Sometimes I think the world is a crazy place
Posted on: 24th February, 2009 by DavidJon Rogers, Director of the Loft tells us…
Sometimes I think the world is a crazy place, or rather the way we live in the world is a bit crazy. Here are some of my mad-world examples.
1. Eating an apple from New Zealand instead of from the tree outside.
2. Burning the sun’s energy trapped in oil from millions of years ago rather than using the rays that arrive today.
3. Spending energy and money purifying water only to drop our body waste in it and flush it away.
Am I sounding ‘green’? Maybe. Was Jesus ‘green’? Probably not. In the more sustainable societies 2000 years ago there was no need for a ‘green agenda’, no ‘Green Party’ vying with the Romans, Herodians and zealots. People then might have messed up their environment locally, but the global impacts were minimal. Perhaps the common ground between Jesus and the modern day ‘green’ movement would be justice for the disempowered: ‘Blessed are the meek’. Maybe today’s ‘meek’ are those who’s lives are damaged by the over consumption of others, by the pollution of our atmosphere by others, by the over-exploitation of resources by others. Who are the ‘others’: are they you and me? I find this a personal challenge: I may not want to be, but I am one of the ‘others’. Yes, I find it easiest to see God in creation, in the natural world around me, so I’m probably destined to be ‘green’, but maybe the most convincing case for me being ‘green’ is that to not be risks being unjust to my neighbour.
A colleague said today that being Christian isn’t just about being but also about doing. So what can I do? Lots of people making good choices in their everyday lives can make a massive difference. Maybe I can challenge myself to do some seemingly crazy, counter-cultural things in the name not only of the environment but, more importantly, of social justice. Want some ideas? Try these for starters:
www.wearewhatwedo.org www.livesimply.org.uk