Monday, April 20, 2009

Selling Environmentalism at Walmart


I usually like Walmart.  I also realize they are trying to sell stuff, and pandering to cultural craziness in the process sometime.  But a recent ad they sent me contained this little gem:

LoveHerEarth

This only confirms that, even in its watered-down, let’s-sell-some-stuff form, environmentalism is religious.

The personification of earth here as ‘her’ is much more than a literary device.  It is a religious view.  The Christian faith does not mistake the earth for a person.  The earth is an object (yes, that is exactly what I mean) that God created for the use of humanity.  (And, yes, I meant ‘use’ here.)

So, from the historic Christian perspective, if you want an more accurate reading on this shirt it should be something like this:

Earth
Use it to make life better


Now if you want to add the thought that we shouldn’t abuse our neighbors’ rights to their parts of the earth, that’s fine and sometimes needed.  But what the world needs right now is an pro-human perspective on the earth.  That perspective can be found in the historic Christian faith.

Meanwhile, back at the Walmart ad, we read a description of this shirt:  “Men's Organic Cotton Earth Day Tee.”  I find that part about it being ‘organic cotton’ rather amusing.  Could someone please show me the inorganic cotton?  That I would like to see!

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