Religious Views, World Views & Environmental Issues

I guess in time, I will need to get back to the Subject I was Previously Focused on, which is Libertarianism, yet since I have such a diverse Audience, something New has come up in the Mean Time.

Since our Spiritual Beliefs have an Effect on how we View our World, this can not help but to have an Effect on our Politics.  Many Environmentalists are overly Zealous in their Cause Primarily because they have a Very Different View of the Relationship between God, Man and Nature then Christians do.

First, I will Explain the Christian View on God, Man and Nature and then I will be Explaining the Political Implications.  Please Bear with me as I Explain a Religious Idea, for I will not be Explaining why this Idea is also a Political One until the End.  For now, let me just say that we all have World Views and that the Christians are not the Only Ones who have such World Views.

Here is the Christian View on how God Feels about His Own Creation...

"And God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.'" (Genesis 1:26, KJV)

According to the Bible, the Main Difference between Animals and Man is in the Fact that unlike the Animals, Man is Made in God's Image and this is the Reason why man has been Given dominion over the rest of God's Creation.  There are some who have Reacted Negatively to this Verse because they Feel that it Gives us License to Ravish and Abuse the Earth, yet I do not at all believe that this was God's Intent.

In the Comment section of another Blog, I recently said this...

"Certainly Man is expected to Treat God's Creation with at least some level of Respect and not Ravish her until she is Totally Barren and Empty of her ability to Sustain Life.  Such a Level of Disrespect should not even be given to that which we have been Given Dominion Over.  Certainly we should be Better Stewards of that which God has Entrusted to us."

The Very Fact that Man has the Power to be so Destructive in Relation to Nature is Evidence of the Dominion that he has been Given, yet just because we are the Ones who have the Dominion does not Mean that we have the Right to Ravish and Trample on that which has been Entrusted to our care.

Here is another Verse that Shows that God does indeed Value His Creation...

"26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.  Are ye not much better than they?  27) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  28) And why take ye thought for raiment?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;  29) And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  30) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  31) Therefore take no thought, saying, 'What shall we eat?'  or, 'What shall we drink?'  or, 'Wherewithal shall we be clothed?'  32) (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:26-33, KJV)

And also...

"29) Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?  and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father." (Matthew 10:29, KJV)

If God did not Value His Creation, He would not take so much Care to Nourish her and "Cloth" her, yet...

"30) But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  31) Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:30-31, KJV)


So we are Clearly the Favored of God's Creation and are most Precious to God.  Here are a few more Verses...

"35) Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35, KJV)

This Exact Statement is also Repeated in Mark 13:31 & Luke 21:33.  Also see II Peter 3:10, which Adds more Detail.

Which Leads us to the Next Thought...

"18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (II Corinthians 4:18, KJV)

To Keep this in Balance, I must add that somehow there are those who have Gotten the Impression that Christians require that we "Renounce this natural world".  The Word "Renounce", though, is a Little too Strong, for this Implies Abandoning and Refusing to Acknowledge.  Even God does not do that.  Instead He "Feeds" and "Cloths" His Creation.  We are just not Supposed to Value it above other Things that are Spiritual in Nature.  It is more of a Priority thing, than a "Renoucing" thing.

On the Other Hand, if we Value Nature so much, so as to View it as God and thus, Worship it, then we end up Renouncing God Instead.

The Last Couple of Verses that I want to share may come across as Confrontive to those who love Nature, yet do not Acknowledge the Creator, yet without these Last Verses, the Discussion of the Biblical View on the Issue is not Complete.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork."  (Psalm 19:1, KJV) 

"19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.  20) For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:19-20, KJV)

And...

"25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.  Amen." (Romans 1:25, KJV)

The First two of these verses talks about how there is Evidence of God in His Creation and the Second describes the Worship of the Creation as is Viewed in Christianity as a Form of Idolatry, just as the Bible also says...

"3) Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." (Exodus 20:3, KJV)


Ok, now for the Political; Like Usual, it all comes down to Balance.  Protecting the Environment is Important, but not at the Expense of the Livelihood of Man.  Plants and Animals are Important, but not more Important than Man.

By now, you may be saying that we should Keep our "Religious Views" out of Politics, yet in this case it is not Possible to entirely Remove our "World View" from our Political Views.  Either you Believe that Man and Nature are Totally Equal, or you do not.  There are no other Options, and to Believe that Man is not Created in God's Image and is nothing other then another Animal is no less a Spiritual Opinion, than to believe that Man is Created in God's Image. 

There is an Inequality in this Country based on the Fact that Atheism is not Viewed as a Religious Idea, yet how can the Belief that there is no God not be a Belief about the Nature of God?  So you see, Atheism is a Religious Opinion as well because it is an Opinion about God.  Quite Apart from that, though, there are Religions that Teach the Belief that Animals are equal to People because of the Reincarnation Cycle, thus Making this a Religious Idea.

No matter how you turn this Issue, the Underlying Factor that Drives our Environmental Politics is Religious in Nature and to Deny this Only Confuses the Issue.


As you can see, the Christian View of the Relationship Between Man and Nature is quite Different than the View held by Buddists and Hindus, yet again we need to Understand this is Accordance to Balance, for it is not Correct to Assume that Christians do not Value Nature, cause we do and we are Required of God to be good Stewards of that which He has Entrusted to us.

Consider this, for Example, if a Dog Owner Trusts someone to care for their Dog, can the one who has been given the Responsibility for the Dog Neglect to take care of the dog?  No One Argues against the Idea that People are the "Pack Leaders" and not the Dogs, yet if you Neglect to meet the Needs of that which you are in Charge of, you are Behaving Irresponsibly.

Things need to be kept in Balance, though, for Nature does not Rule over Man, and therefore, what Man Needs in order to Exist, should not be Disregarded when Making Environmental Decisions.  This is Why Economy and Jobs is just as Important as the Environment and Why things must be kept in Balance when making these Decisions.

Interestingly, the Comment Section has Taken Off more in the Direction of a Validity of Scripture Discussion, rather then a Discussion about Environmental Issues.

Breaking Out of Chaotic Christmas Bondage

Well, Christmas is Over and I always seem to come to the same sort of Conclusions once I have had the Time to Reflect about the Season.  I think that for the Most Part, Christmas is more about Business, Expectations and the Fulfilling of Traditions, than it is about Spontaneous Giving.  I just sort of Feel Like I'm on a Roller Coaster while the Holidays are in Progress and it actually Takes a Few Days after it is over with for me to get out of my Obedient Robot Mode and back into a more Spontaneous Mood Again.  I can Actually Give more Freely and Spontaneously from the Heart at Times other then Christmas.  It's Odd that it's this way and I've been Working on this Problem for Years and yet just don't Know how to Find Freedom from the Christmas Chaos.

I did Break One Tradition this Year.  I did a Pot Roast, rather then a Turkey.  I've decided that doing Turkey for Thanksgiving and then again for Christmas is just Plain Nuts and that a Pot Roast would be Simpler.  Once I Broke this Tradition, I've decided that this is what I'm going to do from now on.  As Crazy as it seems, Breaking Out of Christmas Bondage is Probably going to require that I Break Traditions Often.  The Hard Part is getting the rest of the Family, including my Husband, to Cooperate.

I've Often Heard it said that Christmas is not about the Gifts, yet once we cut back on the Number of Gifts we bought, it became more about the Food and I resented that because I would Actually much rather buy Gifts then Cook a Turkey.  When People say that Christmas is not about the Gifts, and not about the Food, and not about the Cards, etc. etc. etc., if we were to really take this Seriously, there would be very little left for us to do, other then Listen to Christmas Music, watch the Christmas Specials on TV and go to Christmas Programs.  Yet we just can't seem to Resist Getting Caught up in all the Busy Expectations and Traditions.

I guess it is a Priority Thing in relation to what to Keep and what to Cut from our busy Schedules, yet the Lack of Agreement among the Family Members over what these Priority Decisions should actually be is what seems to Keep us in our Bondage.

I just Shake my Head Year after Year after Year, wondering if I will ever Resolve this Issue, for it just seems to Defy any Workable Solution.

It is Important to Remember, though, that the True Meaning of Christmas has more to do with Freedom then with Bondage, for Christ was Born on Christmas and the Purpose of His coming was to Die on the Cross, in Order to Free us from our Bondage to Sin and to Free us so that we can Experience the Joy of Forgiveness and Eternal Life.

The Heart of Christianity is based on Relationship, not Expectations Based on the Traditions Created my Man.  Our Incorrect Priorities, though, do not Change who Christ, Himself, is. 

Considering this, isn't it Ironic that as Christmas is Approaching, we are so Caught up in the Bondage of Expectations and Traditions.  I Guess Christianity is a Mystery.  There is some Very Real Life Changing Potential within it, yet a lot of People end up Focusing on the Wrong Things and this Clouds the Deeper Meaning of what Christmas, or more specifically, what Christianity actually is.

A Truce for Christmas

I was Considering Ignoring my Blog and still may eventually do just that, yet there is something else going on besides just Christmas Business.  I am also Getting Tired of Debating and Arguing, for it Clashes, sort of with the Mood of Christmas.  So I may just Ignore the Political Part of my Blog and yet Still Occasionally Check to see if someone has Decided to just Chat.

It Seems Like there is always something going on Every Year at Christmas Time that Adds to the Business and Makes Getting Things Done Difficult.  This Year it has been too many Doctors Appointments; the Regular Doctor, the Dentist, a Gum Specialist, an Endocrinologist, etc., etc.

Apparently, I've got Gum Disease and Need a Deep Cleaning.  Fun, Fun, Fun.  I had a Bout with Thyroiditis; could Possibly have a Connection to bringing on the Gum Problems.  My Last Blood Test relating to the Thyroid was Normal, but not in time to not Intrude on the Holiday.  My Husband's had some Pre-Cancer Treatments and well, you get the Idea.  This is not the Way I Like to Spend the Holidays.

Just Thought I'd Share my Complaints.  How is everyone else's Christmas Going?

A Very Good Link Relating to Libertarianism

Well, I Considered doing a Post on the Link that was Left in the Comment Threat, of my Previous Post, by Grant Davies, yet it Contains such a Large Number of Issues that it has been Hard for me to get my Head Wrapped Around it, though, yes, I have Read it.  I guess for now, I'll just Stick with what I said Briefly about it in my Previous Comment Thread, which is.

"So Far, I just Think that some of the Article that Grant Left a Link to represents Typical Libertarian Arguments and some of it represents Arguments that could have been Made by any Republican.  I Agree with some of it and Find some of it to be Extreme.  And then there are those Parts that are just plan Humorous because they are Nothing more then Responses to the Sort of Name Calling that could have come from anyone from any Party that is into that sort of Name Calling.

"Here's my Favorite...
"'92. Libertarians are closet secessionists and neo-confederates.

Response:
"'If anyone makes this objection to libertarianism, RUN LIKE HELL.  Get out of there, before they eat your brains.'

"lol.  That One Made me Laugh."
Posted by Lista, December 9, 2001, at 9:48 PM

I was going to Write more about this then that, but perhaps that is enough for now.  Perhaps I'll have more Luck after Christmas.  For now, I'm just Repeating Stuff that I have already said.  Here is another something that I Wrote about it in one of the Comment Threads on Z-man's Blog.  This Time I was Responding to a Comment of the Soapster that goes like this...

"If the people took the time to delve into libertarian philosophy and educate themselves instead of merely adopting as gospel what they hear from pundits and presstitutes they would come to realize that they themselves can place whatever restrictions and/or regulations upon themselves that they so desire.

"If, however, they wish the edicts and directives to come from on high, well then libertarianism isn't for them.  They are better suited for any of other collectivist 'isms'" 
Posted by the Soapster, 12/08/2011, at 3:45 PM

And Here is my Response...

"Soap,
I have not Learned about Libertarianism from Pundits, Presstitudes, Edicts or Directives.  I have Learned about Libertarianism from you.

"Now that I have Read the Link that Grant Davies left on my Blog, though, I have come to Realize that not all Libertarians are as Extreme as you are, for there were a Few of your Ideas that were Listed as Controversial among Libertarians, such as Government Police Departments.  In his Link, it says that 'Most libertarians believe police departments are a legitimate role of government and should be provided by the public sector.'

"The Restrictions that we are Free to Place on Ourselves is not the Issue.  The Issue is the Restrictions that Need to be Placed on Others in Order to Protect us, (or Deter, if you like that Terminology Better), from the Harm and Injustice that Others may Inflict on us."
Posted by Lista, 12/08/2011, at 5:23 PM

And...

"When I Read another Link that was in the above Link and Related to Fire...

"http://www.lewrockwell.com/hornberger/hornberger183.html

"...I found another Extreme that Libertarians are not in Agreement on.  Here is a Quote from the Link about Fire Protection/Deterrence...

"'That's reason enough to reject such collectivist notions as government-owned fire departments, as well as such immoral and destructive socialist programs as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, education grants, agricultural subsidies, bank bailouts, food stamps, foreign aid, and other welfare programs.'

"The Original Link to One of the Humble Libertarian Pages, though, says...

"'Libertarians absolutely do not advocate the government ripping off people who paid into Social Security.  They deserve to get back the money that they put in.'

"If the First Quote is Misinformation, then it came Directly from a Libertarian, not from any Outside, 'Pundits, Presstitudes, Edicts' or 'Directives'.
Posted by Lista, 12/08/2011, at 6:01 PM

Like I said, I was going to Write more, but there are so many Issues in the Linked Piece, that I don't Hardly Know where to Begin.  For now, I just want to Point Out how Odd it is that Libertarians seem to Think that just because I do not Agree with them, that I Know Nothing about the Issue, or that what I do Know has been Picked Up from "Pundits, Presstitudes, Edicts" and "Directives" that came from someone other then an actual Libertarian.  In Reality, I have very Obediently Read something now, yet though I Found some of it Interesting, I have not Changed my Opinion on most of the Issues.

For anyone who is Curious about Libertarianism, though, this is a really good Link to Check Out and Read and I do not at all Mind Recommending it.