Economically, Environmentally, and Spiritually everyone
seems to be engaging the question of, “where are we headed and what will it
look like when we get there?”
Economists continue to hope for 2.5% annual growth in the
first world countries.
Environmentalists tell us that globally we are already
operating at 140% capacity of the planet.
Christian church leaders continue to blame the mass exodus
of younger generations on a secularization of Christian nations.
Is it possible that we’ve finally hit that mark in time when
sustainability has been eclipsed? Is it possible that we reached the apex of
the sustainability graph decades ago and are now witnessing what the downhill slide
feels like?
I’m not necessarily talking “doomsday” scenarios here. I
believe that we, as a people, have proven throughout the ages that collectively
we possess a phenomenal amount of drive, ingenuity, and resolve to change and
adapt. However, these changes are NEVER initiated during the warning phase. As
a society, we never start applying pressure to the brake when we see the yellow
light. If anything, we speed up when we see the yellow light. We do not apply
the brakes until we see RED. This has the profound effect of creating violent
and jarring change all in a very short period of time.
Heaven forbid we begin to slow down when the yellow light is
lit by scientists projecting the death of entire fisheries in the next several
years. Why would anyone think to remove the foot from the accelerator when
economists are forecasting continued decline internationally on a rapidly
increasing pace? And why in the world would the Christian churches ever
consider the possibility that “business-as-usual” is dead.
Everything is changing in ways that defy analysis of past
periods and events. Energy, Financials, Population Growth, and Environmental
Changes are all part of a new and never before experienced Ecology. With this
realization comes a graphically changing environment of spirituality which HAS
TO transcend the current modes of educational Christianity. Gone are the days
of discussing, studying, and teaching behavior modification in the comfy
settings of a brick and mortar building referred to by many as “the church.”
Say hello to the future of a Church designed to serve, support, and rescue on a
global scale so far outside the thinking of most of us that it’s impossible to
fathom this early in the game.
We’re not talking here about proposed changes best suited to
address the changes coming in the next 20 years anymore. These changes are here
right now and they DEMAND change. There is no choice in the matter. It’s
already happening. We have to understand the visceral unrest inherent in the
OCCUPY folks. We have to open our ears to the criticism of all those folks we,
as Christians, have rejected and labeled as “unholy” and “unworthy.” We have to
open our eyes to the humanitarian disasters happening all over the world. It’s
not enough to discuss human trafficking, starvation, genocide, and hate. We
have to engage these things full throttle.
My best guess is a Christian Church void of brick and mortar
operating collectively regardless of theological divisiveness. Maybe more like
a Greenpeace type of NGO. An
NGO with real political clout focused on spotlighting the human tragedies and atrocities
around the world even when those tragedies do not affect the economic bottom
line.
The point being that if we think we are seeing human suffering
on a global scale now, what do we think it will look like if the
environmentalists, scientists, and economists are right about witnessing a
global awakening of unsustainability RIGHT NOW?
The worldwide Christian community stands in the unique
position to step up and partner with others to serve, heal, and rescue. It’s
time to feed the lepers. It’s time to rescue the children. It’s time to give a
shit about more than personal growth. The planet is dying. The global financial
system is breaking apart. The global population is increasing exponentially.
Resources are finite. Energy is the drug that we all crave.
The light is red RIGHT FUCKING NOW! Let’s engage with that
resilience, ingenuity, and resolve we’re capable of weilding. Let’s define
ourselves by what we agree upon instead of by what we disagree about. It’s all
interconnected. It’s all interdependent. The climate, the fisheries, the GNP’s,
the humanitarian efforts, the Church…they’re all tied together.
But what do I know? Several paragraphs ago I wrote something
about varying Christian organizations partnering with each other as well as
other religions behind the effort of a global humanitarian effort forcing
action where only talk has prevailed. We are ACTUALLY closer to eliminating abject poverty on the planet than we are to achieving cohesiveness and cooperation among multi-denominational sects within the Christian community. So, obviously, I’m insane…
