Tuesday's Musical Notes
Welcome to Tuesday and The Notes!!! Each week we attempt to highlight a song that is a past favorite. We hope you have found most weeks fun and thought provoking. There have been on occasion specific Musical Notes that have included issues that are far from settled and can sometimes be controversial. Today's Notes is one of the days. Our intention is never to offend. We have many people we consider close friends with which we disagree on particular topics, but when it comes to foundational principles, we are in complete agreement. For an example, I have some friends who are not keen on the song, "Walkin' On Sunshine" (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Walkin' On Sunshine"), but we are in complete accord when it comes to "Amazing Grace". Our conversations usually wind up with a unifying commitment to each other regarding our agreements.
On other occasions, conversations with friends turn out to be educational for both of us, even though they have been a bit, shall we say...intense.
One such topic is climate change. This heart trembling subject has seemingly made more enemies out of friends than the Civil War. President Trump reignited the conversation recently by pulling the United States out of the Paris Climate Accords. The reaction in the US was instantaneous. You would have thought the sky was...a tumblin' down, a tumblin' down, a tumblin' down....
It is appropriate that we celebrate Carole King's classic hit, "I Feel the Earth Move" with this week's Notes. You see, 46 years ago, on the 19th of June, the song hit #1. It was released as a dual "A" side single with "It's Too Late", also from the smash hit Tapestry. It was King's second album and totally avoided the sophomore slump that many artists experience with the follow up to debut albums. Tapestry garnered critical acclaim, Grammy awards, and sold over 25 million copies to date making it a "diamond" record.
More importantly it solidified and elevated King's songwriting and musical skills among her contemporaries of the time, and brought an "easier" vibe to the harder tinged rock that was being produced at the time.
It also brought about the female role in rock and roll that was already being proffered by the likes of Janis Joplin, Cher, Linda Rondstadt (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "When Will I Be Loved") and Joni Mitchell. These powerful female iconic musicians continue to be a force 40 years later as their music is still played at radio and they even are called upon to provide music for TV. King, with an assist from daughter, Louise Goffin, has provided the theme and other elemental music for the hit show The Gilmore Girls ("Where You Lead" - Theme from The Gilmore Girls) and continues to tour to sold out audiences.
Now back to our regularly scheduled controversy...
As a product of the 70's, I was deeply impacted by the crying Indian PSA that decried the destruction of our planet by litter. Keep America Beautiful Foundation PSA. Perhaps you were too. It's basic premise was that we are all in this together. Let's keep America beautiful. This PSA was wildly effective, at least in my world, and the vaulted interest in our stewardship toward the planet began a movement that today has millions around the world concerned about our natural resources. We should all be very concerned as in Genesis 1 and 2, mankind was given the responsibility to care for God's created nature. (Genesis 1:26-31 New International Version of the Bible/The Message Paraphrase of the Bible parallel, Genesis 2:15 NIV/The Message). Even after mankind, through his pride, brought his own downfall from the perfection of Eden, God gave man responsibility for the stewardship of the planet. It would be much more difficult to make a life given the introduction of imperfection to the world, but God allowed Adam and Eve to begin again.
Since then, man has attempted to produce food for himself from the earth. While there are "breadbasket" areas in the world that provide food for millions, there have been times the earth has seemingly fought against mankind to provide. There are parts of our world that are totally unsuitable for life to be sustained, yet folks still live in these places. They are truly living out the curse that Adam brought upon us.
Bring on the scientists behind the man made Global climate change movement. About the time Iron Eyes Cody was impacting millions of impressionable young minds, Time Magazine went to newstands with this cover:
I agree, the times were different. Science has certainly improved its knowledge of how the climate is going to react to specific stimuli, however, I must wonder if this world view is a little askew...
You see if we go back to the Genesis account of creation, mankind wasn't even around when the most cataclysmic events on the globe were occurring. As man was kicked out of the Garden, logic and our modern science would certainly support the hypothesis that his carbon footprint would have begun the destruction of all of our natural resources. If you add to that the ancient and modern wars that the planet has survived (especially the explosion of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki), it would at least cause one to pause when hearing that the polar ice cap is melting.
Jesus also speaks about the climate in Matthew, Mark, Luke. He speaks of an unsettled time when nation will rise against nation and there will be earthquakes in a diversity of places. (The Gospel of Jesus according to Matthew chapter 24 NIV/The Message, The Gospel of Jesus according to Mark chapter 13 NIV/The Message
For more info on both sides of the debate, please go to: Center for Climate and Energy Solutions website and Answers In Genesis - Climate Change Articles
As you can see from these sites, both sides of the argument in support or denial of man made global climate change have their scientists that decry the research with which the other side has delivered ad naseum.
In my opinion, what we really see with the global climate change movement is mankind's pride, once again coming to the surface. Just like Adam, we find ourselves thinking more of ourselves than what we really should. Maybe we should have used Carly Simon's (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Anticipation") "You're So Vain" today instead... perhaps another time.
The Christian has a responsibility to do the best he can to be a good steward of our natural resources, however we must also understand that we are not the ones in control of it. Only Creator God can have that role.
The science may be unsettled, but our faith is firm.
Perhaps it's time, especially for those who claim to be Christians, to humble ourselves, patiently listen to our fellow man, and then make the conversation less about us and more about the Person who knows every acre on the planet because He made each and every one.
If we don't, we'll continue to see the sky a tumblin' down, a tumblin' down, a tumblin down...
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
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