I’m a conservative but I have some progressive thoughts on the climate change solution. Please read to the end.
As a Christian, I believe that my faith is to impact every part of my life and worldview. I remember the attempt to indoctrinate us that global warming was about to kill us just a few years ago when I was in school. Well, that didn’t happen. Then it was global cooling and now climate change. Based on the evidence, and yes, I have examined the charts, the climate change is very, very minute. Also, we know that “climate change” has occurred in the past. There is evidence of an ice age, albeit, isolated and not global. So the earth has undergone changes.
I have the promise from my Lord that provides peace in Genesis 8:22, “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.” Therefore, I while I do believe in a worldwide flood in the time of Noah (which produced the fossil fuels we have today, which are the “biodesiel” of the plants, animals and people of the ancient world), a mini-ice age based upon evidence in Job, and cycles of abundance and famine (evidenced throughout the Bible), Until, the Lord deems the end of humanity, the earth will remain. Planting and harvesting will continue. Cold and heat, winter and summer. Day and night. For the Christian, there is incredible peace in regard to this. We know based on Matthew 24, our Lord has already told us that wars and rumors of wars will increase, famines, earthquakes, pestilence (epedimics and pandemics), however, as Luke 17 reminds us, life will continue on until the end.
Based on the comfort and truth of Scripture, I’m not worried about the earth, nor will I be by the scream of this world. However, I am somewhat progresssive. Here’s what I mean, I believe that as Christians we are to be the best representatives of taking care of this earth the Lord has given us. Often we are passionate for the Great Commission, but neglect the Dominion Mandate of Genesis 1:28 where mankind has been told to be fruitful, subdue and take dominion of the earth. I am environmental because of this but not an environmental extremist because I have faith in the Lord and am motivated by a sense of God-given stewardship as I live my life on this beautiful, but fallen (which is why there are problems) earth, but I’m not motivated by fear of the sky falling. Pretty much every week, I recycle more than I take to the curb as trash. I compost. I resell a lot of my old/unneeded items rather than pitch them. Even have recycled electronics.
I drive a fuel-efficient vehicle, not only because I believe it is a better stewardship for commuting by using less gas but also because is is practically better stewardship of my financial resources – it costs less to fill the tank 🙂. I plant a garden, enjoy hiking and a nice campfire. Enjoying the beauties of God’s creation have always been more enjoyable than going to a city for me. I like books, have many electronic as well but have discovered there are some disadvantages to them (like when one software gets bought by another and you lose several hundred dollars of books).
So I’m all for more businesses and endeavors to recycle more widely and create more efficient machines plus pursue alternative energy. Studying geothermal, solar, wind, solar hot water and countless other items strokes my passion for homesteading and stewardship, enjoying this beautiful world. However, I believe politicians are regulating almost completely the wrong things. One day fossil fuels will run out, that is true, they are a finite resource (but biodiesel isn’t). But how is ceasing drilling our own reserves and distributing them locally less damaging than purchasing those same commodities from overseas and shipping them all the way across the ocean, burning far more fuel and then getting hit with tariffs and fees going through customs before they ever even make it into the vehicle of a consumer? That isn’t environmentally friendly and it is not good stewardship. It is political. Let’s use the resources we have and keep improving and finding better solutions around us. We have a country full of resources from the plains for wind turbines and solar to countless rivers where hydroelectric could be harvested.
If politicians really want to help us decrease emissions and environmental impact I have a really simple idea that will work but I doubt they’ll do it. Here it is: work to pass legislation for Americans to have the freedom to live in Tiny homes and use alternative building and energy resources. Across the nation, even in rural areas, there are many restrictions on home size. If you want to live in a home under 1,000 square feet you will be hard pressed in many counties. And if you want to use a composting toilet or have a few chickens or install solar hot water get ready for fines and fees. If the nation would allow the people, the people, I’ll say it again, the people to live a simpiler life, which will require far less consumption, we could make a much bigger impact on our society. Not only environmentally but financially. Just imagine an America 40 years from now where countless individuals own a reasonable size home rather than have a mortgaged McMansion. Where housing prices steadily go down for new construction rather than up year after year after year. There will be far more discretionary income and the more content people are, I’d even venture to say there will be a decrease of crime. Rather than “tent cities” this nation could have numerous tiny home communities virtually off grid.
So that’s my conservative-progressive idea: 1) not to be motivated by fear but faith in the Lord, 2) to practice taking dominion and financial stewardship, 3) empowering the people rather than slapping the hand of industries. We will make far more strides, yes far more if we are free to “pioneer” once again.
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