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Do Christians Plant Trees?

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Were you aware that the majority ( or is it ~40%?) of American Christians believe that Jesus will return in their lifetime?

Do they then feel silly for planting trees?

What I am concerned with here is the issue of conservation of resources. Since Christians DO plant trees, I take it that they don't heed Jesus' words of taking no thought for the morrow. That's a good thing. But I assume that those who do are particularly wasteful. I take it that most people in this subforum are aware of the 1.1% population curve.
 

Beorn

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Were you aware that the majority ( or is it ~40%?) of American Christians believe that Jesus will return in their lifetime?

It doesn't surprise me and as a Christian it bothers me a great deal that so many other Christians have a poor understanding of the end times that negatively impacts their daily life.

I take it that they don't heed Jesus' words of taking no thought for the morrow.

Reference?

I take it that most people in this subforum are aware of the 1.1% population curve.

No, enlighten me.
 

Totenkindly

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Were you aware that the majority ( or is it ~40%?) of American Christians believe that Jesus will return in their lifetime?

Do they then feel silly for planting trees?

What I am concerned with here is the issue of conservation of resources. Since Christians DO plant trees, I take it that they don't heed Jesus' words of taking no thought for the morrow. That's a good thing. But I assume that those who do are particularly wasteful. I take it that most people in this subforum are aware of the 1.1% population curve.

You probably win on a technicality, but no Christian is going to care. They also save for retirement, create families, and invest in work that might outlive. Your comment about "taking no thought for the morrow" is a contextual mistake; by the same logic, they might as well not bathe, hold a job, or do anything else outside the moment, but even Jesus planned his ministry / had plans for himself.
 

INTP

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When i saw the topic title, i thought that this was going to be something like "because isnt it gods job to do?"

:D
 

Qlip

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When I was with the JWs, they were sure the end was coming. So much that they advised the young people (me) not to plan to go to college, it would get in the way of witnessing to the world. They did plant trees, but they believed in people being resurrected on Earth. The trees would be there to enjoy.

Anyway, there's nothing geneally accepted theologically saying that armegeddon is coming any time soon.
 

gmanyo

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I have a friend who doesn't care about recycling much because he doesn't think that the world will last long enough for it to matter. But it's not like he believes strongly that it will come in his lifetime, but he definitely thinks that it's likely. I think Matthew 24:42-44 is an interesting passage on the subject:

42 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

This doesn't mean that as a Christian you shouldn't plan wisely for your life, even if you think the return will be soon. I think it means the opposite actually.
 

Lark

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I think there's a sense in which its true that Jesus could return in anyone living todays life time but what expectations do you have along with that?

Personally I would rely on the texts in scripture from after Jesus' death to consider what that would mean or how that would play out, in those Jesus appeared a number of times to his followers, they never recognised him, and they had known him personally and did not have all the culture jamming decades of eurocentric art and other material to confuse them.

For me its a lot like the adjustment bureau, in it the guy says that everyone meets the chairman who determines everything that was and everything which will be but none of them know it or recognise them when they do, the main character asks one of the agents if he is the chairman and he laughs and scoffs.

One thing I'd say about threads like this is they disappoint me, they disappoint me because they point up a wider social opinion or ethos, someone is doing a good thing but instead of saying its good in itself and being pleased with that people bring it down and find fault instead. It may be a good thing but it doesnt make any sense because of a, b, c and in doing so they're only going to achieve one thing, bad feeling and a likelihood that doing that same good thing becomes less fashionable because no one in their right mind likes negative attention.
 
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Ginkgo

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Were you aware that the majority ( or is it ~40%?) of American Christians believe that Jesus will return in their lifetime?

Do they then feel silly for planting trees?

What I am concerned with here is the issue of conservation of resources. Since Christians DO plant trees, I take it that they don't heed Jesus' words of taking no thought for the morrow. That's a good thing. But I assume that those who do are particularly wasteful. I take it that most people in this subforum are aware of the 1.1% population curve.

Bibles come from trees! /inconsistency fix'd
 

Munchies

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why would a christian plant a tree? surly if god wanted a tree there he wouldve put one there. Then again why does a christian pray, surely a feeble human mind wouldn't be able to make this omnipotent being change the entire set of reality and future domino effect reactions just because a little feeble christian prayed for him to do so. Conclusion: WTF
 

Lark

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why would a christian plant a tree? surly if god wanted a tree there he wouldve put one there. Then again why does a christian pray, surely a feeble human mind wouldn't be able to make this omnipotent being change the entire set of reality and future domino effect reactions just because a little feeble christian prayed for him to do so. Conclusion: WTF

Praying isnt about changing God its about changing yourself.

Why would an athiest know anything about Christianity? Oh wait...
 

Munchies

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Praying isnt about changing God its about changing yourself.

Why would an athiest know anything about Christianity? Oh wait...

why would you know anything about me? I ws in a christian school until grade 10. That thing you said about praying is totally subjective, the subject can be taken at 234234524 million different angles. Your post was pure emotion
 
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