Hugh Hewitt blasts environmental policy, specifically the Endangered Species Act, for how it has contributed to the conditions in California that allowed the fires to become as large as they did.
There is a role for conservation and environmental stewardship in conservative politics, and I'd say there is one basic difference between a conservative view of environmental protection and a liberal view. While today's mainstream environmental groups largely see mankind as an alien being on the earth, delegated to a do not touch role, forcing nature to take care of itself, a conservative view of environmental stewardship sees mankind as a being created by God, also part of God's creation, and given the responsibility of actively maintaining and nurturing the environment. We screw up of course, and there are those who through neglect or wanton destruction shirk their God-given role, but the role is given to us nonetheless. We are a part of nature. We are intended to touch the environment, God did not create it to exist independently of us.
Good post. Let me add: One of the most interesting points made by Francis Schaeffer in his book "Pollution and the Death of Man" is that our sin, our rebellion against God, not only alienated human beings from God, from other people and from themselves, but also alienated us from nature. That gives me grounds for a conservative view of environmental stewardship.
Posted by: Lee Anne Millinger at October 31, 2003 02:20 PMThank you for the comment, Lee Anne. I've got to read more of Francis Schaeffer's work. His work, The God Who Is There had an impact on how I view my faith and witness in this secular world of ours, still a lot of work there for me to do, I'm afraid, and Francis Schaeffer sure helps a lot in getting there.
Posted by: Joel Fuhrmann at November 2, 2003 08:03 PM