It was one of those confusing moments when you wonder if you heard right. And if you did, then you realize there is a huge gap between the way you view the role of your spiritual faith and the way the person speaking views his or hers.
My friend and I both call ourselves Christians, and we were discussing how climate has changed in our lifetime. I’ve seen it on the East Coast, in Pennsylvania where I have lived for over 30 years, and on the West Coast where I grew up and frequently go back to visit.
The words, “global warming” passed my lips, and my friend paused a moment, and said, “Well, not everyone agrees about that.”
I was dumbfounded. HUNDREDS of the most respected scientists in the world agree that our planet is going through a significant warming phase that—if left unchecked—will change the coastlines, the plant life, the animal life, and human life…yours and mine and especially our children’s and grandchildren’s as well. And this climate change has not been caused by ancient volcanoes, meteors, or other natural phenomena. It’s been caused by us.
Her next comment left me shaking my head. It was something about Jesus coming again, and for that reason, there really isn’t a need to take care of Planet Earth. It will be passing away someday, anyway.
To preserve the friendship, I said nothing more. But if I had, I would have mentioned that Jesus also said that He would come like a thief in the night, and no one would know of the day or the hour. So what is the point, I have to wonder, of this continual emphasis of some Christians on the end of the world?
Even more, I would question how people who claim to love Christ could ignore His summation of all the Commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.”
I would have to ask how disregarding God’s exquisite creation Planet Earth can possibly be a way of showing one’s love for God? And how can ignoring the coming devastating hunger and pain of millions of humans be a way of following Jesus’ commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves?
Perhaps my friend didn’t know that Christians across the planet… Fundamentalists, Pentecostalists, Main-line, and Evangelicals are joining together to compose shared statements of our sacred responsibility to be wise and caring stewards of the planet God has given to us and other humans and our children and grandchildren.
I hope she will check out just one of the many Christian environmental groups, like earthministry.org.
And I hope she does it before it is too late.
Carol
Feel free to email me your environmental tips and questions!
