or comprehension. Just as people seek solace and meaning in churches, they also seek to understand and appreciate nature through the confined spaces of zoos. This quote prompts us to consider how human constructs such as zoos and churches shape our perception and connection to the world around us.
Understanding the Connection between Nature, Zoos, God, and Churches
In today's society, the quote by Margaret Atwood, "Nature is to zoos as God is to churches," continues to hold relevance. This comparison highlights the sacredness and significance that both nature and God hold in their respective spaces - zoos and churches. Just as people find solace, wonder, and connection to a higher power in churches, they also find these same emotions and connections to the natural world within zoos. This comparison emphasizes the importance of preserving and appreciating both nature and spirituality in modern society.
Reflection Questions:
When considering the comparison between nature and zoos as well as God and churches, what do you believe the author is trying to convey with this analogy?
Do you believe that nature should be preserved in its natural state, like how the concept of God is worshipped in churches? Or do you think that zoos can serve a purpose in conservation efforts and education, similar to how churches serve as a place for worship and community?
Is it morally right to confine animals in zoos for human entertainment and education, akin to how believers congregate in churches to worship and learn about God?
What are some potential parallels that can be drawn between the relationships of nature to zoos and God to churches? How does this comparison make you think differently about our interactions with the natural world and spiritual beliefs?
Similar quotes
“Zoos are becoming facsimiles - or perhaps caricatures - of how animals once were in their natural habitat. If the right policies toward nature were pursued, we would need no zoos at all.”
“The church is missionary by nature because God through the Spirit calls, creates, and commissions the church to communicate to the world that the redemptive reign of God has broken into human history.”
“Nature is Satan's church.”
“God doesn't act like the Church. No, instead, the Church must act like God.”
“It is a kind of church, back in these last cores. It may not be your church -- this last one percent of the West – but it is mine, and I am asking unashamedly to be allowed to continue worshipping the miracle of the planet, and the worship of a natural system not yet touched, never touched by the machines of man. A place with the residue of God – the scent, feel, sight, taste, and sound of God – forever fresh upon it”