Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Am I Really Wrong?

Before I begin this post, let me state very clearly that I admire Dr. Albert Mohler very much. He has been a voice of reason in a community that often lacks a clear, and succinct voice. I heard him speak several years ago at a Basics conference, and thought he was fantastic.

I say all this so that you will understand that I am not going off half-cocked regarding his latest post.

Let me state up front that I DO NOT think the 'Lohasians' spiritual goulash is correct, I think that this type of syncretism is exactly what is killing the church in the USA.

However, Dr. Mohler seems to equate one who is ecology-minded, or purchases organic produce, with one of these pagans. This is not the first time I have heard him lump a more sustainable lifestyle in with pagan practices. It is as if one who wants to be a proper steward of the earth has suddenly become a pantheist.

Now, Dr. Mohler MAY NOT mean to lump these two perspectives together, but since I have heard it twice from him, I would just like to say -- I eat organic produce, I drive a more fuel-efficient car (and a motorcycle), I also buy recycled paper products, AND I am a pastor. Not the pastor of some fringe-element, pantheistic, dog-worshipping church, but a pastor who believes in the Doctrines of Grace!

Why is it that so many believe that once one becomes a Christian, this means that we should IGNORE our responsibility to be good stewards? I have never figured out how that thinking got started, unless it is in knee-jerk reaction to the more fringe elements, such as the 'lohasians'.

Contrast this with the discussion going on over at Dan's Place. While I may question the implementation of Dan's ideas (primarily because I truly want to understand how we would implement the ideas that he so eloquently expresses), at least he is thinking about how we become more proper stewards of the earth and it's provision.

Now, I have no allusions of grandeur; as if something I write in this little corner of the blogsphere, would actually catch the attention, much less the interest, of Dr. Mohler. He has much bigger fish to fry, and is doing an admirable job at that, but I did want to voice my concern, and see if I am missing something here...

So, Dr. Mohler, I salute the job you are doing, but please stop lumping all people who want to eat and live more naturally into the same pagan bucket!

7 comments:

Steve Sensenig said...

I just read Dr. Mohler's article. Thanks for the pointer to it. In my opinion, Dr. Mohler commits a very significant error in logic. The paragraph about religion tells us nothing except the fact that people who lead "Lohasian" lifestyles don't represent one single religion!

Accordingly, using Dr. Mohler's logic, we could say that, in studying the lives of those people who drive automobiles, we notice a disturbing trend. There are people who are Hindi, Moslems, Jewish, even atheists driving cars. It seems that driving cars is the practice of a lot of New Agers. Therefore, we should be very wary of people who drive cars.....

I'm totally with you on this, Ray! :)

steve :)

Ray said...

Thanks for the input Steve -- I almost used that exact same argument!

Ray said...

Thanks Dan -- I think your current series is very, very good....

Matthew Celestine said...

Organic produce is not necessarilly healthier or better for the environment.

There is little scientific support for the health benefit claims of the Organic producers lobby.

God Bless

Matthew

Ray said...

Matthew -- Be that as it may, eating organic produce does not necessitate one being a pagan (the point of the article)

Also, good to hear from you again! I have missed you....

Matthew Celestine said...

I suppose it does not make one a pagan.

It is nice to be missed. I do visit regularly.

God Bless

Matthew

D.J. Cimino said...

I completely agree Ray... It is possible to be more socially and environmentally conscious and not be a pagan or "liberal".