Day 6: Naturalism

Excuse #4 Naturalism

Isaiah 43:20 "The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people."

There is a fear amoung many Christians that if we 'go green' we will place an importance of animals and plants over people. this is called 'naturalism'. It's treated almost like a cult. As if recycling is brainwashing people to marry pigs and hug trees all day long. My response, not true!

Even though animals and plants don't have souls, (sorry New Ageists, paganists and Tom Cruise) God did give them the ability to honor Him. Remember, in Genesis He looked at all creation and considered everything very good. And technically, if you read the acount of creation closely, man was made dead last. But God was saving the best for last, because He created us in His image. And surely God considers himself more important than animals and plants right? And God gave us plants and animals to provide for our needs.

This is why I'm a little skeptical of PETA. They do great things for our planet, but the people involved with PETA can take it to the extreme. No dairy? No beef? No chicken?! Sorry but I can't live without KFC. Besides, think of the way the Isrealites used to sacrifice to God. The priests were allowed to eat the meat burned at the alter. Think of the Isrealites wandering the desert. God provided them with quail and manna. Which I take to mean it's okay to eat meat. However, we must do so with responsibility and moderation. Only the priests were allowed to eat of the sacrifice and the Isrealites were only suppose to use a certain amount of quail and manna a day. If they tried to save some for the next day, it would instantly spoil overnight.

Jesus talks about God providing for our needs in Luke 12: 22-32. It also mentions in v.24 that we are more valuable than birds, but lets look at the whole section together.

"He said to his disciples, "therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the raven; they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? If then you are not able to do so small a thing as that, why do you worry about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil no spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you-you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keey worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

I think Jesus hit the nail on the head. Our world is out of balance. It is so worried about getting what it's needs that some people try to take everything they can. Also, our own culture confuses needs with want. We want Big Macs, therefore we will raise cows strictly for slaughter. Non Christians try to balance things out by refusing animal products and only eating organic produce. But the issue there is they place more importance on the plants and animals they try to protect than than themselves. Christians are out of balance because we forget our responsibility to tend to the earth as God instructed in Geneisis. And were so afraid of placing more importance on other living things that we don't give them any importance at all. Our job is to get the world back in balance. Back to where we don't have to worry about the clothes on our back or the food we eat. Back to where no one has to worry. Back to where we can use the other living things of the earth as God intended us to use for our 'good pleasure'.