Saturday, April 11, 2009
One Representative's Theological Take on Climate Change
I think there are a few things to clear up here. First, yes God decides when/if the world will end, but that is different from when our existence with the world could possibly end. The world could go on long after our existence presumably. As I understand it, and please correct me if I am wrong here, but the issue isn't that we are ending the earth per se, but that human-made carbon emissions are radically increasing greenhouse gases trapping the sun's heat, melting our polar ice-caps, warming our oceans, changing our oceanic currents, changing our meteorological patterns, killing off species of life (i.e., polar bears), and increasing the likelihood of natural disasters (i.e., more tornadoes, stronger hurricanes, and ironically, fiercer snow storms). So, it's not that the world will necessarily come to an end, but that the world is drastically changing, at unnatural rates, making the environment potentially inhospitable to (human) life as we know it. We are coming to a tipping point in which severe damage to the earth, seriously affecting life, is irreversable. The world is resilient, however, and could bounce back, long after we are gone.
I'm interested in the Congressman's choices of verses supporting his dominion theology - the theology that states that humanity has the God-given right of dominion over the earth; we can do what we want to the earth as we can't possibly work cross-purposes with God's plans. Rep. Shimkus uses Genesis 8, God's promise to Noah, and Matthew 24, one of the mini-apocalypses of the Gospels. The first deals with God promising not to destroy humanity again, the aftermath of God's attempt to rid the world of human wickedness, and the second, specifically the triumphal return of the Christ to save the elect. These passages deal with God's involvement in the destruction of (evil and wicked) humanity, but not the human-caused destruction of the earth.
Importantly, others who find the Bible equally infallible don't subscribe to this theology and believe that we are stewards to God's creation. Therefore, as we should take care of the earth, these, generally younger, evangelicals believe in a pro-active environmentalism.
(h/t Homebrewed Christianity)
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4 comments:
Someone asked, "How are we ever going to improve things with the culture and lifestyles we are so entrenched in?"
Why is it that so many questions are asked? and concerns shared? when the questions were answered and the concerns addressed some two thousand years ago?
Why is it no one will take heed and listen?
Simply, because that which it calls itself "religion" has had it's way with the multitudes, and especially the educated, those who were taught that reading, memorizing and then passing a test on that which is in a book is the source of "knowledge" ;-(
Sadly all that is "known" is but "the colored marks written on a dead tree" ;-(
Such "head" knowledge is a prime reason that today, natural Creation(land, air, water, vegetation, creatures) is being destroyed, and that which is of The Spirit(Light, Truth, Love, Peace, Life, Hope, Grace, Mercy, Faith, etc.) is being perverted ;-(
Sadder yet, those who "see" religion for what it is, yet allow religion to have it's way with them ;-(
The prime purpose of that which is called "religion" is to insure that "The Way of Truth will be evil spoken of" ;-( (2Peter2:2)
Once again, some two thousand years past, the answers to what Truly matters were revealed".
"How are we ever going to improve things with the culture and lifestyles we are so entrenched in?"
"Love not the world, neither the things in the world!" (1Jn2:15)
And, "Whoever loves this world is the enemy of GOD!" (James4:4)
For "The WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one!" (1Jn5:19)
"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me(The Messiah) before it hated you." (John15:18)
And it was promised that "evil men and seducers would grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived".(2Tim3:13)
The Messiah did not come to make this wicked, evil world a better place!
So, for the "entrenched", "The Call" was given and yet remains, "Come out of her, MY people!"(Rev18:4)
"Come Out" of this wicked, evil world and it's systems of religion!
"Improve things"? No! Simply, "Come Out" from among those who are destroying and perverting Creation! No longer be of those who believe they "know" what is best! Be of those who desire above all else, Father(Creator), not my will, But THY Will Be Done!"
I believe the "imag"ination of those reading this, and who despise "religion", is quite active now, "imag"ining, "ah, this one's just another catholic or christian, must be but another one of those "religious" hypocrites!"
Or the religious ones reading this, even as they have their portion in the destruction and perversion of Creation, "imag"ining, "Who does he think he is?", "Nobody's perfect!", and a favorite line of both the religious and irreligious, "You can't judge me" ;-( When in Truth it is their own Creator given conscience that convicts them not the discernment of another!
Truth is, "Pure religion and undefiled before GOD The Father is this, to visit the fatherless(those who know not their Father[Creator]) and widows(those who have not experienced The Messiah and The Power that raised Him from among the dead) in their affliction and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world." (James1:27)
Simply, all other "religion" is impure and defiled!
Sadly, there are many who have allowed what is called "religion" to have it's way with them, and so it is that many who "see" the destruction and perversion of Creation return to their "mother earth", yet sadly never experience The Oneness that is in and of "Our Father", HE WHO IS in Heaven ;-(
Yet there is Hope!
For Miracles do happen!
Hope is there would be those who experience The Miracle that is receiving "a love of The Truth" for they will "see" The Light that is The Messiah, and they will take heed unto The Call of "Our Father" to "Come out of her, MY people!"
They will no longer be of those who are destroying and perverting Creation.
They will "see" that "A Simple and Spiritual Life is the only Life that will survive!"
Forever.......
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(destruction and perversion) that is of this world and it's systems of religion, for "the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one" indeed and Truth.......
Truth is never ending.......
Drew, let me be the first to congratulate you on your first legitimately insane comment. I "imag"ine there will be more to come.
i think i have a contact high.
I like your last paragraph, Drew. In my mind, "dominion" and "stewardship" are one and the same.
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