Mother Nature?

One of my pet peeves is the term "Mother Nature." Many, if not most, fly fishing writers use this term, as if there is actually a persona out there called Mother Nature, that organises and nurtures nature.  The term is itself Ontological nonsense, (Ontology, philosophical term for the study of being). Mother nature has no being and does not exist. 

 Above is some artists depiction of mother nature, all bounty seems to flow from her.

 Another depiction, here she is shown as the Queen of Heaven, in control of everything. (?)

Isis the Egyptian goddess of heaven.


The Prophet Jeremiah warned the Israelites against the worship of the goddess of heaven, such worship was described in the Bible as adultery.


Jer.7:18 - 19. "The children gather wood, their fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and makes cakes of bread for the Queen of Heaven. They pour out drink offerings to other gods to provoke me to anger. But am I the One they are provoking? declares the Lord. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame." 


This is all part of modern man's worship of creation and his refusal to worship the Creator. If you worship the Creator of all things you acknowledge His authority and you have to submit to, and obey his laws. This modern man refuses to do. Rather worship something that does not exist, something that is as immoral as you would like to be.


So called mother nature, or mother earth, is mentioned in the Bible under the names Ishtar and Ashera. Goddess of fertility and sexuality. 

Details on the Ishtar vase, Louvre, wearing ceremonial headdress and not much else.

Ashera, clay figurine. Also in the Louvre.


Herodotus gives the following description of the worship of this goddess in Mesopotamia.


Every woman had to make a sexual sacrifice once in her life to Ishtar/Ashera. This meant she had to go to the temple and have sex with the first man who threw money in her lap. She could not refuse, no matter how little money was offered, or who the man was, that would be a sin as this money was now "holy". Sexually attractive women usually got their religious duty done in one day. Those poor souls who were not so attractive might have to go to the temple day, after day for years, before their sacrifice was made.


Temple prostitution was considered a proper form of worship.


Donald A Mackenzie described them "as cruel as they were wayward." 


This is the sort of deity modern man wants to worship?


Many don't really know what they are saying when they use the term "mother nature."


Another term to describe the same thing is the so called Gaia principle, that the whole planet is a living organism, not only that, but that it is holy and should be revered, if not worshipped. 


Max More www.maxmore.com ,wants us to believe that we are the product of mother nature X evolution. If you want to read some humanist stupidity go to www.maxmore.com/mother.htm .


Someone once wrote, "Mother Nature is a cold hearted bitch who dresses her offspring in scanty apparel."


As someone who's main form of recreation, fly fishing, takes place in nature, I believe we should all do our bit to conserve and protect it. But worship it? Never.