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11/23/2002 Entry: "What would Jesus drive?"
Locdog is much exercised by the Evangelical Environment Network's attempt to get Christians to think theologically about the sort of car they drive. He doesn't appreciate it at all:
they've simply taken classic bleeding heart issues and co-opted a frilly religiosity to pawn as a pretense for their true aims. masking their contempt for what has become the poster child of the hate-america left behind the vaguest of Biblical mandates, they attempt to create a spiritual guilt rather than the more traditional social guilt of the secular left, but it's still the same old gag.Locdog claims that a political agenda is being wrapped up in religious language, rather than faith driving the politics.These are difficult issues. Every Christian I've ever met claims to base their politics on their faith. None of puts self-interest first. Jesus wouldn't like it. But it is remarkable how often western Christians have arrived at conclusions which conveniently serve their material and political interests.I don't know the answer to "What would Jesus drive?" but it seems unlikely to me that it would be a V8 behemoth, especially if it was going to do nothing more arduous than the synagogue run and the occasional shopping trip into Jerusalem. There's no scriptural evidence about whether the SUV would have been our Lord's vehicle of choice. Nor did he say anything about abortion, alcohol or national lotteries, but that hasn't stopped Christians taking up (sometimes opposing) positions on these things. It seems to me more than legitimate to try to apply the "gist" of the scriptures to modern circumstances. That's exactly what those who want Christians to think prayerfully about their personal transport are doing.If I am doing something which causes even unintentional harm to others, most Christians would agree that I should stop or at least make every effort to minimize that harm. There is little doubt that the burning of fossil fuels is contributing to global warming, and that without reductions in the use of these fuels there is likely to be further significant climate change. (OK. There are some scientists who dispute this, but they are far from a majority) If climate change continues unchecked, the ones who will suffer the most will inevitably be the world's poorest. And if there is even a chance that the type of car you drive is contributing to the plight of the poor, is it unreasonable to suggest that Jesus would have something to say about it?
Replies:
Locdog:
God will not melt the earth. Your eschatology is a bit off. Otherwise, I agree with you generally about this group of Christians raisin' a ruckus over one's vehicle.
Posted by Bible Geek @ 11/25/2002 08:31 PM CST
No, not unreasonable in the slightest, I wouldn't have said!
Posted by alice @ 11/23/2002 11:40 PM CST
Thanks for stopping by Locdog.
All I know about EEN I've piked up from a 5 minute glance at their website, so I'm not in much of a position to act as their defender. But I do think that proper concern for the environment must be part of every Christian's response to salvation. Whether your starting point is "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it" or "Through the Son God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son's sacrificial death on th cross and so brought back to himelf all things both on earth and in heaven" - either way it is pretty clear that care for the environment and salvation are not so seperate as you want to make them.You're right that Jesus would stand out from culture. But I don't see much evidence of the Church, in Europe or the States, making much effort so to stand out. This might be one issue which the church could take up. But I'm sure as I can be that it won't.
Posted by Richard @ 11/23/2002 06:57 PM CST
hi richard,
you may be surprised to learn that i'm in large agreement with you. i very seriously doubt Jesus would have driven an SUV but that's more because i see Him as choosing to stand out from a culture rather than concerning Himself with global warming. still, the earth being His Father's creation, i have no doubts He would have respected it and would have us do likewise.
but let's keep in mind that this globe is going to get *very* warm whenever He melts it as the Bible says He will.
my problem with the EEN is their theology. they've tasked themselves with re-creating the garden of eden, they've implicitly denied the Curse that makes such a thing impossible, and all in all their views come all too close to pelagianism for my liking.
Christians should be environmentally responsible, i have no doubts. but equating care for the environment with caring for the spiritual needs of the unsaved is asinine, Biblically speaking. to me, it's a question of priorities, and the EEN has theirs out of whack.
locdog's $0.02
Posted by locdog @ 11/23/2002 04:25 PM CST
