President Barack Obama is a Christian. But, better than that, he stands for Christian values. Anyone can call themselves a Christian, but everyone who thumps a Bible and shouts hallelujah is NOT a Christian. Matthew 7:15 warns us to "watch out for false prophets" and further explains that, "by their fruit you will recognize them". In other words judge by actions and results.
PRESERVING THE EARTH
According to an AP article, Former Senator Rick Santorum espouses that Obama is engaged in a "phony theology, not a theology based on the Bible." Sentorum describes Obama as a "radical environmentalist". And I guess that today's version of a journalist is someone who just repeats what a person says. They're obviously in no way responsible for letting their readers know that what the person said is a lie. So, let's see what the Bible says about environmentalism.
Who's Planet is it?
First off, as a Christian we must admit that this planet belongs to the Lord and we are merely stewards of it. Deuteronomy 10:14 reads, "Go,” the LORD said to me, “and lead the people on their way, so that they may enter and possess the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.” Psalms 24:1-2 reads: "The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;.." One can give only what one owns.
How does God Want us to Treat the Planet?
Stewardship is defined by Dictionary.com as: the responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving. So God gave us stewardship over the earth and by definition that means to protect and preserve it. Genesis 1:15 reads: "...The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it..." One can assume that he meant us not to just take care of the Garden of Eden but the whole planet! Not only that, nature is a reflection of God. Romans 1:10 reads, "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made..."
What Will Happen to Those who Destroy the Planet?
Santorum is sadly mistaken and has decided to believe the disinformation of the Republican party, instead of the information that is in the Book that he claims to hold so dear. In Revelations 11:18 the Word reads: "...The time has come for judging the dead,
and for rewarding your servants the prophets...and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” That's right God said he WILL DESTROY THOSE WHO DESTROY THE EARTH!
Summary: God is environmentalist and will destroy those who destroy the earth.
THE SAFETY NET & ENTITLEMENTS
Republicans are real big on individual responsibility. (Except when it comes to women's health, then they want to dictate. But that's another post for another time.) They don't believe in social responsibility nor the notion that government should help individuals. If it weren't for government mandates, African Americans would still be subject to forced labor camps, overt discrimination, and no ability to have a say in this nation's affairs. However, let's see what the Bible says about this subject. Both Willard Mitt Romney and Santorum have boasted of their religious creds; so lets see if they're aligned with the Word.
Even a creaster (someone who only goes to church on Christmas and Easter ;D) could knock this one out of the park. I'm going to give one of my favorites. Matthew 25:35-40 reads, "...For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’... ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’... So, Jesus says that helping out those less fortunate is equivalent to helping Him out. Somehow the Republicans have decided that financial wealth is evidence of a persons moral superiority and God's grace. Of course if they believe that, then they must believe the opposite. That financial struggles is evidence of moral issues and God's punishment. Neither premise is necessarily true or false. But what is true is that God expects us to look after those in need.
I challenge all progressive Christians to call out those who are perverting God's Word. There are those out there looking for something to believe in and it does our community no good to allow Republicans to usurp Christianity and turn it into this dogmatic, legalistic, paternalistic corruption of the truth!
CROSS POSTED AT THEURBANREVOLUTION.COM