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Green Bible sparks controversy in USA

Wednesday, 7 January, 2009
By Simon Leufstedt

A new “Green Bible” which is said to embrace environmentalism and the need to protect the Earth has apparently sparked some controversy among evangelicals in the US, the United Press International reports. The Green Bible, has been endorsed by the Humane Society and the Sierra Club and has so far been sold in 25000 copies.

“Other evangelicals are concerned the Green Bible will mislead Christians because it does not interpret Scripture literally, said James Taylor, a founding elder at Living Water Christian Fellowship in Palmetto, Fla.

“These groups don’t have a religious focus; they have a desire to spread their environmental message,” Taylor said of the essayists who contributed to the Green Bible, which contains a foreword from Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu.”

Yes, these religious fundamentalists are worried that the “Green Bible” won’t follow the Bible literally. You know, they are worried that the “Green Bible” won’t say that it is alright to own a slave or sacrifice animals as well as humans as it is “pleasing to the Lord”. Or that it is alright to murder and rape people in the name of a fairy-tale God. It makes my mind boggle that people still in the 21st century believes in religious dogma and superstition. Will we ever be able to leave the Dark Age?

Simon Leufstedt is the editor of Green Blog. Simon has previously studied Global Environmental Justice and is currently studying Human Ecology and Political Science at Lund University in Sweden. Simon is also blogging over at the Swedish 350 website and working with the Swedish TckTckTck organisation. You can follow Simon on Twitter and on Google+.
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Kenneth Clive

Religious superstitions aren’t completely invalid, so I can’t believe you completely dis such views; you could have stated your opinion more respectfully. Anyways, I do agree that this is all greenwashing, just like all the mass-marketing of supposedly “green” products and services we see going on these days. Environmentalism and the push renewable energies and materials needs to be a social movement rather than a topic of mass advertising or a religious revolution.

You also must realize that the Bible is chronologically divided into two testaments, and the Old Testament describes daily life in Israeli society, which was centered around the Temple (but not necessarily God). The New Testament is more in line with Christian values, and it does not require one to believe these odd religious superstitions you mention here; Christianity by itself is simply a source of faith in a loving God. You are right that we have never fully proven God’s existence, but we also haven’t proven that he doesn’t exist.
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Jessica

Good for you, speaking the truth. How refreshing.
This book SHOULD be the new Bible. At least it speaks the TRUTH instead of just stories. Imagine how much better the world would be if the GreenBible was as widely acclaimed and followed as the, now obsolete, old Bible.

Well done, sir.
RianJepson

I have read a bit of this book and I can see why it can be a bit upsetting for the more conservative evangelicals. It basically says that the kingdom of god is our earth and we should do whatever it takes to help preserve it as it is god's gift to us.
RianJepson

I have read a bit of this book and I can see why it can be a bit upsetting for the more conservative evangelicals. It basically says that the kingdom of god is our earth and we should do whatever it takes to help preserve it as it is god's gift to us.

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