Kermit the Frog was right when he sang “It’s Not Easy Being Green.”
Let’s clear something up… in the beginning (yes, that “beginning” – namely when God created the world) God charged man with the responsibility of caring for Creation and leading it. This is comprised of, but not limited to: animals, fish of the sea, birds and such of the air, plants and earth, water and other people. It seems, however (thanks to the political agenda attached to “being green”) that conservative Christians, in particular, are opposed to anything green or eco-friendly.
To My Dear Brothers and Sisters of Christ...
Stop saying “it’s important that we care for the environment…” while in the same breath saying “I’m sick of all this global warming nonsense…” or “it’s political propaganda…” and then showing how much you really “care” by doing nothing. It’s as if recycling automatically makes you Al Gore’s henchman. Regardless of whether or not the earth is warming (I, for one, do not think it is anymore than it was cooling in the 60’s-70’s), I think we as believers ought to put our actions, time and words where our mouth is.
Christians are Missing Out
Christians are so busy trying to avoid a label or association with “bleeding-heart liberals” that (in pride) they lose sight of the BIG picture. God called on us, as mankind, to care for His Creation. Now that this has become a Celebrity-driven, eco-friendly flagship of “do-good,” Christians would rather argue over the political agenda behind a majority of the movement (which in many cases, is a legitimate conversation) rather than DO what God has called them to do. Had earlier generations (and even our generation) been more cognizant of our God-given role, this would be a moot (not “moo,” though I think for this talk that would be funnier to use... thus, I could say "pun intended") conversation.
In arguing the politics, most do NOTHING for fear of being labeled or seen as a proponent of the global warming movement. The result – “Mother Earth” (as called by Leonardo DiCaprio at the Kids Choice Awards this last weekend) is being cared for as an actual being and ignored by those who believe, worship and love God… just not enough (perhaps) to care for His Creation (not a being named “Mother”).
I’m not saying everyone ought to go out and buy Al Gore-approved light bulbs, buy an electric car, start making their clothes out of hemp or what-have you… I’m saying, SHOW you actually care by:
- Teaching children WHY caring for the environment is really important (their schools are already teaching this to them, but for the wrong motivations).
- DO SOMETHING about it. Start small… use less electricity, recycle, try to reuse items (like plastic water bottles), etc. Do a project with your kids that, one, does something and, two, teaches them the Biblical reason why. Plant a garden with them, have them lead the recycling project at home, discuss ways you can save electricity at home, etc.
- Discuss, from a Biblical standpoint, “green” matters with people who also care about the environment (versus getting on your anti-taxes, anti-Al Gore soapbox). Show them you really care, but for genuine, God-given reasons. Use it as a way to demonstrating true, Godly love and passion for Him.
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1 comments:
c2,
Understand, from the beginning, I do not disagree that everyone should be concerned with the environment and taking care of their little piece of it. Having said that:
1. To be "Green" or "eco-friendly" is to have a political agenda, period, end of story. The terms "green" and "eco-friendly" are political terms tied to organizations that posses a political agenda that has nothing to do with saving the environment!
2. I believe that we Christians need to be very carful tying ourselves to such movements with such agendas with motivations that are usually anything but Godly.
3. "Gen:27 And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food:
30 and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for food: and it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."
God commanded us to replenish the earth and have dominion over all living creatures. In this command is the responsibility to take care of it, therefore we have to control our environment and replenish it and use it for the good of man!
4. Each of us have a responsibility to take care of our piece of the environment not to control whether you take care of my piece of the environment. That means that mandating solutions that may or may not work does nothing but provide power to those doing the mandating and deminishes the freedom individuals have. Also, understand that some solutions may cause more harm than good.
5. The earth is nobodies Mother, it is God's creation to be cared for and utilized, not to be worshiped!
6. When you equate being "green" and "eco-friendly" to what God has called us to do, you are coming close to politizing God and His will for believers.
I love the environment and am an avid fisherman and outdoorsman. I take pried in making sure I do not do things to harm that environment and have always taught my children to leave a place cleaner than they found it when enjoying God's creation.
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