These are the notes I took from the film “Jesus Camp” that I intend to use for my ecology/reconciliation paper. My question comes at the end of the dialogue.
Levi 12 years old. Home schooled. Parents interested in teaching him things like creation over evolution. A.G. background. Preaches. Evangelical dream boy. Shows cover of science book “exploring creation: with physical science”
Levi’s Mom: one popular thing to do in American politics is to note that the summers in the United States over the past few years have been very warm. As a result global warming must be real. What’s wrong with this reasoning? (A curious and sarcastic) “hmm…”
Levi: It’s only gone up 0.6 degrees. (Mother shaking her head in approval)
Levi’s Mom: yeah it’s not really a big problem is it?
Levi: Nope…I don’t think that it’s going to hurt us.
Levi’s Mom: It’s…It’s a huge political issue—global warming is and that’s why it is important for you to understand…(Levi interrupts)
Levi interrupts: is evolution too?
Levi’s mom: um…not really
Levi again interrupts: creationism?
Levi’s mom: um…it’s becoming one now…what if you had to go to a school where the teacher said, ‘creationism is stupid, and you are stupid if you believe in it.’
Levi: I think they should…wait a minute
Levi’s mother: or what if you had to go to a school where your teacher said evolution is stupid and you are stupid if you believe in it
Levi: I wouldn’t mind that.
Levi’s Mother: you wouldn’t mind it…if you look at creationism you realize it’s the only answer to all the question
Levi: that’s exactly what dad said
Levi’s mom: um hum…it’s the only possible answer to all the questions (eyebrows now raised in a matter of fact expression)
(Later with a smile on the face)
Levi’s mother: Did you get to the part that says science doesn’t really prove anything. It’s really interesting when you look at it like that…(a devious smile that almost looks like she has just uncovered some monumental truth.)
Later again Levi: I think Galileo made the right choice by giving up science for Christ.
75% of home schooled kids are evangelical Christians
For those of you who may have political convictions that lean right, I was wondering if you could tell me why by and large the person typified by Levi and his mother has it out for the environmental campaign. It has become more difficult to stereotype the person who is against environment. In an interview on 60 minutes about a year ago, Ted Haggard, who all of you should know now, was interviewed as the president of the National Associations of Evangelicals. In the interview when questioned about how Evangelicals may have had it wrong, Haggard replied that more attention needed to be given to environmental affairs. All of that to acknowledge that there has been a swing in Evangelicals concerning the environment.
Still my friend Morrow included a quote from James Dobson, which I don’t know how recent it was but it reads,
“"More importantly, we have observed that Cizik and others are using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time, notably the sanctity of human life, the integrity of marriage and the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality to our children."
So to those of you who would consider yourselves this type of conservative, my question is why. Why take this stance? My research for my paper has shown me that this is a Christian issue. So maybe my question is this. Political rhetoric aside, is there not Biblical warrant for us to be ecologically concerned? If so why not take these issues of global warming more serious? Is it money? God knows we’ve blown money on worse fake problems!
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3 comments:
I think many evangelicals see America as the "New Jerusalem." Of the many things they use to justify this, our economic prosperity is high on the list. I mean, how can you argue that God hasn't chosen us-- we're rich, aren't we? And because much of our wealth has been generated by a recklessly unregulated capitalist system, then they believe this system should be protected at all costs-- over and above any other concerns.
In other words, if we require our companies to use cleaner energy sources, and we believe this to be causing a strain that may hinder our competition, then our status as the wealthiest nation may diminish, making us "just like everybody else," and eliminating a justification for us being a "chosen people."
In short, it's more about wealth than it is the environment.
Luckily there are finally reports coming out that show it may actually be cheaper in many cases to "go green," (as in the case of a power company in rural virginia-- that spent billions on cleaner emissions, and saved even more billions in legal costs to fight regulation... and also generated higher profits.)
Honestly, I think that the majority of this perspective (one that I have had for most of my life, but am slowly learning how to think more holistically) comes from Evangelical Christianity being so deeply wrapped up in conservative politics that has caricatured liberals as "tree-huggers" While this seems remotely close to our buddy Schutte's position I think it is a very possible that this lies behind this position. On this topic in a larger scale, have you read "Myth of a Christian Nation"?
I rather like living in a capitalist system. I, like many, enjoy the opportunity it provides. I have nothing against the environment. I think more people need to be concerned, evangelicals and those that aren't. But I also like living under the capitalist system.
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