Showing up on the Environment

All of us know that young people are attracted to the environmental movement.  if we don’t have a thoughtful response and reaction towards the environmentalists, we risk alienating our own Christian young people—who see the stewardship of the environment as a basic responsibility of our political and government leaders. 

Our kids want us to show up on this issue.  So, I did my own research about “green” behavior by surveying 270 TeenPact families and asking them about behaviors they had that were environmentally friendly.  One of the things we can do to counter environmental alarmists is to actually be doing something positive to help the environment.  Here is a list of “green” type lifestyle choices and the percentage of people in my database who do them.

¢Turn off lights in unused rooms—96%

And there are other things we can do:  Riding a bike, or the bus, or buying a hybrid car.  Many electric companies are offering Solar Hot Water Heaters as an option on new homes.

My point is this:  we can be strong evangelicals who care deeply about personal righteousness issues like marriage, family, life, etc. and still exhibit environmentally friendly actions.  We want the next generation of kids coming along in the church to see that we can care about the environment, and that we are doing things like mentioned above to protect the environment and be a good steward of the resources.

What we don’t want to do is force our young people over into the environmental alarmist camp where they are getting ideology that is counter to the Bible.

Comments from the Race and Faith Seminar

As some of you know, I have designed a "Race and Faith" seminar because I believe that the lack of unity and cooperation between Christians (particularly black and white) essentially cost us the last Presidential election, and probably is the reason Roe has not been overturned.  So, I am making an effort to try to help whites and blacks to experience greater understanding, and ultimately, greater political cooperation especially.

Here are the evaluation comments from the seminar that Dean Nelson and I did Sunday at Wellington Boone's church in Norcross, Georgia.  (If you have an interest in hosting this seminar, please contact me).

Here were the evaluation questions:

1.       How was this seminar helpful?

2.       What could we add to it in the future to make it more meaningful?

3.       Is there anything we did as presenters to cause a stumbling block in this experience?

 Responses to Question #1: (How was it helpful?)

-Today’s seminar on race and faith was helpful because it gave me an unambiguous perspective to white people—although I still believe white people are not truly sincere.  However, as a Christian I can learn to embrace them as Christ embraced me.

-This seminar was especially helpful since I am 23 years old and often don’t understand many of the struggles black people have had.  I have never really had a problem with forming relationships with other races, but always found hostility amongst those older than me (parents, teachers, etc.).  It is almost as if by being young you have never known a world not integrated.  Has there been racism, yes, but we have always been integrated?

-Today was helpful because I learned that we all have to be vigilant, respectful, and love and embrace differences that we have that make us all different.

-I want (and want my son to want) to be exposed to intelligent, thoughtful Christian people as they discuss important issues.  These are not topics we normally discuss so I am glad we were here.

-Good starting point.  The conversation is necessary.

-It was helpful to me because it showed me that I need to encourage interracial relationships.

-This seminar was helpful because of the candor of the group members.

-Today started a dialogue that is so very needed.  It brought exposure to the thought processes needed to end the division between races.

-Today was helpful because it is always good to hear/listen and be heard—especially when we have different views.  Listening with our heart is a learned skill that we desperately need.

-It was helpful because growing p in a colored-blind home made me think that these issues aren’t as pressing as they really are.

-Today’s seminar was helpful because it gave me some specific application to principles.  It allowed me to freely express my thoughts and hear the opinions/experiences of others.

-It was helpful to know that there are others who are concerned about the unity of the races within the church.  I feel that I was affirmed that God is leading me in His direction.  Because we are witnesses of Christ, there has to be unity.

-This session was helpful because it centered the dialogue on a principle that is often overlooked in the body of Christ:  Reconciliation.  I felt it left me with a charge to promote and practice the ministry of reconciliation.

-Today was helpful for me because the subject is one of my passions.

-It gave me an understanding of the racial issues that are faced in the culture.  Being from the Caribbean, it gave me more insight to the African-American experience, thinking, and issues.

-Today was helpful because the differences opened the way to hear from the Holy Spirit and remember that we are all in the Kingdom of God and must view ourselves as such.

-I appreciate this meeting because I had not before heard what Christian blacks had to say about relations.

 Responses to Question #2: (What could be added?)

-The workshop would be more effective is there were more reasons for the conclusions being reached.

-Potentially more discussion and focus on our purpose in the kingdom of God and how we must relate to others.

-I think I would like to cover more material (slides).  The discussion could be limited somewhat.

-None.  I thought it was very organized and the facilitation was proficient.  Awesome Presentation.

-Stay focused for time sake.  Try to temper the “rabbit trails” if it moves the conversation off-topic—even if interesting.

-Because I arrived late, I missed the first part.  I wished that the racial unity in the church had been done first and deal with the political aspects later.

-Give people an opportunity to ask questions about another culture (for understanding purposes) and have those questions answered.

-Perhaps to broaden the discussion to include other cultural groups (Hispanics, Jews, Muslims, Asians, etc.).  As Americans, we always think black and white.

-End with action items that people can walk away with something to do to continue building the unity between races.

-Have a time-keeper so that you will cover the info you had planned to cover.

-You could add a little bit more scripture because we would help to draw a line at the Christian principles.

-Less slides and more time for personal story-telling.  Learning from one another is critical.  More white participation.

-I enjoyed hearing from different people, but I felt we sometimes lost focus of today’s topics.  I would like for the discussion to be more focused.

-Bring these forums to colleges, please.

-Speak about history in relation to the Bible and Africans and Reparations.

Responses to question #3:  (Stumbling blocks by presenters)

100% of attendants said there were no stumbling blocks by presenters.

How do you feel about truth?

Russell Kirk and other great conservatives have believed in “flattening the power”—or limiting—government.  Real conservatives know the danger of power being vested in just a few, even it is called benevolent. Constitutional restrictions are necessary, political checks and balance a must, and enforcement of the law a must—all the while balancing the claims of authority with the claims of liberty.   Under George W. Bush, the size and influence of government grew, a no-no for a true conservative.  Under Pres. Obama’s first 100 days, it seems as though growth hormones have been added, and government is being super-sized beyond anything we have seen before.

When Russell Kirk revised his list of ten conservative principles in 1993, not long before his death, he noted that the word “conservative” was being abused.  If alive today, he probably wouldn’t be surprised that the distortion has continued.  The bottom line is that being “conservative” should describe how one feels about “truth.”  Being “conservative” is about seeing great value in permanent things.  Being “conservative” is about creating opportunity and empowering people, not government.  It sounds old-fashioned, and in a way it literally is.  I hope the GOP can convince their rank and file, old and young, that being conservative is cool—and that it is a worldview that can win elections.

Oh, for a smaller government

Russell Kirk and other great conservative thinkers have favored smaller government at the federal level, while championing effective and responsive government at the level of county commissions and city councils.  Decisions most affecting the lives of citizens should be made locally, and as Kirk would say, “voluntarily.”  (This is how I got started in politics.  I worked to help a friend get elected to a city council.)  A strong, centralized, and distant federal government tends to be more hostile to human freedom and dignity.  The modern Republican Party needs to remember this and develop candidates at all levels of the political strata.  Doing so means reaching out to African-Americans and forging alliances—especially around the issue of protecting traditional marriage.  Atlanta-area African-American pastor Wellington Boone has noted that an increasing number of blacks resent the fact that civil rights movement has been hijacked by people arguing that allowing a man to marry a man is morally equivalent to protecting freedom for all people regardless of skin color.

Republicans are pretty good at saying we want smaller government, and passing the "balanced-budget" amendment back in 1996 would have been the ticket to get that smaller government. Unfortunately, it lost by one vote in the Senate. As long as the Feds can print money, government will grow.

Swine Flu thoughts

Albert Mohler, one of my favorite people in America, came with a challenging thought today:

Writing in The Atlantic in 2005, Michael Specter called influenza "Nature's Bioterrorist."  As Specter explains, "A pandemic is the viral equivalent of a perfect storm. There are three essential conditions, which rarely converge, and they are impossible to predict. But the requirements are clear. A new flu virus must emerge from the animal reservoirs that have always produced and harbored such viruses--one that has never infected human beings and therefore one to which no person would have antibodies. Second, the virus has to actually make humans sick (most don't). Finally, it must be able to spread efficiently--through coughing, sneezing, or a handshake."

It appears to be happening.