I was in a three person bathroom once at a gas station and while in there a kid came in and took toilet paper, the bag of dispensable soap, and even took a few lightbulbs from the light socket and left.
I also caught a guy when I was in the army that stole a bunch of cds from a car and went into a bathroom and the MPs went in but could not open the stall on the guy to question him. We checked the guy and bathroom and found nothing and apologized and let him go. Then I just happen to use the restroom and found out that he pulled the pin out of the toilet paper and took out the arm to take off the toilet paper and then placed like 20 cds on it and put it back into the toilet paper holder. He shoved the cd holder into the machine as well. Almost got away with it all.
Excellent article. One that utilizes the Bible passage carefully in developing a very important teaching. What was left unaddressed were the Bible passages that are used by the escapists (or the Rapturists) such as 2 Peter 3: 10 - 11 which speak of the destruction of the earth. “… the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way…” We need to teach the different literary genres of the Bible, including what is hyperbole, and what is apocalyptic. Saying that, however, brings us back to the Revelation passage used in the article - which is also apocalypic - picture language. COnclusion - we hardly know anything about the future, but we know we were created with a creation mandate to care for the creation. May we be faithful.
I agree, excellent article and points well taken. But there many passages in the Bible, the likes of the one you quote, that indicate an end time of massive destruction on earth. Isaiah said, Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it
I think it likely that for the earth to be made new, it must first be cleansed. Jesus spoke of an age to come and that heaven and earth would pass away. Earth has already had many new ages that included mass extinctions and global desolation, and that created a new home for new species. Perhaps this is what the future holds before earth is ready for New Jerusalem.
Also, non-Christian cultures have historically been just as destructive to the environment as Christian culture. As far as damage to the earth, the most important variable seems to be industry and technology, not religious beliefs. Industrial societies cause fast, massive damage to the environment if controls are not utilized, and non-industrial societies do less damage (although slash and burn agriculture and even certain hunting techniques have caused damage and extinctions.) I do not necessarily agree that Christian eschatology is responsible for lack of action on climate change, but again, as a Christian, point well taken. God called us to be stewards of his earth, not ignorant, negligent parasites of his Creation. We can do better.