A Disposable Planet? God Help Us!

A friend just directed me to a quote by a popular pastor and author- one of those "I-can't-believe-he-actually-said-that" quotes. The author's comment 'unearths' some unfortunate and persistent beliefs that reside deep in the hearts of many who align themselves with Jesus in our day. I hope we soon grow up and grow beyond this kind of thinking. Here's the quote:

"The environmental movement is consumed with trying to preserve the planet forever. But we know that isn’t in God’s plan… The earth we inhabit is not a permanent planet. It is, frankly, a disposable planet—it is going to have a very short life. It’s been around about six thousand years or so—that’s all—and it may last a few thousand more. And then the Lord is going to destroy it…. I’ve told environmentalists that if they think humanity is wrecking the planet, wait until they see what Jesus does to it. Peter says God is going to literally turn it in on itself in an atomic implosion so that the whole universe goes out of existence (2 Peter 3:7-13)."

'A disposable planet'? You mean, like the paper cup I tossed after drinking Starbucks this morning? Is it that simple? Give me a break! Is there no awe and wonder for the majesty of creation? What about the first command- to care for the garden?

'An atomic implosion so that the whole universe goes out of existence'? Really. Is that what Peter is saying? Are you sure? This has huge consequences on how we treat our home (and, at this point, this is the only home we've got), so you'd better be sure in what you are saying, my friend.

'It's [i.e. planet Earth] been around about six thousand years or so'? Say what? Are you reading anything besides your Bible (guided by your rigid and arcane traditions)? How can any thinking lover of Jesus believe this earth has only been around for six thousand years? Do we just ignore all the data that is pressing in on us- pass it off as a big 'anti-God marketing campaign'? Is it all that simple? Are scientists that dishonest (and, quite frankly, are they that good at conjuring up false data)? If they are, what would be their motivation for doing so? Do scientists really spend all of their time just trying to prove that God has nothing to do with the natural world around us? I don't think so. [If we never listened to what the scientists had to say, we'd still believe the earth is flat and that the earth is the center of the universe].

I'm sure that there are a few extreme environmentalists who are 'consumed with trying to preserve the planet forever'. But, more of them (more of us) just want to able to hand their children a planet worth living on- a planet that doesn't look and smell like a global garbage dump; a planet that has a few trees and animals left on it; a planet that still has some potable water and soil that can grow good veggies; a planet that still has few places worth visiting just to enjoy the view they offer. 

[BTW- In climbing Kilimanjaro 18 months ago, I noticed that there wasn't much left of the mountain's famous glacier. 


-In traveling to the far eastern corner of India, I discovered that it is hard to find even one beautiful bird flying free in the Naga Hills where the hornbill once dominated the skies along with hundreds of other aviary delights. 

-In crisscrossing Africa over 16 years, I've found that there really are no animals left in the Dark Continent except for those that have been imported (especially dogs and donkeys) and those protected in the national preserves (and even these are slowly passing. Zambia has two white rhino left in the whole country. They are alive only because they are living under the watchful eye of armed guards in the Mosi National Park). 


Just wondering whether my grandkids will have the privilege of seeing the 'snows of Kilimanjaro', the 'Big Five' of Africa, or vista worth beholding.

For the rest of the comments made by the author quoted above, go to his blog: http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/A148_Evangelicalism-and-the-Environmental-Movement?q=I+ve+told+environmentalists