Charlotte at Cheeky Pink Girl suggested that I post a bit about my own Christian faith, and what better day to do it than Good Friday, the day for reflection, pensiveness, and contemplation?
I believe that an all-wise Creator brought the Earth into existence. Since I wasn't there, I can't say for sure whether this occurred in six days, or a few million years, but it is unequivocally clear to me that intelligent design and not random chance was at work. This is the basis for everything else that I believe and do (of course, being an imperfect individual, I still manage to really screw up sometimes). The Earth is ours to guard and protect, as well as the animals, plants, and people who call it home. A lot of Christians take the opposite belief- that the Earth is ours to do whatever the heck we want with it. Likewise, I see a lot of people in the environmental movement who are not Christians, so sometimes I feel a bit trapped in that in-between space. The word "conservative" has come to be a polarizing word, an emotionally laden word; however, it also means "conserving," as in not wasting, as in judiciously using our non-renewable resources, as in protecting our rainforests and other precious places.
What do you think? How have your religious beliefs (or worldview, or whatever you choose to call it) affected your beliefs about conservation?
Milwaukee Weather
Blogs I follow
About Me
- The River Otter
- Milwaukee, WI, United States
- There's too much crazy amazing stuff happening in this city not to document some of it on the W W W.
7 comments:
I'm reading my backlog of Time magazines and am always amused at the little disclaimers they throw into the crisis articles. One reads something like "no one expects you to become a zero-body-fat, zero-carbon-footprint ascetic", as if that would be the worst fate possible. Ironically, I believe--perhaps aside from the ascetic part--that's our "factory condition", at least for the male of the species (regarding the body fat part). I don't consider myself close to it now, but I would imagine that would be a good way to get a feel for how human beings were designed by God, and were originally before the Fall.
The world was created in 6 days. Read the Bible. And yes, God certainly did know what He was doing. Therefore we need to do what we can to take care of the earth and preserve it for future generations.
Mike, those pictures of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden in your Sunday School class were not supposed to be titilating! (No pun intended whatsoever, as Eve was always demurely protected by artfully placed leaves.) But no, I don't think God meant for us to be eating vast amounts of HFCS and trans fats.
I think it is ironic that as a dam advocate, you are lumping yourself into that category of Christians who think you can do whatever the heck you want to with the earth. By advocating to install a man-made structure on the Milwaukee River in the name of "conservation" seems very silly. I think the citizens of Milwaukee County could conserve some money by having this dam removed.
I am also tired of hearing that one of the major reasons for having this dam is to restore the river level to that which existed before they blew out the rock outcropping. When that rock outcropping existed, it surely did not look and act like the current dam at this site. The dam that is there now is a dam, not a spillway. Therefore, it is much more destructive to the environment of the Milwaukee River and removing this busted artifact would be the best thing for the river.
"Conservative" is a polarizing word for a good reason. Conservatives consistently push their agendas so that a relative minority can reap the spoils while the masses get left behind. That is exactly what is going on with this dam. A few people who live in the area want the dam while the rest of the people in the County shouldn't have a say in this matter. If I wasn't opposed to this dam because of its negative environmental impact, I would say that you who live in the neighborhood should have to pay for the money to fix and maintain the dam!
Thanks for your comments, Jason, but the Milwaukee County supervisors took comments from all interested parties, including people who don't live in the county, so I don't see why you say "the rest of the people in the County shouldn't (sic) have a say in this matter." Non-residents have not been permitted to speak at other hearings I have attended.
RO
Do you really consider yourself a member of the environmental movement? By supporting the Estabrook Dam, you support the most destructive element to the Milwaukee River system’s ecological health. The backwater slows and warms the water, decreases dissolved oxygen content, silts up, and prevents the aquatic biodiversity that a natural river supports. You mention all kinds little ways that you try to help the environment, but the most important local environmental cause of today is right in your back yard. Please, stand up to your neighbors, and support removal of the estabrook dam. Watching ducks floating on a stagnant pool of water does not make one an environmentalist.
BR
BR-
Like many people, you are mistaking correlation for causation. Living on the impoundment does not make me an environmentalist- I love nature, and that is why I chose to live here; that is why I do many things that I do. Why do I love nature? It is beautiful, and it was created by a loving Creator. YMMV.
Post a Comment