I like the earth

Poor earth. Lately, the earth seems to be an unwitting child caught in the middle of a custody hearing. It has two groups attempting to define its right to life and to take control of its future. The people of the world are mired in a vitriolic debate about the state of the planet and its' destiny, whether man is having a negative impact on the environment, whether we're seeing a climatic cycle that has happened countless times in the past, and what might be needed to be done to save the human race from destroying itself.

In this struggle over what to do (or not) about the situation before us, there are inherently two types of people: Those who foresee an indefinite, never ending future of human occupation of this planet, and those who believe in the temporary lifespan of this planet, with an undeniable and violent "ending" that is certain to come. These two polarized groups, by their own admission, seem to break down, generally, into liberals and conservatives, or non-believers and believers. In essence, the first group puts their entire trust and hope in the planet itself, at times even worshipping it (her), since they have no unified belief in a non-earth existence. The second group, the believers, place the earth (in its present, "mortal" state) in a context of being a temporary residence with a specific and fleeting function dictated by God. In fact, they say, ancient prophets and scripture promise that during the last days of this earth as we know it, “the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven …” (Mal. 4:1) and that "the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground," among other disasters including floods, earthquakes, war, famines, pollution and desolating sickness. In other words: Why worry about recycling? The earth is going to be completely altered. It's prophesied.

Thus, the impasse we seem to be experiencing between the two main groups and their very diverse outlooks on the purpose of the planet. I read recently that if the two main "camps" of conservative Christians and environmentalists could sit down and talk, many good things in life could be accomplished. The author purported that Christians generally aren't interested in the environment and that the environmentalists do not take the naive Christian outlook seriously, and therefore there's no constructive communication between the two groups. In fact, both groups seem to be receding further into their silos.

Here's the problem: The people who supposedly understand the intricacies of our planet cannot agree on what seems to be happening to the planet. Scientists on both sides are weighing in, with some supporting the idea that global warming is real and the others that it is a complete farce. This discussion has been going on for several decades at least, but was brought to a head with the recent bleak report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Physical Science Basis of Climate Change, and the release of Al Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth," which purports that global warming is real, that the climate of the earth is changing dramatically, and that man is the main cause mainly through CO2 emissions. Is what we're seeing, as Mr. Gore states, dramatically worse than any previous climate event, or is it simply a natural cycle that has manifested itself in the distant past in events such as ice ages or warming periods? James Lovelock, a renowned environmental scientist, went so far as to say that "Before this century is over, billions of us will die and the few breeding pairs of people that survive will be in the Arctic."

Through my lens, the components of our beautiful planet were organized by Jesus Christ with God's authority and direction. It is the greatest of all functional works of art. Wonderful and beautiful plants and creatures were placed upon it, amidst great rivers and mountains. In fact, the first inhabitants were placed in a lush garden in Eden and were instructed to "dress and to keep it." What a wonderful gift, and I think if we just considered all of the "dimensions" to this planet, we might be a little more careful.

The earth has a spirit in it just as our physical bodies have spirits in them. Elder Parley P. Pratt wrote that the spirit world “is here on the very planet where we were born; or in other words, the earth and other planets of like sphere, have their inward or spiritual spheres, as well as their outward, or temporal. The one is peopled by temporal tabernacles, and the other by spirits. A veil is drawn between the one sphere and the other, whereby all the objects in the spiritual sphere are rendered invisible to those in the temporal.”
Key to Theology, 9th ed., Deseret Book, 1965, pp. 126–27.

In my mind, I liken the earth to one of our church meetinghouses. We didn't build it. It was provided by God through the church leadership and sacrifice of the members, but we're expected to be a steward of it, by keeping it clean and respecting it as a necessary structure. It is temporary, but we treat it with reverence, as we don't want to walk around in filth and clutter. We know that others come behind us who will need to use it. We should have the same outlook on the earth. It has a finite life span in its present state, but do we want to continue to contribute to the expanding pollution in the air and water, for instance? Are we actually in favor of our children inheriting ever worse air and water? Well, if it's prophesied to happen, why fight it?

I believe we have a responsibility to this earth, the gift that we've been given for our short time here. I also believe that as humans, we have always found better ways to do things and we call that progress.

What is the use in ridiculing Al Gore, a man trying his hardest to "save" the planet? Certainly, the part of the movie that infers that the earth wouldn't be in this dire strait had he not been robbed of the election in 2000 was irrational, as well as the not-so-subtle calls for population control. I think he is genuine. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the whole picture.

Certainly, scientists today are doing their best with an extremely limited amount of information, considering that countless other worlds have gone through this same process and countless more will (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 14:71–72). Many times, secular scientists, come at the situation of the world so differently than believers that it seems very hard to find common ground.

As Latter-day Saints we do not throw out the Genesis story—as so many secularists have done—nor do we regard scientists’ honest efforts to learn the truth as the work of the Adversary (though the Adversary does, of course, use those views to fulfill his ends). Instead, we would do better to wait patiently with faith in the scriptures until the Lord fulfills his promise to reveal at the beginning of the Millennium, “things which have passed, … things of the earth, by which it was made,” which, we are assured, will still be part of the “hidden things which no man knew” (D&C 101:32–33). Once the truth is known, all conflicts arising from part truths will vanish. In the meantime, scientists (including many Latter-day Saints) can continue to supply us with helpful knowledge about our present, mortal sphere, or even with ideas about how things might have occurred in the past if the processes under consideration really were uniform over the necessary length of time.
The Gospel and the Scientific View: How Earth Came to Be, Assistant Professor of the history of science (BYU) F. Kent Nielsen, Ensign, Sept. 1980

I wonder what we as humans stand to lose by not attempting to use new technologies and keep the environment as clean as possible. Why the vehement reaction of the conservative talk show hosts, their followers and many adherents to religion? Do many of the religious people regard worrying about the environment as a waste of time or money? If anything, exploring and utilizing new renewable technologies would decrease our dependence on foreign oil sources and decrease our slavish reliance on global petroleum corporations with their ever increasing profits. I believe that, during the creation, geologic events were set into motion to provide the oil for our uses. I also believe that the telegraph fostered unimaginable communication opportunities for people in the 19th Century, but that newer, faster technologies have since been adopted. I think solar and wind power generation look very interesting. Tesco, a British retail chain and competitor to Wal-Mart, is opening their first "big box" store in the U.S. (in California). They're sticking 500,000 square feet of solar panels on top of it. What's wrong with that? Imagine southern California with completely clear air.

Is it CO2 that is getting caught in the atmosphere in numbers too large that is causing global warming? Is it man and his machines causing glaciers and the Arctic ice to melt? It's hard to tell, as even the scientists do not seem to agree. One thing is certain: I do not and cannot know of myself. What seems clear is that the frequency and strength of destructive weather patterns does seem to be worsening, as prophesied. Consider this statement by Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in 1996:

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matt. 24:5–7).

Some of these things seem to be occurring with ever-increasing regularity. If we measured the natural disasters that have occurred in the world during the past 10 years and plotted that year by year, we would see an acceleration. The earth is rumbling, and earthquakes are occurring in “divers places.” Human nature being what it is, we don’t normally pay much attention to these natural phenomena until they happen close to where we are living. But when we contemplate what has happened during the past decade, not only with earthquakes but also with regard to hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, and the like, we see an accelerating pattern,"
When Shall These Things Be?, Elder M. Russell Ballard Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Ensign, Dec. 1996

Whoever or whatever the cause, the earth is undergoing changes, and things are getting worse.

These signs of the Second Coming are all around us and seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity. For example, the list of major earthquakes in The World Almanac and Book of Facts, 2004 shows twice as many earthquakes in the decades of the 1980s and 1990s as in the two preceding decades (pp. 189–90). It also shows further sharp increases in the first several years of this century. The list of notable floods and tidal waves and the list of hurricanes, typhoons, and blizzards worldwide show similar increases in recent years (pp. 188–89). Increases by comparison with 50 years ago can be dismissed as changes in reporting criteria, but the accelerating pattern of natural disasters in the last few decades is ominous.
Preparation for the Second Coming, Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Ensign, May 2004, 7

What's causing it all? We see that these signs of the "end of the world" are going to happen, and why is it beyond the realm of possibility that man is the cause? Ezra Taft Benson, before he was prophet, acknowledged that man will partly be to blame:

In Matthew, chapter 24, we learn of “famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes. …” (Matt. 24:7.) The Lord declared that these and other calamities shall occur. These particular prophecies seem not to be conditional. The Lord, with his foreknowledge, knows that they will happen. Some will come about through man’s manipulations; others through the forces of nature and nature’s God, but that they will come seems certain. Prophecy is but history in reverse—a divine disclosure of future events.
Prepare Ye, Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, Jan 1974, 68

After I viewed "An Inconvenient Truth," I felt very moved and felt inspired to prepare myself and my family to be ready for the adversity that lies in the (near?) future. Is the science in that movie truth? I have no way of knowing. Movies such as this can help inspire us to do two things: Prepare for what lies ahead and to do our minor part in tending to this wonderful gift our Father in Heaven has loaned us. Why not seek truth from wherever we can find it, as we in the church are fond of saying? Do we stop preaching conservative values in regard to traditional marriage, for instance, when we have revelations telling us that many in the last days will be wicked? We should be spurred into action when we hear of or see cataclysmic environmental events around the world, whether related by general authorities or other interested people. Why ridicule Al Gore? Because he's of a different party?

We are in the "eleventh hour" and we're seeing the signs of fear, which interestingly, seem to be part of the plan. We earthlings tend to forget about our Heavenly Father when all goes well.

These huge catastrophes [earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes] are tragedies, but they may have another significance. The Lord uses adversities to send messages to his children. Isaiah prophesied that in the last days the Lord would visit all nations with great natural disasters (see Isa. 29:6; 2 Ne. 27:1–2). In modern revelation, the Lord speaks of calling upon the nations of the earth by the mouth of his servants and also “by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind” (D&C 43:25). In another revelation, the Lord tells those he has called to teach the gospel:

“After your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, …

“And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.

“And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people” (D&C 88:89–91). "
Adversity, Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, Jul 1998, 7

Some will humble themselves and turn to the Lord as a result of the changing earth, while others will harden their hearts and continue to curse their fellow humans for destroying the earth.

I do not think we as Christians should show blind allegiance to political parties or "the way we've always done it." We should consider people around the world who could possibly be affected by our use of non-renewable resources. Why not? It sounds Christ-like to me. For all the joking about that WWJD (What Would Jesus Drive) group, it's actually an interesting little tidbit in this whole saga.

This next quote is lengthy, but makes a wonderful point about looking outwards in regards to the community around us and pitching in.

President Hinckley said, “Where there is stark hunger, regardless of the cause, I will not let political considerations dull my sense of mercy or thwart my responsibility to the sons and daughters of God, wherever they may be or whatever their circumstances.” (Ensign, May 1985, p. 54.)

As Church members read accounts or see graphic pictures of human suffering, they are touched and ask, “What can we do?” Most of us will not be in a position to help on a person-to-person basis when the need is many miles away. However, every member of the Church can pray for peace throughout the world and for the well-being of all its inhabitants. Also, members may fast and increase their fast offerings when they are able and thus enable the Church to do more.

As far as person-to-person assistance is concerned, the greatest compassionate service each of us can give may be in our own neighborhoods and communities. Wherever we live in the world there is pain and sorrow all around us. We need to take more initiative as individuals in deciding how we can best be of service.

The fact that a particular activity is not sponsored by the Church does not mean it is not worthy of a Church member’s support. As individuals, we should become knowledgeable of the opportunities around us. I fear some members suffer from action paralysis, waiting for the Church to put its stamp of approval on one organization or another. The Church teaches principles. Use those principles and the Spirit to decide which organizations you would like to support.

The Lord said, “Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will.” (D&C 58:27.) Good things can be done through the Church organization, community organizations, and very often through no formal organization at all.

We must reach out beyond the walls of our own church. In humanitarian work, as in other areas of the gospel, we cannot become the salt of the earth if we stay in one lump in the cultural halls of our beautiful meetinghouses. We need not wait for a call or an assignment from a Church leader before we become involved in activities that are best carried out on a community or individual basis.
A Thousand Times, Glenn L. Pace, Ensign, Nov 1990, 8

While not speaking specifically of environmental causes, surely such could be discussed. Recently, I was called a "tree hugger," as I was complaining about a new development being put in next door to my house. I've never hugged a tree. I'm not sure I've even shaken hands with one. In fact, I've been known to burn pieces of trees in my fireplace and print things out on really flat pieces of trees. I recycle whatever I can and I'm interested in adopting any renewable styles of living. Tree hugger. It's all relative.

For clarity to those not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the earth is more crucial to human existence than possibly imagined. A long time ago, it was organized by Jesus Christ and others, under authority and direction of God the Father, from some type of existing materials in space. It's purpose and existence is eternal. It is here to provide a place for all people to abide during their mortal existence as they learn to distinguish between good and evil, and hopefully choose to follow God's teachings. At a certain time in the "latter days," prior to and during Christ's return, the earth will go through major changes, including the calamities mentioned above, as well as all continents regrouping into one solid land mass, the mountains being flattened and the planet's literal coordinates in the heavens changed. Eventually, at the end of the 1,000-year period of peace (Millennium), this earth will even be turned into an "orb of glass" that will become the Celestial Kingdom, where the righteous will dwell in eternity. So to think that we do not have a respect for the planet would be unthinkable. Orson Pratt pointed out that we as people would do well use the "life stages" of the earth itself as an example:

“Who, in looking upon the earth as it ascends in the scale of the universe, does not desire to keep pace with it? … O man, remember the future destiny and glory of the earth, and secure thine everlasting inheritance upon the same, that when it shall be glorious, thou shalt be glorious also”
Orson Pratt, in Journal of Discourses, 1:333–34

To review and conclude this lengthy brain dump: Signs of the "last days" appear to be happening as prophesied. General authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and some scientists and politicians agree that the earth is going through, and will undergo major changes. The photographic and other evidence seems to indicate it. Ancient and modern scripture declare an end to the world in its present state. Is man the cause? Is man the partial cause? Are the climate changes cyclical? Is there anything we could do about it? is there anything we should do about it at this point? My answer at this point is why not just accept the genuine attempts being made to keep the earth clean, stop the ridiculing and pitch in a little. Let's be good examples and stewards.

I'm very interested in gathering some comments, so please add your thoughts below. Stay calm.