When I was in 7th grade, I knew a girl who adopted a manatee. She gave money each month to some organization to keep it safe and fed and even she had a picture of it taped to the inside of her locker. I thought she was ridiculous. In 10th grade, one of my friends decided to be a vegetarian. She was appalled at the "horrific" treatment of animals and refused to support the meat industry. I thought she, too, was ridiculous. Animals were meant to be eaten. Isn’t that the reason they were placed here on the earth? So we could rule over them? And who cares about manatees, anyway? They’re just animals, after all. When I got married and had a home of my own, I didn’t bother to recycle. It was inconvenient and annoying, and I couldn’t be troubled with it.
At the core of who I am, I am a Christian. It’s important for you to know that about me because it has shaped every part of my worldview and to be truthful, it influenced the pathetic way that I viewed the earth. When I read Genesis 1, I saw that we humans were to rule over the earth and subdue it. I interpreted that to mean that we could do whatever we wanted to with it, without the need for care or concern. Thousands of chickens shoved into a huge, windowless chicken house being fed corn (instead of scavenging for bugs, grass, worms, etc.), pumped with steroids and antibiotics and so un-proportionately heavy that they can’t even walk? Sure, why not? A girl’s gotta eat, and I Feel Like Chicken Tonight! I honestly did not see the problem. To me, this was just us ruling over the animals.
I’m not sure what the turning point was, but in the last 6 years I have been continually bothered with the fact that I have had a very irreverent view of the world that God created. Again, the fact that I’m a Christian has influenced this view, but in a totally different way. See, I now believe that when God told Adam and Eve to rule over and subdue the earth, I believe he was giving them the responsibility to nurture and take care of it. God created the earth first. He spent five days making light and land and sea and ground and vegetation and galaxies and animals before he even made man and woman. And you know what Romans 1:20 says? God’s divine attributes are revealed in creation. God is revealed in creation. And so I wonder: Does God care about how we treat the earth and its creatures?
The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. ~Psalm 24:1
The more I read and learn, think and talk about it, the more I am convinced that God does want His earth to be treated kindly and with respect. I'm beginning to think it does matter that I waste too much just because I can. It does matter that I did not recycle when the option was there for me. A case full of plasticy-bottled-water or one reusable water bottle? The answer is pretty simple. I'm not sure why, but for SO long I felt that I was entitled to live however I pleased in this area. I had zero sense of stewardship or responsibility when it came to the earth, but now all of that has changed. I'm convinced that God has specific intentions for each thing He created. Every individual species of plant and animal thrives in a specific environment and on specific foods. It seems to me that when we honor the way in which God intended for an animal to be treated, we honor God. It is also becoming obvious that there are inherent benefits to nurturing and taking care of animals and the earth, and there are natural consequences when we do not.
So to answer the original question, I bother to live my life as naturally as possible because I truly believe that it is my moral and spiritual obligation. I believe at the core of my being that I must endeavor to honor what God has created and hold it in high esteem – people, nature, animals and white distilled vinegar (haha! But seriously…). So, do I recycle? Yes. Do we try to waste as little as possible? Yes. Do I avoid meat altogether? No, I’m definitely an omnivore, but let me paint a picture for you.
At the core of who I am, I am a Christian. It’s important for you to know that about me because it has shaped every part of my worldview and to be truthful, it influenced the pathetic way that I viewed the earth. When I read Genesis 1, I saw that we humans were to rule over the earth and subdue it. I interpreted that to mean that we could do whatever we wanted to with it, without the need for care or concern. Thousands of chickens shoved into a huge, windowless chicken house being fed corn (instead of scavenging for bugs, grass, worms, etc.), pumped with steroids and antibiotics and so un-proportionately heavy that they can’t even walk? Sure, why not? A girl’s gotta eat, and I Feel Like Chicken Tonight! I honestly did not see the problem. To me, this was just us ruling over the animals.
I’m not sure what the turning point was, but in the last 6 years I have been continually bothered with the fact that I have had a very irreverent view of the world that God created. Again, the fact that I’m a Christian has influenced this view, but in a totally different way. See, I now believe that when God told Adam and Eve to rule over and subdue the earth, I believe he was giving them the responsibility to nurture and take care of it. God created the earth first. He spent five days making light and land and sea and ground and vegetation and galaxies and animals before he even made man and woman. And you know what Romans 1:20 says? God’s divine attributes are revealed in creation. God is revealed in creation. And so I wonder: Does God care about how we treat the earth and its creatures?
The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. ~Psalm 24:1
The more I read and learn, think and talk about it, the more I am convinced that God does want His earth to be treated kindly and with respect. I'm beginning to think it does matter that I waste too much just because I can. It does matter that I did not recycle when the option was there for me. A case full of plasticy-bottled-water or one reusable water bottle? The answer is pretty simple. I'm not sure why, but for SO long I felt that I was entitled to live however I pleased in this area. I had zero sense of stewardship or responsibility when it came to the earth, but now all of that has changed. I'm convinced that God has specific intentions for each thing He created. Every individual species of plant and animal thrives in a specific environment and on specific foods. It seems to me that when we honor the way in which God intended for an animal to be treated, we honor God. It is also becoming obvious that there are inherent benefits to nurturing and taking care of animals and the earth, and there are natural consequences when we do not.
So to answer the original question, I bother to live my life as naturally as possible because I truly believe that it is my moral and spiritual obligation. I believe at the core of my being that I must endeavor to honor what God has created and hold it in high esteem – people, nature, animals and white distilled vinegar (haha! But seriously…). So, do I recycle? Yes. Do we try to waste as little as possible? Yes. Do I avoid meat altogether? No, I’m definitely an omnivore, but let me paint a picture for you.
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In a heartbeat I could tell you which picture most accurately displays God’s attributes and I wouldn’t have to think twice before I told you which farmer I’d rather give my money to. For 28 years of my life, I had no idea that there was a difference between factory farming and traditional farming. I figured that the chicken, beef, pork, etc. that I purchased at the grocery store was indeed as it was labeled, “Farm Fresh,” and I didn’t give it one more thought. A farm’s a farm, right? Aren’t they all the same? I never wondered where my meat/milk/cheese/eggs came from, what kind of life the animal that supplied it had lived, what it had been fed or if it was even healthy before I put it into my own body. I also never wondered about GMO’s, High Fructose Corn Syrup, food dyes, why boxed foods lasts for years, where my trash goes when I'm done with it, why food allergies and food-related illnesses are so prevalent, why pharmaceutical drugs are advertised on TV, etc., but gosh, we just don’t have enough time for all of this!
Below I have listed books, movies and websites/blogs that I think are fabulous and have helped to shape the way I view the earth, food, animals, etc. If you're interested in this sort of thing, I hope you will find them useful. I also want to say that I understand that what I’m referring to in this article is The Ideal. In a perfect world, I could buy and consume only “happy” animals and organic, in-season veggies/fruits all the time. The reality is that it’s not always possible and I have learned to give myself grace when it’s been a crappy week and all I can manage to feed my kids for dinner are factory-farmed chicken nuggets. I’m convinced God understands. I’m also convinced that He understands that there’s just no substitute for Doritos or Double Stuf Oreos. Those two are non-negotiable in our household. We.Must.Have.Them.Always. It helps me to remember to be balanced; that “success” isn’t just about living up to The Ideal in this area, it’s about gaining a respect and reverence for what God has created and asking myself some hard questions: Am I honoring the earth that God gave us and reaping natural benefits because of it? Or am I aiding to the destruction of creation and suffering negative consequences? What part am I playing in all of this and does it even matter? I can’t answer these questions for you…I can barely answer them for myself. Now excuse me while I go grab some Oreos.
Best Books Ever:
Food Rules by Michael Pollan
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
Serve God, Save the Planet by J. Matthew Sleeth
Best Movies Ever:
Food, Inc.
King Corn
Forks Over Knives
Best Blogs Ever:
On the topic of raw milk and why it ROCKS: If you're an intellectual, read this one. If you're not so much, read this one.
Chicken Matters: What To Ponder When Picking Poultry and Factory Farmed Chicken (i.e. Grocery Store Chicken)
Beef Matters: Top 10 Reasons To Eat Grass Fed Beef and Cow Hell
Below I have listed books, movies and websites/blogs that I think are fabulous and have helped to shape the way I view the earth, food, animals, etc. If you're interested in this sort of thing, I hope you will find them useful. I also want to say that I understand that what I’m referring to in this article is The Ideal. In a perfect world, I could buy and consume only “happy” animals and organic, in-season veggies/fruits all the time. The reality is that it’s not always possible and I have learned to give myself grace when it’s been a crappy week and all I can manage to feed my kids for dinner are factory-farmed chicken nuggets. I’m convinced God understands. I’m also convinced that He understands that there’s just no substitute for Doritos or Double Stuf Oreos. Those two are non-negotiable in our household. We.Must.Have.Them.Always. It helps me to remember to be balanced; that “success” isn’t just about living up to The Ideal in this area, it’s about gaining a respect and reverence for what God has created and asking myself some hard questions: Am I honoring the earth that God gave us and reaping natural benefits because of it? Or am I aiding to the destruction of creation and suffering negative consequences? What part am I playing in all of this and does it even matter? I can’t answer these questions for you…I can barely answer them for myself. Now excuse me while I go grab some Oreos.
Best Books Ever:
Food Rules by Michael Pollan
In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
Serve God, Save the Planet by J. Matthew Sleeth
Best Movies Ever:
Food, Inc.
King Corn
Forks Over Knives
Best Blogs Ever:
On the topic of raw milk and why it ROCKS: If you're an intellectual, read this one. If you're not so much, read this one.
Chicken Matters: What To Ponder When Picking Poultry and Factory Farmed Chicken (i.e. Grocery Store Chicken)
Beef Matters: Top 10 Reasons To Eat Grass Fed Beef and Cow Hell
