THOUGHTFULLY DRIVING THE PORCELAIN BUS

A Column by John S Schroeder

November 16, 2002

What is the created state of man? What I mean by that question is, had sin not come into our world back those many years ago in Eden, what would the world be like? I think this is one of the great questions of our time. There have been two great political movements in the last century, Marxism and its many variants, and the environmental movement. Fascism was a big hiccup, but gratefully is receding into the dark corners where it belongs. Marxism, socialism, and communism are also receding, but many of their precepts remain remarkably entrenched even in the most capitalistic of places.

Many people have claimed both movements as part of the heavenly plan. I hear Acts 2 where "everything was held in common" quoted as the definitive justification for socialism. Often the appeal is made that God made the earth this way, who are we to change it? Let's look at each of these movements in turn.

Let's start with socialism. If you read Acts 2 it sure does sound nice -- doesn’t it? Now here is a question, if it is such a good deal, how come that community did not continue to draw people in until even the present day? If that were really the way to go wouldn’t it have survived because of its shear goodness? Acts doesn’t tell us what happened later. It does not tell us what became of that community. I would speculate that it was a grand experiment, a worthy vision, which ultimately failed.

I base this speculation on two things. First of all, I have seen it happen so many times. People fresh with the vitality and enthusiasm of recent conversion become utopian, but then eventually the world crashes in. Some laggard who sees a free meal ticket pretends to have the faith and takes but does not contribute. Resentment builds and things get ugly; the community blows up. Worse yet someone may fashion himself a leader and then begin to keep the lion's share because of his 'special' calling. I also base my speculation on the fact that scripture is just choke full of references on how to survive in a capitalistic environment and maintain private property rights. If God wants us to live is socialist communities, why would He dictate law after law in the Torah specifically to maintain private property? Why would the Apostle Paul remind all those in community to do their share and encourage them to work?

Personally, I do not think God has a vested interest in organizing a community. I think He has a vested interest in bringing people into His Kingdom. You see, there is no organizational scheme that cannot be corrupted. Socialism breeds abuse as has been seen so many times. Capitalism can likewise breed abuse; it is just a different kind of abuse. Good people will do good things in either organizational scheme. If fact, were we without sin, I would venture to say the distinctions between the two would not be necessary.

Environmentalism makes two assumptions that I simply cannot accept. The first is that the action of man is somehow apart from nature. The second is that man actually has the capability to destroy the planet. The first assumption is ridiculous on its face. Man was created as a part of nature. God gave us our intellect and dominion. We are created in God's image. God's ultimate expression of Himself is in creating, and it is safe to assume that He intends us to create as well. The reason we are an image instead of God ourselves is that He can create from nothing whereas we must create from something. In making things, in using the resources of creation, we are expressing our "imageness." Clearly God's plan called for us to use the planet's resources, as a part of nature.

More importantly; however, is that to assume our actions are somehow apart from the natural order of things is to put us in the role of God. It makes us supernature in the literal sense of the word. It is a form of blasphemy! How dare we? Which leads us nicely to my other objection.

I have been to the largest man-made environmental disaster in history -- Chernobyl. I have also visited the site of a relatively small natural disaster -- Mt. St. Helens. I hate to tell you all this, but we are just not that powerful. All our technology, all our intellect, all our earthmoving and construction, all our emissions and pollution is a drop in the bucket. Oh, we can make things pretty ugly in a localized region. We may even be able to move the planet's average temperature around a half a degree or so (and this is still somewhat debatable) but widespread planetary devastation just ain't in our capabilities. The devastation rendered by that smallish volcanic eruption makes all the man-made disasters I have ever seen combined look paltry.

This does not mean that we cannot be better stewards of the resources God created for us, we can. I have no question that sin can cause us to abuse natural resources just as much as we abuse other people. But we have got to maintain some perspective here.

Here's the bottom line on this, I do not think we can conceive of a world without sin. Our sin prevents us from even having the capacity to imagine such a thing. Therefore, I am not sure it is worth asking the question. Absent the issues being directly addressed in scripture, all we can do it want seems in the circumstances to be the best thing to do in light of what we do know about how we are supposed to treat people and things.

Admittedly, capitalism works because it harnesses greed. Without sin, I don't think there would be greed. But, and this is a big but, we are sinners. With sin capitalism appears to work better and produce the most justice. Not perfect, just the most. And since scripture clearly puts people before things, and a planet unaffected by man would have a markedly smaller population, what choice do we have but to press on with industrialization? I am reading a book called "The Skeptical Environmentalist" that makes a pretty good case that initial industrialization is polluting but as develop continues things improve. The best way is through it, not away from it.

There are some questions God has not answered for us. All we can do is endeavor to be God's people while answering them for ourselves. Proving something I have said all along, we need to work to make Christians, not Christian things. Christians will make whatever they do good.

With Love,