I nodded in sympathy, not volunteering that we’re now driving a silver Prius (the only color we could get). But, then, we always turn on our lights in fog. That frees us to scowl and snarl at other gray or silver cars that suddenly pop out of fog banks.

John, behind the general store’s register, weighed in with his own comment. "I read that for every foggy day in September, we’ll have a day of snow during the winter." This brought derisive laughs from around the store, but John was not deterred. "Laugh if you will," he said, "but I have that on good authority. I read it in the Star this morning." More hoots, of course.

"John," I asked, "do you think something’s true just because it’s in print?"

"Of course," said John. "They couldn’t publish it otherwise." He was teasing, of course; but I was grateful. It reminded me of a great debate between Albert Alligator and Howland Owl. Remember them? They were regulars in the comic strip "Pogo."

Walt Kelly began drawing that entrancing fable in 1948 and continued it for almost 30 years. He was a master at exposing human flaws through the fanciful animals of the Okefenokee Swamp.

Kelly’s satire was almost always mild, but he could also skewer when he spotted someone who deserved it. You may remember his Simple J. Malarkey, a disreputable bobcat who looked a lot like that late and unlamented scoundrel, Senator Joe McCarthy.

The great debate between Albert and Howland, however, was gentle in revealing humans’ faults; in this case pomposity (Howland’s) and gullibility (Albert’s). I don’t remember what their debate was about, but it carried across a month of Sunday comics. Finally Howland, the self-proclaimed sage, asked slyly, "Would you believe it if you saw it in a book?" Of course he would, said Albert.

Howland then opened a heavy tome to the flyleaf and wrote in the point he had been pressing. He then held it before Albert, who laboriously read the words. "OK," said Albert, defeated. "It’s in a book. I guess you’re right."

But Kelly’s most lasting gift to our culture appeared on Earth Day, 1971. (Yes, we’ve been worrying about the planet for that long.) In the strip, Pogo is sitting on a tree root, gazing sadly at an ugly garbage dump that has defaced the swamp. Echoing Commodore Perry, he says sadly, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."

Thanks, Walt. That’s been a telling phrase ever since, and never more than now. The evidence of our damage, to ourselves and to the planet, has now mounted too high for any sensible person to deny.

In fact, it’s high time for religious leaders to call this condition what it is, a damnable moral offense against creation and its Creator. It’s a sin.

To their great credit, several evangelical Christian leaders have called it just that; and I’m glad to say that the Quakers are also weighing in on the issue. They’ve shaped a declaration that’s about to be announced through the Associated Press and other news distributors. The press release is titled, "Quakers say, Stop attacking the planet." It deserves to be quoted:

"At its recent yearly meeting at Lake George, N.Y., 700 members of The Religious Society of Friends spoke for all New York Yearly Meeting Quakers and issued a call for humanity to wage peace with the Earth. Their declaration urges us humans to admit that we have degraded the planet to ecological crisis, and to take actions to bring us back into harmony with our beloved Earth.’

"A presence in New York for over 350 years, Quakers are best known for their support for abolition of slavery, for equality of women, for prison reform, and for promoting world peace. The Quaker peace testimony’ has led many of them to be pacifists and to support social relief programs in war-torn countries. In their July 2007 declaration, New York Quakers focused their peace testimony sharply on the war that they and all humans have mindlessly waged against what they call God’s first gift, Earth itself.

"Our culture has considered the Earth our property to be exploited, and we have all, knowingly and unknowingly, been complicit in this violent appropriation of world resources." But, the Quakers say, the war must end. "We must now search for the seeds of this war in our possessions and in our lives, and work to nurture a new, mutual relationship with the Earth in all our actions. The Spirit is calling us to hold in reverence the miracle that God has given us.

"Largely without formal structure, the New York Yearly Meeting is based in 91 local gatherings throughout the State and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. An office in New York City coordinates their interactions. Christopher Sammond, now serving as the Meeting’s General Secretary, celebrates Peace with Earth: a Call to Reverence and Action,’ as growing out of a spiritual tradition of pacifism and simplicity:

"For over 350 years,’ says Sammond, Quakers have vigorously advocated a life of simplicity ... as a spiritual necessity. We now recognize that living simply is not just spiritually important; living simply and caring for an earth teetering on the verge of irreversible damage is an imperative for survival. We understand the connection between these two, our spiritual lives and the care of the earth, and we want others to see this connection, too.’

"The Quakers ended by voicing hope that their declaration would echo in all faith communities. We must all speak like prophets about our duties to the Earth. Genesis says that God’s first command was, "Tend the garden and care for it." Instead, we have exploited it, trashed it. We had better reverse the pattern before it is too late. That message should go out from every pulpit of every faith."

To that, I believe, Pogo Possum would say, "Amen, brother!"

Read about Jim Atwell’s new book, "From Fly Creek _ Celebrating Life in Leatherstocking Country" at JimAtwell.com.