Christian Environmentalists: Turning a Blind Eye To Rapists
Seems like my most recent post on freshly out-of-the-closet nontheist elected representative, John Stark, has struck a few nerves. In accusing U.S. Christians of being motivated by fear to do right, I’ve upset some of my readers who, in pleading foul, have asserted that the majority of U.S. environmentalists are, in fact, Christians.
Endorendil commented:
The environmentalist movement is largely Christian, and it better be if it is to be of any importance to the US. Based on the ARIS data, there are about 2 million atheists, agnostics, humanists and secularists in the US, i.e. about 1% of the adult population. It should therefore be obvious that painting religious belief as anti-environmental is very, very counter-productive.
What Endorendil is implying is that the rest of the population is largely Christian. This is true, on the surface. Nearly 75% of U.S. citizens report adherence to one Christian sect or another. However, only 30% of these people actually attend church on a regular basis. Further, while only 1% claim to be atheists, et cetera, fully 20% claim no particular faith at all, which is darned close to agnostic territory.
However, I’m still willing to accept Endorendil’s assertion that the majority of environmentalists are, and have been, Christians. In doing so, things become crystal clear:
Over the past century, Christian environmentalists have done a bang-up job in protecting the environment. With Christians running the show, the United States has become a criminal polluter, leading the world in nearly every type of industrial, domestic and agricultural pollutants. As we all know, U.S. citizens consume more and produce more waste per capita than those of any other nation in history. All in the name of fulfilling God’s decree to “have dominion over the Earth.” American Christians have, by and large, interpreted the passage in Genesis which reads, “. . . fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth” to mean, “gangrape that bitch Mother Earth like she’s Tralala from ‘Last Exit to Brooklyn’ and have acted accordingly. After all, the words “subdue” and “dominion” are pretty explicit, no? Nothing says dominate and subdue like good old-fashioned rape. Oh yes, Christian environmentalists are the majority and in control. The evidence is everywhere.
In the minority (likely numbering around the same 1% that Stark and his clan comprise), are the true Christian environmentalists, those who substitute “stewardship” for “dominion” and who urge our elected “Christian” leaders to swiftly enact progressive environmental legislation. Their position, one which I endorse wholeheartedly, one that positions the Christian faith as a potential leader in the environmental battle is nicely summed up in this essay: Christian Environmentalism by Dr. Ray Bohlin Without the rapid expansion of this minority, no significant environmental progress will be made in the United States. Endorendil and I are in complete agreement on this point.
Charles said:
“You should be trying to build bridges instead of insulting people.”
Don’t criticize me for not being a bridge builder. I’m not a carpenter, after all. It’s up to the Christians to recognize that they’ve been screwing up the show for a long time. Some of them need only duck into a wooden box for instant forgiveness. The rest, well, it’s time to start following Bohlin’s lead and joining the real ranks of the environmental warriors.
A small minority (again!) will recognize the daily song. Loved this stuff way back in high school. It’s my stab at self-deprecation.
Take it away, Minor Threat:
Tags: environment, Politics, Ruminations
true comments.
what about us pagans though? where did we get left out of the whole nature worship arguement? I mean, if christians start to adopt a nature protection / worship element to their faith, doesn’t that make them libel for the same heresy that killed so many of my ancestors?
johnny
Johnny -
You raise a great point. Yet, one must remember that from the onset, there were Christian sects who very much valued nature and incorporated, syncretically, many pagan elements that reflected this respect (many are still present, of course, in their traditions but have been long divorced from the original intentions). Were it to go to court, you\\’d have to prove that your brand of paganism predates the Christian usurpation of paganistic rituals. That is, next to the original \”true\” Christian environmentalists, you may just be a Johnny-Come-Lately!
Well, I don’t know if it would prove out in court, or whether a court would even hear the case.
That said, nature worship - the inherent relationship between humans and their surroundings - goes all the way back to the cavemen. It wasn’t until societies emerged that religion became a required means of controlling poopulations.
I feel reasonably assured that Paganism in some form predates everything but human conciousness, and cognition (easily usurping any propagandized religious claims)… From that point forward we needed to place ourselves into surroundings just to eat, sleep, and live with some form of reliability…
The current “true christians” as you denote, are arguably the latest “Johnny-Come-Lately” as they are breaking free from the impingements of a societal serving mechanism, mainly their religion, and looking back to where me and my pagan brethern have existed for centuries. Nature, and our relationship with god.
Transitioning from the Victorian remnants of religious doctrine can’t be easy for them, so thanks again for the nice article!
Johnny (not John)
Johnny (I\’ve edited the last post to reflect your desire for proper name recognition - something I respect) -
Ah, but the court is now hearing the case. We\’ve only two judges, but it will do, no? I agree that Paganism is more or less built into our survival circuitry (just wait til they unlock the religion gene!). What I meant to say is that there are very early Christian environmentalists who may predate some modern Pagan practices. Without a doubt, Paganism predates all Xtian concepts and, yes, we all know that Xtianity is barely removed from Sumerian and Egyptian religions in its concepttion of the trinity, the old testament fables, et cetera. Believe me, I\’d trust the earth in the hands of the Pagans as they\’ve historically demonstrated an affinity for natural divinity that most other religions have not. You\’re also spot on in positing that the transition will be painful - and most likely not in time.
Cheers!
Yes sir, you make many good points - especially with regards to the Sumerians as a basis for modern western religious origins.
I still feel that the origins of paganism go earlier - to the first time that humans began to place themselves in the world. At the point where interacting with the natural surroundings, that critical juncture is where I believe the true roots lie.
This would predate civilizations, instead finding tribal aspects of ancestry. I suppose if I substituted “nature worship” rather than Paganism it might be more palatable?
I know that the point is mere semantics, but your insight into survival circuits drove me to respond..
Johnny
Johnny,
I think we’re on the same page but I may have muddied my point. When I spoke of survival circuitry, my intention was to agree that we are now and forever have been ‘born Pagans’ to a great degree. Other religions are learned but must be based on our innate connections, thus the high degree of overlap.
Does that make sense?
yep, and thanks again for the interesting post!
Johnny