Jan 26th, 2021: I am a Polutter Indeed

 Spiritual Pollution :: Steve Nelson by The Rio Church on SoundCloud - Hear the world's sounds

I have learned to accept that everything I do affects and brings some damage to the environment. When I turn my light on, I use electricity produced by coal or fossil oil. When I drive, I use petroleum. When I have meat for my diet, I am contributing to the increase of my carbon footprint. When I travel, I am using a lot of gas and water. When I flush my toilet, I flush down my environmental consciousness. When I heat my place, the world is also getting hotter.


We talk a lot about the oil and gas industry as a significant contributor to environmental problems. We have heard environmentalists talk about the elimination of big oil producers. The problem I have with these folks is they might use more oil and gas to protest than an average person uses to live. The best way to shut down anything we don't see that fits our moral convictions is to stop using it personally. I have tried my best to control my carbon footprint. I try not to drive when I don't need to. Until some smart people can come up with alternatives, I guess I live with that internal tension in my life and will not be a hypocrite about it.


We have not heard much about what we need to do with our appetite for mobile phones. That is another major contributor to our environmental struggles. Somehow we seem to be able to grant ourselves that exception and act as if it is not a problem. Maybe without cell phones, we cannot organize protests and communicate to others about how sick we are in dealing with the selfishness of big oil producers. We want to have all of the comforts of life while talking about protecting our environment. It is the same as talking about being safe while driving under the influence of substances.


So when it comes to face the many environmental issues, I prefer to be solemn in acknowledging that as long as I exist with the broken conditions of human sins, I am guilty as charged. I don't just contaminate others environmentally. I do it spiritually as well. The repentance starts with saying no to myself and not condemn others. 


Jeremiah 2: 7

"And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination."

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