Thursday, August 23, 2012

Beware of The Green Agenda.


Have you heard this saying?
Apparently, there is a "green agenda" and we should be aware of it.
So I am told. 
There is a school of thought that too much caring for each other and the earth is not a good thing.
Who knew?!
Seriously, an ultra conservative person said to me in my reference of trying to be a better steward 
(remember that word, steward)
that I need to be careful not to be buy into the "green agenda".  They were rather serious.
I was confused. What exactly is a "green agenda"? I had never heard this before.
They explained to me that there is a notion that environmentalism is not all it is cracked up to be.
And that I needed to make sure it is in "moderation". 
I need to be moderately concerned about the earth?
Why, I ask.
'Because anything that comes between you and God is not good.'
But aren't you assuming that environmentalist are putting the environment before God?
'No.' Dead pan.
How so, I ponder.
Because, they explained, 'They put the environment over people. Look at how they value the animals over people. And if we get too caught up in saving the environment, we forget Him.' 
But...didn't God create the Earth?
'Yes.'
Didn't He create animals for us, asking us to a STEWARD over everything he created for us?
'Yes.'
So, being a steward means to care for, right?
'Yes.'
But you think that caring for the things God created is becoming between me and God?
'I didn't say that. I said when we put those things before God, it's a problem.'
 But can't that be applied to anything? Like McDonald's, money, cupcakes - I ask?
'Yes.'
Well, why is there not a cupcake agenda?
~blank stare~
Why aren't we warning fellow Christians about McDonald's?
~crickets~
How about the fact most people fight over and get divorced over money...where is the agenda on that?
I wait.
'McDonald's is not that bad.'
Game ova. 

Signed,
Conservative, Christian, Environmentalist. 
Be concerned people, be concerned. 

6 comments:

Lisa Lynn said...

:) The cupcake agenda :) That really made me smile!

But seriously, yes, I have some friends who feel very much the same way as the person you quote. They haven't actually come out and said it in those words, but I know it's there. And I am concerned.

Rebecca said...

Great post!! I get this from some of my own family members. *sigh* I love your take on this, but unlike you, I never can think of the proper thing to say and trip up over my words and look dumb. Of course, I always think of exactly what I should have said once the conversation in over.

Chele said...

Lisa Lynn,
It is a shame people feel as if tending to the earth God created for us needs to be a right vs. left agenda. And I will make up the picket signs now, BEWARE...Cupcake Agenda is REAL! ;)

Chele said...

Becca,
My issue is I don't know when to shut up. I probably should have just let this go but my DNA is not encoded that way. ;)
Next time someone says this to you, tell them your not an 'tree hugger' or an 'environmentalist' but just one of God's entrusted stewards! :)

Anonymous said...

I think the 'green agenda' is often misunderstood... even by the people touting it. From what I understand it to be is rather than encouraging ourselves and others to be responsible with the gift we've been given, and make sacrifices for the betterment of this world... there is the worry of the extreme side of things, those that favor the environment to the point of giving less value to human creatures, leading to eugenics etc. that people should be bred, controlled and even killed off if they have 'undesirable' qualities, or deemed unfit. We already see quite a bit of this around us now, even if it's called by a different name.

Chele said...

Obapplepie,
I understand the concern. There is always a fringe section to each group or movement that arises. We certainly don't us to be led into those areas of excessive in ANY movement or group.
That being said, most of the time when I speak to fellow Christians opposed to being better stewards, what I end up getting is sound bites. Spitting back out what has been fed them without much intent or research to back up their assertions, like the conversation in this post. Most view being "green" as a liberal leftist movement that should be avoided simply because in their minds it was created by the "left". Which frankly makes me uncomfortable. When we are to put God first, such as the argument against being green agenda often touts, then that includes party lines as well. We don't assume one party or the other is the choice of the Lord. I personally do not identify with either parties.
While there is the risk of some within the movement or group to become fringe thinkers or worse, act upon it. What we don't do however is dismiss the idea because of those few. If that was the case then we should dismiss organized religion for the very same reasons. We temper the bad with the good. We respect all of God's creations and we become the stewards He intended for us, not just consumers of the earth.