October 31, 2006
October 12, 2006
Thoughts on 'Is God Green?' and which church to join in Boise.
A couple thoughts on Bill Moyer's "Is God Green?"
--It's great to finally see this becoming a legitimate topic of discussion in Christian circles.
--- I wish global warming hadn't been such a big focus of the show. Regardless of whether global warming is human cause or part of nature's cycle, there is plenty of other poor environmental and financial choices that we are making otherwise.
---For me, the big deal is to get individuals, myself first, to see effects that our daily actions and choices have. It's too easy to put the blame of bad environment on government or big corporations. I have a responsibility for my own actions before I call on the actions of others. I findi it hard to call the government or a corporation to accountability if I'm doing the exact same thing in my own household but ignoring the problem.
--Don't ask me to look into the eyes of the worker at FoxConn Electronics in China who gets $80 a month, works 15 hours a day, sleeps in factory bunks, and eats factory food so that I can listen to my Ipod I won for free. They can only observe my prosperity from a distance, and I can ignore their desparate situation. It's too big of a problem for me to deal with. Don't ask me to trade my salary now for $20 a day doing the exact same thing. Honestly, the time may come if we continue outsourcing engineering jobs to China/India and the thought does not make me happy.
--Why does the Right think the Left, or vice-versa, always have a political agenda or an alterior motive? Can't we just focus on the issues and what is being said, rather than try to see the worse in each other. Christian environmentalists are not worshipping the earth and militant Christian abortion rights activists are not worshipping the baby. They are both legitimate outworkings of faith in action.
--It really hurt to see Dr. Cal Beisner ( a former Covenant College professor of which I am a fairly proud alumnus) be so callous and seemingly arrogant at several points. His attitude of -'I'm going to live forever in eternity so what do these three score and twenty years on earth really matter?'- is entirely uncompassionate towards those who really do suffer on earth. He expressed no visible remorse over Hurricane Katrina and other 'natural' disasters of God's will. Fine, say it was God's will, but then follow it with remorse over the death's and how God has used the situation for good. Instead it seemed like he took at as an unfortunate side effect of the Fall, therefore we just deal with it. I will admit I had this attitude in the past which is maybe why I'm so sensitive to it in others.
--Holy Cow, what is up with Dr. Beisner's use of 'dominion' of the earth in Genesis. He took it to mean a 'forceful ruling' and used it to justify blowing up mountains for coal and leaving them for dead as okay, even as a necessary evil or part of the fall. What, is that what this means? You have to tear the earth apart in order to have dominion over it? It made me sad to hear him say this. Do I have 'dominion' over my family as the male headship by forcefully ruling over them as long as it makes them obedient to God? Huh?
--It really hurt to see Dobson and Dr. Cal Beisner defend the free market as Biblical truth and take its unfortunate side effect of abuse of the earth as okay or a part of sin. Sounds to me like wealth is being placed above spiritual or ethical consideration. When does wealth drive or throw away a Christian's spiritual conscience? How much damage is one allowed to do to another in order to take care of one's family? It would not be an easy decision for me as a coal miner in West Virginia to leave the job if I thought my family was going to starve.
--If you are still reading then you may have guessed I wasn't too impressed with Dr. Cal Beisner, and it makes me sad. He was suppossed represent the Reformed faith and its strength. Instead, he represented what I've become to see as common weaknesses of the Reformed faith. One of the weaknesses is holding on to a theological mindset so tightly that it clouds Compassion and can miss the heart of the Gospel. Did you notice the Joy, Intensity, and Excitement in Tri Robinson's voice as he spoke of Christianity and the Environment? Where was that in Dr. Cal Beisner's talk. I was depressed listening to Dr. Beisner's view of how the Bible views our responsibility on earth. Maybe he was more compassionate in the interview and it didn't get played in the show or was left out on purpose. I don't know. I do know that his attitude and beliefs are typical of many in the Reformed Presbyterian (by Reformed I mean those that hold to the Westminster Confession of Faith and John Calvin as on near par with the Bible) faith and it hurts. Hurts because there are scales that need to be removed. Scales I once had in abundance and am grateful they are dropping off. I grew up in and was educated in the Reformed faith. I have a deep respect and fondness for it still. In many ways I desparately want to attend a Reformed Presbyterian church because of it's familiarity and strengths. But at the same time, I stopped growing spiritually staying just in the Reformed circle. I can't state exactly why or put a finger on it. Part of it is that I've begun to see that there were too many theological walls put up (intentional or not) to other denominations and Christians. I have weaknesses in my spiritual armor that need to be filled. All this to say that the PCA church and the Vineyard church here in Boise are still among our choices of churches to join and it isn't easy deciding. By the way, you should subscribe to the PCA's byFaith Magazine.
--Why would you be opposed to taking care of the earth? How is saving the life of one baby through stopping abortion more noble than saving one baby by ensuring a clean environment to grow in? Why do we think there is more moral high ground in stopping abortion than saving lives through ensuring a clean environment? I think it is because it is obvious that abortion kills, but it is harder to pinpoint the effects of pollution as the cause of death.
-- I'm finding it really difficult lately when discussion start with the words "If you take the Bible seriously..." Everybody who calls themself a Christian says this to the point that it doesn't mean anything. Of course we take the Bible seriously and are seeking to understand it and do what it says. I don't question the Bible as having the ultimate truth, I question our ability to get it at cleanly and for one person/denomination to have it completely right.
So, there are some of my thoughts. What are yours?
October 10, 2006
Moyers: Is God Green?
Check out Bill Moyers latest probe of America on Wednesday with your local PBS station. He will be discussing the latest movement of conservative christians joining the environmental movement-and the rift that is causing as some of the religious right is nervous. In typical fashion the conservatives are the last to joint the cause, but at least their moving now. Should be good stuff as one of those interviewed is Tri Robinson, pastor of the Vineyard church here in Boise that we are considering joining. Our dearly missed friends the Knutsons introduced us to the Vineyard church and the Tri Robinson's book Saving God's Green Earth which I am waiting to read until after my PhD.