In response to a recent tweet of mine about Christian support for environmental protections, I received a series of unsolicited tweets from Oregon radio talk show host Bill Post. He's against environment protections and upset that the National Council of Churches (mainline and orthodox Christians), the National Association of Evangelicals and the U.S. Conference of Bishops (Roman Catholic) have come out in strong support of such protections and have defended the science that proves climate change is caused by humans:
So Mr. Post disagrees with the majority of Christians across the globe. Based on what? Not sure. He was particularly upset with the idea that evangelicals support climate change protections:
Mr. Post was apparently unaware that his own church is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals. I found that somewhat surprising for someone who is an "elder" in the church but when I asked he said he had no theological education so perhaps that explains his confusion.
But he wanted it clear he was a real Christian and belonged to a true Christian church - Salem Evangelical Church - (unlike, apparently, the vast majority of other Christian churches):
Well, clearly Mr. Post at least is missing the idea that God gave us stewardship over creation not to exploit creation but to protect it. I think it is pretty fair to say Mr. Post is missing that part of Christianity. Whether or not his entire congregation - in which he serves as an elder - believes as he does, I just don't know.
But I saw another tweet from Mr. Post today that gave me pause and made me think he was missing something even more fundamental about Christianity. He tweeted:
This international news story has been making the rounds. The New York Times reports:
The United States Marine Corps has identified the four Marines shown in a video urinating on what appear to be dead Taliban fighters, without releasing any names, and has named a lead investigating officer to decide whether they should be charged, Marine officials said Friday...
The top American general in Afghanistan, Gen. John R. Allen of the Marines, expressed his disgust over the video on Friday, saying the images “are in direct opposition to everything the military stands for.”
His comments echoed those of Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton a day earlier, when both promised a thorough investigation. “Such acts violate the sanctity of the dead and are deplorable and must be condemned in the strongest manner possible,” the general said. “We will support the investigation of these acts in every way for a swift determination of the facts.”
Yes, Mr. Post missed something in Sunday School. And I fear anyone in a church in which he serves as an elder might miss it as well. It's called the Greatest Commandment:
Matthew 22:36-40
36‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ 37He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” 38This is the greatest and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” 40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’
And perhaps Mr. Post might benefit from this lesson as well:
Matthew 5:43-45
43 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
What passes for Christianity in his tweets is impossible to recognize.
