About Earth Day

Earth Day is tomorrow. What is it really all about?

Wikipedia asks: "What are the beliefs of Earth Day?

Then answers its own question with this: "This mission is founded on the premise that all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment. The Earth Day Network pursues this mission through education, public policy, and activism campaigns." 

But many take Earth Day much further and far more seriously. To some---perhaps many, it is a deeply religious holiday.

Some thoughts about "Earth Day."

Be informed, not misled.

The god of the earth. 

There is more behind what has been designated as Earth Day than planting trees, reducing pollution, conserving natural resources---and picking up plastic bottles and straws.

Earth Day, to many, "is celebrating," as they claim over one billion people do in over 200 countries around the world, to help make our universal domain a little “greener” … (the color of) “olive oil” green, that is. Loving on Mother Earth is mandatory today, but also this day brings with it hopes that awareness from this celebration will spill over into our "life-cycle footprint" they say.

Global leaders say, "Our Earth, as known in Greek mythology is Gaia. The Greeks were considering Earth acknowledgment years before we started our Earth Day Affair."

They explain, "The first Greek god was actually a goddess. She is Gaia, or Mother Earth, who created herself out of primordial chaos. From her fertile womb, all life sprang, and unto Mother Earth, all living things must return after their allotted span of life is over."

In other words, Mother Nature created herself. And she has "the whole earth in her hands." Including you and me brother...and sister.

That's why we must "worship" rather than have dominion over the Earth, in the minds of the so-called "enlightened."

Many churches designate Sunday as Earth Sunday.

Wikipedia explains, "Earth Day Sunday is a semi-religious holiday that some Christian churches in the United States celebrate."

I'm always saddened at how many churches take a knee before Gaia on "Earth Day" claiming it to be as important as Easter.

"Gaia, as Mother Nature, personifies the entire ecosystem of Planet Earth," they believe. And, "Mother Nature is always working to achieve and maintain harmony, wholeness, and balance within the environment. Mother Nature heals, nurtures, and supports all life on this planet, and ultimately all life and health depend on Her. In time, Nature heals all ills."

Gaia's followers teach, "The way of Mother Gaia is the more submissive yet  Yin way of healing. All we need to do to regain our health is to return to the bosom of Mother Nature and live in accordance with Her laws.  Mother Nature is a healing goddess."

The disciples of Gaia say, "Through the global consciousness of Mother Gaia, all living things on this planet, from their most primal instincts, are constantly interacting with their environment to ensure the harmony, balance, and continuity of Life. Live in balance with Mother Nature and health and healing are yours but violate Her laws and get out of balance, and you may pay the price in way of pain and disease."

These beliefs are those of the New Age, Eastern Mysticism and Pantheism rolled up in one.

Paul, in the book of Romans, described this as worshipping the created, rather than the Creator.

A biblical view of the "Mother Earth" deception. 

More than thirty years ago---when Al Gore was launching his lucrative "global warming" career ---later to be called "climate change" in an attempt to accommodate the facts--- at the U.N.-sponsored Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, a contingent from the mainline United Church of Christ held a demonstration that opened with the traditional hymn “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord”—substituting Earth for Lord. 

The Earth Day religionists have been seduced to replace God with the earth as the center of adoration.

The Genesis account of creation is clear in the central point that environmentalists find so scandalous: the Earth was a gift from God for our use. After God created man and woman in his image, he blessed them with the words: “Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the seas, the birds of the air, and the living things that move on this earth” (Genesis 1:28). This is the first charge, long before the Fall, that was given to human beings directly by God.

God's covenant with Adam required him to exercise dominion over the Earth.

Ken Ham says:

For instance, at some Earth Day celebrations, you will find New Age crystals for people to “channel” through, and material can be found on how to worship “Mother Earth.” For many people, this day is really a religious service for the New Age movement (and it’s often based on evolutionary thinking). While we may be responsible for caring for the earth, we are not to worship it but to use it for man’s good—and to God’s glory.

The founder of Earth Day, Gaylord Nelson, believed: “The fate of the living planet is the most important issue facing mankind.” In reality, the most important issue facing mankind is that everybody needs to recognize their sin and need for salvation in Jesus Christ.

Also, the fate of the planet is, ultimately, not in the hands of mankind. While we are responsible for earth care, we are not in control of the earth. It belongs to the Creator (Psalm 24:1), and we are His stewards. We care for the creation, which was once “very good” (Genesis 1:31), but now suffers from the curse of sin (Genesis 3)

Ken Ham notes how he looks at the entire Green movement:

As a biblical creationist, let me illustrate how I would deal with a specific issue like climate change, which can serve as a useful example of how we should use biblical principles when we approach any issues associated with Earth Day.

I argue that the earth’s climate has gone through a few major periods of change, but in every case, humans did not produce the change. Ever since the Flood of Noah’s time, about 4,400 years ago, people have seen an unsettled earth in its sin-cursed state. Many smaller climate changes have occurred and continue to occur (perhaps in cycles). Whether humans have contributed significantly in a detrimental way is just not suggested by the evidence we have at hand.

Of course, if humankind’s impact on the climate is small, this does not mean that we should not look after the environment. To the contrary, we need to do the best we can to use the environment for man’s good and God’s glory, as good stewards of what God has entrusted to us. But good stewardship requires us to avoid rash decisions based on inconclusive evidence.

Well said.

Takeaway

I would add: It is God, not Gaia, whom we will face on Judgement Day.

Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Engaged. Be Prayerful.