Jesus hates "environmental theories"

[Physicist]

I am looking for insights into why some religious groups oppose protecting the environment.

From the voting guide put out by the Christian group "Focus on Family."

"6. Natural resources: God put human beings on the earth to "subdue it" and to "have dominion" over the animals (Gen. 1:28). We value the beauty of the natural world which God created, and we believe that we are called to be responsible stewards who protect God's creation while we use it wisely and also seek to safeguard its usefulness for future generations. The Bible does not view "untouched nature" as the ideal state of the earth, but expects human beings to develop and use the earth's resources wisely for mankind's needs (Gen. 1:28; 2:15; 9:3; 1 Tim. 4:4). In fact, we believe that public policy based on the idealism of "untouched nature" hinders wise development of the earth's resources and thus contributes to famine, starvation, disease, and death among the poor. We believe the ethical choice is for candidates who will allow resources to be developed and used wisely, not for candidates indebted to environmental theories that oppose nearly all economic development in our nation and around the world." from http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0034053.cfm

"Environmental theories" apparently refers to well established scientific theories of ozone depletion, global warming, species-area relationships, etc.. Of course, the supposed opposition to "nearly all economic development" is a straw man.

I am still looking for reasons why some religious groups oppose protecting the environment. It may simply be that they are misinformed. There was an article on this in Grist, but I was not satisfied with it. Any insights? Maybe I should just go to Church more often and ask people there. (There are some people at my Church who think global warming is a load of baloney.)

The good news is that there are religious groups who support protecting the environment.

[salinen]

1. "The Bible"

The most anti-environmental book ever written.

[Dirty Hippie]

2. I was raised Christian

Christians believe when Jesus returns and begin his 1000 year reign the earth will be restored to it's original state.

They do not talk about it much, but they believe pollution, even nuclear fallout will disappear at the command of Jesus.

Therefor environmental protection is not a big deal to them.

[intheflow]

3. I can't explain why some Xians think it's okay

to exploit the environment, but I can give you a link to a
resource for Christians who support the environment.

Eco-Justice Ministries: http://www.eco-justice.org/

It's run by a UCC minister out of Denver.

Focus on the Family is nuts, anyway.

[Viking12]

4. Accoding to former Secretary of the Interior James Watt

"We don't have to protect the environment, the Second Coming is
at hand".

[JohnyCanuck]

5. They're gonna be raptured up to heaven

in a couple of years anyway. Why should they worry if the world and the sinners left in it all turn to ratshit. They'll be sitting on the clouds playing harps and drinking milk and honey.

Besides which the end fate of the earth is to be all burnt up before God establishes a new heaven and a new earth. So it's like why make an effort to fix up the rust eaten clunker with an oil leak when God's fixing to give you a brand new Cadillac.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Revelation 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

That'll be a downer for the surfer dudes, if there's no longer any sea.

[Physicist]

6. I found another link

In this link, Pat Robertson buys into the idea that Kyoto is flawed because the world's poorest countries are not included in the emissions targets.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/robertson,_astrophysicist_discuss_global_warming.asp

[phantom power]

7. John Kerry also more or less buys into this criticism

I don't think it's an unfair criticism. What I disagreed with was that the Bush administration just used that as an excuse to withdraw from Kyoto entirely. Whereas Kerry wants to negotiate different terms.

[blindpig]

8. they are Manicheans

They believe that the world as we know it is the creation of evil. I don't know if there is a god or gods but I do know that nature is sacred. That's good enough for me.

[midnight armadillo]

9. 'wise use'

The phrase 'wise use' is a code word for rampant exploitation of the environment. There is a movement called Wise Use which is a front of developers etc. who always seem to want to bulldoze wetlands and so forth.

That statement basically says there is no need for environmental laws since 'wise use' means we're entitled to make as much money as we can and leave nature in any shape we please.

So, Physicist, what sort of physics do you do? I am a biophysicist turned atmospheric scientist...

[Physicist]

10. My line of work is in

My background is in optics and lasers, but for now, I am a stay-at-home dad. My wife recently started a new job and I am thinking of doing something completely different.

[midnight armadillo]

13. Optics and lasers!

That's a coincidence, that's my OTHER main field :-) Yes, I have something of an electic background - microscopy, bio- and polymer physics, optics & laser design, and now I work at an atmospheric science R&D place where I do atmospheric related optics and scientific software.

I miss the polymer and cell biology stuff, but my job kicks a lot of butt.

[redqueen]

11. Many have already said it

they don't care, because the bible 'tells them' it doesn't matter, the earth will be renewed, blah blah blah.

However I wanted to share something that a Native American said ... can't find the quote, but it's a long the lines of, 'I wish those who believe in a perfect world in the afterlife would just go there, and leave the earth to those of us who care for it.'

[happyslug]

12. Bad Theology

The Fundamentalist use the Phase "Man is to have "dominion over the earth" to mean complete control, but that control also includes duties to the environment. For Example the Bibles instructions regarding besieging cities says NOT to close off Water Sources nor shut down trees (Both in short supply in Palestine). The reason for this restriction (among other restrictions) is that the environment is a gift from God and people are NOT to waste any Gift from God.

Now remember most of the Fundamentalist you read about are more followers of Corporatism than the true Fundamentalist readers of the Bible. In the opinions of such Corporate sponsored leaders what is good for big business is a product of God no matter what the bible says. They are selective of what part of the bible they read and site, Ignoring those parts that favor the protection of the Enviroment, th epoor and they fellow man when such protection goes against Corproration interests.

Just a comment on the Bible and the envorinment and how any book can be used by evil people for evil purposes.

[happyslug]

14. How can I forget Noah and his Ark?

Noah was ORDERED by God to build his ark and to put "Seven Clean and Two un-clean" animals" in the Ark. Now the term "Clean and Unclean" are use in the King James Translation of the Bible but the meaning of these two terms where well known in the 1600s when the King James bible was written. "Clean" meant a domesticated animal, "unclean" meant an undomesticated Animal. Why would God NOT want man to care for ALL of his creatures when he told Noah not only to save the animals he was using BUT ALL ANIMALS (Clean and Unclean).

Since Noah is descendant from Adam and Eve and thus Noah was exercising man's "Dominion" over nature, why did God not just tell Noah to protect the animals he was using? The reason is the term "Dominion" means more than use, but also to care for and protect. By the example of Noah man has a DUTY to protect not only himself and his property BUT NATURE ITSELF (To the extent possible).

Thus The Bible is Clear, Man has a duty to protect nature if possible. This duty is to be done EVEN IF IT MEANS RUNNING RISKS (for example in the "Rules of Sieges" in the bible the rule protecting trees and springs was to be followed even if it means such trees and springs can be used by the enemy against the ancient Israelis).

[Redneck Socialist]

15. The idea of Dominion is one of the fundamental mistranslations...

...in the king james bible, or so I've been told. I'm no biblical scholar so I'm pretty much talking out my ass here, but I've been told that if you go beyond the king james and look at earlier texts the word translated as "dominion" should more accurately read "care for and protect."

It is from this idea of dominion that much of so called Christian opposition to the environment springs. "God told us to go ahead and fuck up the place" or something along those lines.

[German-Lefty]

16. Why Christians seem hell bent to destroy the environment.

Why do Christians seem hell bent on policies to destroy the environment?

1) They're being politically used. The right forms a coalition out of big industry (money) and religious sheep(fools) lead by their leaders. If it was to industrial leaders' advantage to have slavery, "good Christians" can be lead to believe that God favors slavery. A few biblical verses will have to be misconstrued for this, but it'll work. Huck Fin thought he was going to go to hell for freeing the slave Tom.

Good Christians may disagree with me here and try to argue the Bible construed in a certain way is against slavery, destruction of the environment, genocide, or other evils. My point is that if it can be construed either way, what good is it as moral guide? We are left to be our own moral guides.

2) They want to push God's hand and bring on the end times. These are only a few nuts. It's the same kind of psychology that makes a few hundred people drink poison cool aid. They've convinced themselves. They don't want to risk of loosing their faith. They want it over with so they can go to heaven.