Two More Documentaries

Stayed up way too late last night watching two more documentaries. One entitled Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead was about a topic near and dear to me...better food and better health, particularly how two men completely reversed the effects of poor health choices by starting with a 60 day juice fast.

The second one, I've had in my Netflix cue for a long time, but my friend Jennifer watched it in her class recently and recommended it. Be prepared, if you love animals or animal rights (which honestly is NOT a top priority for me even though I think all of God's creatures...including humans!...should be treated humanely!) you will be disgusted.

Did you know that all of those cute little dolphins at Sea World or (yikes!) the Indianapolis Zoo were most likely herded in from their wild migratory paths off the coast of Japan along with thousands of others? Then dolphin trainers from all over the world come and select the ones they want, paying as much as $150,000 a piece for them? Then the ones that are not selected are shoved into "the cove" and killed by repeated stabbings until the water runs red?

Yep! That's what I thought too! Oh, and add to it that then the dolphin meat is sometimes mislabeled and sold as whale meat but containing much higher mercury levels than should be ingested by man. And yes, when you can't get rid of all of the dolphin meat from about 23,000 dolphins that are killed each year, let's sell it to the Japanese schools to put in their compulsory lunches that the children are made to finish each day.

Now I know that our factory farming in the U.S. is also riddled with corruption and disgusting practices and that the run-off from all of that ammonia in the manure, etc. is contaminating our water supplies and running into the oceans where it kills the natural habitats. And I know our food supply is tainted beyond what any of us really want to admit...but at least these cows, pigs and chickens are specifically raised for food. I mean their birthed, fed, maintained and killed all for the sole purpose of providing food. Since when is it okay to herd thousands of wild animals into a small confined area and just because they don't show promise for learning how to obey commands decide to kill them?

I guess you get where I stand on this one don't you? I'm not an animal rights activist and I'm not going to run out and take up the cause at the expense of my family, career, etc. But kudos to the one that feels called to do so. My reason for this rant? Both of these documentaries are essentially about where we have gone completely wrong in the care of two of God's priceless, precious gifts to us...His creation and His temple that He desires to inhabit, which is our bodies.

How long do we think He's going to allow us to continue treating both ourselves and His creation with malicious contempt? You know, it just occured to me this week that the Israelites cried out to God in slavery for over 400 years. After that look what He did to the Egyptians to rectify the situation. Ugh! we've only been a nation for about 235 years right? And look in how such a short time (about 30-50 years) our farming practices, environment, food supply, etc. have become so abominable. Hmmm???

We are told that God is not slow in keeping His promises (II Peter 3:9 ) This passage is specifically talking about repentance. But shouldn't we repent from our wicked way of treating ourselves and God's world? After all, He commanded us to be faithful stewards (caretakers) of all that we see. He even tells us in Romans 8:19 that "Creation waits in eager anticipation for the children of God to be revealed." (see context )

I don't want to misinterpret this passage, but maybe part of God's creation where you live is just waiting in eager anticipation for God's child to stand up and be revealed. It could be a simple as starting to recycle, reduce the plastics you use, reuse glass, metal and plastic containers or buying dishwasher detergent that contains no phosphorus that pollutes the waterways. Did you know that JUST the air conditioners in the United States use up as much electricity as ALL of China? And if everyone were to just raise their A/C to 74 or 75 degrees that billions of dollars a year would be saved in electricity?

And yes, it may be as simple as taking one of these little steps and sticking to it. But He also might be calling you to a bigger change. All I can say is no matter the cost, heed the call! After all, you just may be the one for whom Creation has been eagerly waiting!