a biblical mandate
In case you missed it … Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez quotes the Bible.
Last month White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders condescendingly dismissed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’ Green New Deal saying:
I don’t think we’re going to listen to her on much of anything, particularly not on matters that we’re going to leave in to the hands of a much, much higher authority … [The country should leave the fate of the planet in] the hands of something and someone much more powerful than any of us.
Ocasio-Cortez tweeted in reply:
“Genesis 1: God looked on the world & called it good not once, not twice, but seven times.
Genesis 2: God commands all people to “serve and protect” creation.
Leviticus: God mandates that not only the people, but the land that sustains them, shall be respected.” https://t.co/AhWd3vuVBd
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 23, 2019
She’s right. Taking care of this planet is our human responsibility, our delegated responsibility, from the One in whose image we are made. Like the One who made us, we possess the power to build up or tear down, to protect or to destroy, to care … or not.
How can we claim to love God and not love (care for) this earth that God has created? How can we claim to love our neighbors and not care for the home which sustains their life and all life?
Christian environmentalist is not an oxymoron. Environmentalism is an essential and necessary part of our Christian identity!
5 thoughts on “a biblical mandate”
I once heard a well known evangelist say that it’s futile to try and save the planet because God is going to destroy it and create a new one.
By which logic it would also be futile to practice medicine.
I remember an old story of 2 girls trying to get to school on time. One said, “Let’s stop and pray that God will get us there on time.” The second said, “Let’s keep running and pray as we run”. That’s the way I feel about the environment. Let’s trust God but still do our part.
Well said, Sandee.
Wealthy countries such as the United States have done a pretty good job of improving their environment by reducing pollution and restoring damaged ecosystems. Undeveloped countries have not kept pace. Even India and China are very heavy polluters by our standards. Good economies can afford good environments; poor economies cannot. We can improve the health of our planet by improving economies. We will worsen the environment by strangling our economy. Carbon dioxide makes up four one hundredths of one percent of our atmosphere. It is a trace gas and essential for plants and agriculture. It may not be wise to spend trillions of dollars to try to eliminate it. Cow flatulence is a separate issue, but I do like cheese.
P.S. Science is never “settled.”