Posted on 09/17/2007 10:36:15 AM PDT by Domandred
This is a new testament passage. God says He will destroy those who destroy the earth. I’m ready to accept that these envirowhackos are subject to God’s judgement for idolatry. But the connection to this particular passage just doesn’t fly. These envirowhackos are not “destroying the earth”. That particular passage does not apply to them; some other passages apply, which appears to be the case that you are building. That’s an interesting position, but it does not answer the question of “how does their idolatry destroy the earth?”
When you write that “Worldwide judgment will bring about worldwide destruction. Hence, idolatry will ‘destroy the earth’”, who is it that is causing worldwide destruction — the people who are under judgement? In your view, the passage would suggest that God is the one destroying the earth rather than God being the one who destroys those who destroy the earth.
Being LDS I think the closest to "green" that I can think of off the top of my head is the LDS Church embracing Scouting.
In Scouting there is the "Leave No Trace" principles of hiking and camping, as well as conservation type service projects. I completely agree with this. I've seen too many places destroyed by people wanting to leave a mark.
Don't be so hasty.
I read the article and it's not like this church is making environmentalism necessary for salvation.
Also in the article is a blurb describing evangelicals beliefs that is inaccurate: "Evangelicals are Christians who believe the Bible is authoritative, that they must be born again in Jesus Christ's love, and that they are required to share their faith with others to receive salvation."
Salvation is by grace alone, not by works - Eph. 2:8-9.
From what I can see, it's bad doctrine. But bad doctrine can lead to more bad doctrine and obscure the need for personal reconciliation with God. It's been done before. Something else gets people's attention off of God's Word.
A previous poster put it well - "Jesus didn't say save the earth."
Environmentalist kill with their fires, their tactics etc. They do one worse then the destruction of the earth and that is they threaten human life and also hold their environmental beliefs up as a religion and god and justify through this god immoral behavior that God stands against.
This combination of factors makes any God fearing Christian that abides by His law the polar opposite of an environmentalist.
The only thing the two may have in common is respect for the earth. Yet when that overshadows God and His laws the two paths diverge to opposite ends of the spectrum. Their is no partnership except a deal made with the devil.
We do not make His gifts to us gods. Environmentalists are evil whispering in the ear of the faithful, beckoning them away.
Whoa is he that does not voice his motive for his actions less they be misunderstood and coveted by evil.
Worshipping idols contributes to terrible character qualities. Such people destroy everything around them, including the earth.
***If that’s true, then they deserve their own judgement and destruction, especially since they’re supposedly looking out for the earth but they end up destroying it — classic hypocrisy. I am having trouble seeing HOW these envirowhackos destroy the earth, but that’s probably no big deal.
Their idolatry will destroy the earth by forcing God to finally deal with it, just as God’s righteous nature required Him to destroy the antideluvian world (except for 8 righteous souls) for its violence and sexual perversion, in the same way a murderer, for example, brings about his own destruction when he is lawfully executed for his crime.
One example...the envirowhackos tend to want to do away with private property.
Overall, the concept of private ownership is the best path to good stewardship.
Mass Federal ownership of land actually DIMINISHES environmental care; bureaucrats don't care for things the way private owners do.
You do know you are the first to ever misspell a word on Free Republic right? The horror!!!!!! LOL. ; = )
Good example.
Trees and crops reclaim desert in Niger [because they started allowing private ownership]
Intrnational Herald Tribune ^ | February 11, 2007 | Lydia Polgreen
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1783092/posts?page=6#6
To: grundle
That’s the solution to global warming and depleted fisheries: parcel out private ownership.
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/162/3859/1243
Famous essay by Garrett Hardin: Tragedy of the Commons.
6 posted on 02/12/2007 6:17:10 PM PST by Kevmo (The first labor of Huntercles: Defeating the 3-headed RINO)
Their idolatry will destroy the earth by forcing God to finally deal with it, just as God’s righteous nature required Him to destroy the antideluvian world ...
***So it is still God who will be destroying the earth in your scenario, rather than God destroying those who destroy the earth.
I agree. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Communists under cover. It just goes to show how people can get caught up in the trappings of religion and miss the central teaching when false p;rophets come.
Apparently, the fires were due to a lack of underbrush clearing on federal land, brush which would have been cleared had the land been allowed to remain in private hands.
This article contains many clues that these enviro-christians are veering toward a socialist mindset in their environmentalism. They don't realize it, but in doing so they are also veering toward anti-Biblical views and, ultimately, atheism.
These are good examples, and I agree with your viewpoint about private property. But a fire that burns down homes doesn’t really “destroy the earth”. The envirowhackos simply don’t have enough of a following to generate that level of a catastrophe. We end up with neglected, federally-owned lands, not a destroyed earth. I think this bible passage is aimed at a quantum level above the idiocy of these envirowhackos, guys who will throw nukes around, poison entire seas with Dioxin, and kill millions of souls.
It seems the planet has been beat up pretty bad over time (way before SUV's), and it still kicks our a$$ once in awhile. I am of the mind we humans make efforts to move on before the next big rock or solar burb. Extinction happens.
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