Chapter 1: Is Earth Our Mother?

As a child, I loved to explore the Norwegian woods, fjords, and mountains with my father. He wanted me to fully enjoy all the wonders of nature; therefore, he would always point out the dangers as well as the delights. Before I could gather my favorite mushrooms, my father showed me how to spot poisonous ones. Before I could ski across the mountain wilderness, he taught me basic survival skills. My favorite reward was reaching the top, relishing the view, and eating the chocolates he always carried in his back pack. Heaven forbid that I should leave the wrappers behind, or fail to pick up another person’s litter.

Eager to care for God’s creatures, my friends and I turned our garage into a neighborhood animal hospital. Birds with broken wings, battle-torn cats, mangled mice and abandoned litters of newborn kittens filled towel-lined boxes along the wall. We tried to give the best emergency care possible, but our knowledge extended no further than our own personal experience. Consequently, we poured brown iodine on every sore, dripped milk down semiconscious throats, and tried to stabilize broken limbs and wings with homemade splints. Perhaps our greatest mission was to offer each animal a loving, if not comfortable, place to die—and a spot in our backyard cemetery.

I wanted to be part of God’s team of earth stewards who helped take care of His creation. I still do. But finding like-minded team members in our fast-changing culture has become complicated. The beliefs and practices associated with ecology stray far beyond biblical bounds--even in the church.

My first exposure to unbiblical environmentalism under the banner of Christianity came in 1990. I had driven to a mainline Presbyterian church some distance from my home to see how God’s people would celebrate Earth Day. Watching the worship, I wondered if the Creator Himself would have been welcome. At one point, the members of the youth group stepped forward to present their offerings:

The congregation responded to this strange ritual with a standing ovation. Did these people know whom they worshiped? Had environmental concern swung church doors wide open to paganism? Could this really be happening in a supposedly conservative church?

Earlier in the program, a young woman minister had danced her interpretation of the Creation story. Throughout the graceful performance, a voice narrated the creative acts of a female deity referred to as “she” or “her.” At one point, “she” gave birth to earthly life—here the dancer crouched on stage and birthed an inflated globe.

Nature worship in the church? A Mother Goddess in Place of God our Father? Grieved, I thought about the spreading delusion prophesied in 2 Thessalonians 2, when lawlessness would soar and blinded followers of counterfeit wonders would “perish because they refuse to love truth,” when people would reject sound doctrine and follow teachers who tickle their ears (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Could we have reached that time?

Donald Bloesch, theology professor at Dubuque Theological Seminary seems to think so. His article in Christianity Today, “Lost in Mystical Myths,” describes the spiritual renaissance that is sweeping through churches and seminaries, bringing pagan empowerment rituals and texts such as Mother Earth Spirituality: “The new spirituality represents a kind of naturalistic mysticism, a reemergence of the ancient religion of the Earth Mother.”3 This unholy renewal lures children as well as adults, atheists as well as Christians. No part of our culture is immune. Look at the signs of change in our schools and media.

The ban on religion in public schools failed to block the promotion of pagan beliefs. Spiritual buzzwords like reverence—suggesting a response reserved for the Creator Himself, and connectedness – referring to pantheistic oneness rather than biological interdependence, flow through environmental teaching and songs, persuading our children to love Mother Earth instead of God our Father.

During Earth Day 1990 celebrations, children wrote poems to Our Mother, visualized her healing, used guided imagery to connect with her spirits, and committed their lives to her preservation. Students in Brainerd, Minnesota watched a video titled Spaceship Earth: Our Global Environment, the ecological portion of a global education program. A medley of Mother Earth’s ambassadors shared their beliefs:

In the same Minnesota classroom, one fifth-grader withstood the pressure to conform. In addition to the above video, his teacher celebrated Earth Day by infusing an old Gospel song with a contemporary message: "We've Got the Whole Earth in Our Hands!" Josh, who knew God as the Maker and Keeper of His creation, recognized the lie and refused to sing.

The Media and Mother Earth

Reaching far beyond schools and churches, television beams environmental spirituality right into our homes. Perhaps you watched Hollywood’s star-studded Earth Day 1990 dramatization of a dying Mother Earth. You may have welcomed her practical suggestions: recycle, reuse, reduce consumption and return to simpler living. Did you also notice a more subtle message? Wrapped in noble sentiments, it taught the basics of ancient earth-based religions: The earth lives, thinks, is our Mother, gave us life, deserves our worship.

“But,” you might ask, “people have called earth our Mother for centuries. What is wrong with that?”

Not much – some years ago. But today’s cultural climate differs. A generation ago, we viewed myths about Mother Earth as interesting fables from the past. But our time-tested filters for reality – biblical truth and scientific facts—are being replaced by wishful speculation and personal opinions. Today, anything is believable – true or not – if it feels right and supports your views.

This atmosphere breeds irrational and imaginary solutions. So when environmental leaders promote pagan nature religions as a means to connect with the earth and hear “her wisdom,” people believe them. When public schools, popular books, and the media spread this alluring message, it soon takes root in the social mind-set.

And what is that message? To save the earth, explains nature theologian Thomas Berry, “ a new descent into a more primitive state must then come about.” 5 His influential book The Dream of the Earth, the first volume in the Sierra Club’s series on nature and philosophy, explains how “a new type of religious orientation…must emerge from our new story of the universe.” (emphasis added) 6

Cable king Ted Turner has provided just such a “new story.” His cartoon series, Captain Planet, exemplifies the spiritual message that permeates environmental teaching. It beckons children to connect with magical forces, exercise the mind control formulas taught by contemporary witches, learns from benevolent shamans (pagan priests and healers), and trusts the wisdom of goddess Gaia, mother of all life.

It also illustrates the vision of Turner’s Better World Society: environmental consciousness with his own formula for social reform. By raising public awareness, presenting a new view of reality, and rewriting the Ten Commandments – “I promise to have love and respect for Planet Earth……” 7 instead of “I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before Me” -- he hopes to build a world of peace and oneness – without God.

Viewers of Captain Planet were told to protect the earth and fight exploitation using Gaia Power. Notice the seductive blend of environmental wisdom, cultural bias, and pagan spiritism in Episode One:

The earth shakes as Hoggish Greedly’s huge earthmover lumbers through the forest, uprooting trees and awakening beautiful goddess Gaia.

“My goodness, can’t the spirit of the earth take a little nap? What’s going on?” She touches a crystal dome which, like a diviner’s crystal ball, fills with the image of Greedly’s oil rig.

“All. It’s those poor, silly humans again. They’re going to destroy my planet if they keep going like this. What’s a mother to do?” Scanning the earth through the crystal, she sees polluted rivers, ugly smokestacks, and barren stumps of clear-cut mountain sides.

She gasps and activates her emergency plan: the planeteers. She chooses five children from around the world, empowers them with magic rings that control earth, water, wind, and fire, then sends them out to battle evil Greedly. On the way, the fifth planeteer exercises his power, psychic telepathy, to invoke Gaia’s spiritual presence. The image of the Goddess speaks: “You must have faith in yourselves, planeteers, because you’re fighting for the good of the whole world.”

Moments later, when Greedly threatens to spray oil on coastal wildlife, the five children form a circle, focus their minds, speak their magic words, and project their powers – a standard witchcraft ritual. Captain Planet materializes in their midst and explains, “I am your powers combined and magnified!”

In the final glow of victory, the valiant superhero invites his viewers to join the crusade on behalf of the earth. His parting promise sounds almost irresistible: “THE POWER IS YOURS!”

One of the lures of pagan religions if the belief that nature’s power can be harnessed by humans. That was Satan’s bait from the beginning: “You will be like God!” With a few magic formulas, all seekers can learn to manipulate the force.

But can they? Those who try eventually discover that the occult force controls them – with devastating consequences. The Apostle John explains why: “The whole world is under the control of the evil one.” Then he points us to the only way to genuine peace and harmony: “The Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true” ( 1 John 5:10-20)

How do we respond to mixed messages such as Turner’s? Do we join his crusade but reject his power source? Or do we simply turn our backs to the whole green movement? Can Christians today share the world’s concern for the earth without compromising their faith?

WHAT CAN FAMILIES DO?

1. KEY TRUTHS ABOUT GOD, THE CREATOR. He is the sovereign Lord of the universe, Fountain of life and Provider for all His creatures. He is the only true source of wisdom and strength. He is our loving Father who embodies all the wise, nurturing characteristics which His opponents link to a mythical spiritual Mother Earth. To those who are willing to follow Him, the earth will reveal not its own GREATNESS, BU THE GREATNESS OF THE Maker.

Since people firs gathered together to worship, counterfeit deities have usurped God’s place and honor. Consider these names: The Light of the World, Leader of Hosts, Opener of the Womb, Righteous Judge, Lawgiver, Bestower of Strength, Forgiver of Sins.8 These were attributed not to the sovereign King we know, but to the Goddess Ishtar, the Babylonian “Queen of Heaven” whose beliefs and values are now sweeping across our Western world.

God’s adversary, Satan, is a master at switching the message behind familiar words. As usual, he has nothing new to offer – only false images, empty promises, phony solutions, and misleading distortions of God’s unfailing, never-changing truth. Therefore, every tempting prize Satan offers us – wisdom, power, a loving Goddess, peace and a healed earth – are merely costly counterfeits of God’s wonderful gifts. Those who reverence creation and “her” occult forces, will find themselves on a downward spiral toward human decadence and earthly decay.

The Bible shows us the consequences of worshiping the earth rather than its Maker:

Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools…Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised (Romans 1:20-25).

God wants his wonder-filled creation to remind us of His majesty, wisdom, and love. It will, when we want to know Him. I remember how He showed Himself to me in Norway long ago. With the forest at our doorstep, we children learned only to see God’s greatness in a tall tree and a roaring waterfall. Charting our way through the wilderness with a compass, we sensed the marvelous order of His universe. Standing on a barren, windswept mountaintop, we reveled in the splendor of breathtaking scenery. We felt His power in the storms that blew in from the Atlantic. We knew that only a great God could make such a magnificent world. But how did we know?

Years later, after immigrating to America, I found a clue. Wandering through the museum at the Institute of Creation Research in El Cajon, California, I stopped to ponder an exciting poster. Titled simply, “The Principle of Cause and Effect,” it explained how creation points to the Creator:

THE LAW OF CAUSALITY…states that an effect can never be greater than its cause. A chain of effects and their causes must eventually trace back to an essentially infinite First Cause.

It made sense. The First Cause of the universe, the Creator, is our infinite, eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing, personal, holy, loving Father and King!

Around the world, God’s people gaze into infinite space on a clear starry night and are amazed by the vastness of His sovereignty. We consider the complexity of a human brain and marvel at the mystery of God’s matchless, all-knowing brilliance. We see His ordered and unquenchable life in a world throbbing with tenacious regeneration – even in scorched places like Yellowstone Park after the fiery summer of 1988.

Evidence of His infinite love springs up everywhere: in the fresh waters of a mountain stream, the rich colors of an orchid, the protective hovering of a mother bird. And boundless energy holds everything together. God’s creation – His rivers, oceans, winds, and trees – vibrates with the power He established in it!

God commissioned His people “to work” His beautiful garden and “take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). He never intended man’s authority to become license to greed, gluttony, exploitation, and waste. With the responsibility, He also gave us the capacity to know His heart and be led by His Spirit. He wanted us to view the world through His eyes and care for it with His sensitive wisdom.

But we have hoarded His gifts, wasted many of His resources, and forgotten to thank our Giver. Today we are the losers, just as Israel was a millennia ago. Hear the grief in our Father’s voice as he ponders man’s foolish ways: “I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled My land and made My inheritance detestable” (Jeremiah 2:7).

2. BASIC FACTS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT. The Green Movement is man’s effort to turn the tide of waste and degradation. It is also a complex and changing network of groups loosely joined through a common vision: to restore social, political, and ecological justice to the world. No small order! It calls its members Greens in appreciation for a thriving, green outdoors. Spreading around the world, it includes radical left Greens, antinuclear Greens, visionary/holistic Greens, Social Greens, single issue Greens, ecofeminist Greens, Native American Greens. Some lists even include red Greens, supposedly marxist Greens or lukewarm politicians who merely claim to be Green. More militant Greens compare them to watermelons: green on the outside, red on the inside. Most groups fit loosely into three categories.

Conservation. This includes long-standing organizations like The Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Wildlife Federation, which traditionally have emphasized land preservation rather than political action.

Social Greens are politically active organizations such as Greenpeace and Earth First! Rooted in the counterculture movement of the 1960s, they lean toward the political left. Their agenda usually reaches far beyond ecology to rights for women and gays, nuclear disarmament, and economic redistribution based on socialist philosophies.

Deep Ecology views Gaia as the divine center and source of all life. It has added a spiritual dimension to the Gaia hypothesis developed by British scientist Dr. James Lovelock, who views the earth as a wise, self-guiding, self-sustaining organism. The Deeps or Spiritual Greens tell us that Earth can save herself – she has the wisdom and power; humans don’t. But we can help her by becoming conscious of the oneness and sacredness of all of her parts. Deeps criticize Social Greens for their “shallow” motive: saving the earth for humanity’s sake rather than for Mother Earth herself. Key spokespeople are Thomas Berry, controversial Dominican priest Matthew Fox, and physicist Fritjof Capra, author of the Tao of Physics, who makes even Eastern mysticism sound scientific.

The distinctions between the above categories are fading. Many Conservationists and Social Greens have recognized the motivating force of religious convictions and are embracing Deep Ecology. Deep Ecologists and Conservationists see the need for political power to enforce their objectives. It is no surprise that the National Wildlife Federation has formed a partnership with John Denver’s Windstar – a Colorado based educational center that trains teachers in mystical, evolutionary new Age globalism as well as practical ecology.

Greens in all three categories generally agree on one point: Today’s ecological crisis is rooted in Christian traditions.10 They tell us:

The Judeo/Christian belief that God assigned man to “rule over” the earth has caused us to exploit and abuse it.

Monotheism (one God) separated humans from their ancient connection to the earth. To reverse the trend, storytellers and artists must revive earth-centered myth and reconnect us to Earth’s spirit.

The diversity of species enriches the earth. Healthy, flourishing diversity requires a substantial decrease in the human population and its interference with nature’s processes.

By resisting the return of earth-centered religions, Christians block the global movement toward the one-world religion needed to unify people and save the earth.

As Christians, we need to prayerfully consider God’s guidelines and let Him show us where we have misused His resources. But we do not need to accept the role of a scapegoat or apologize for our beliefs. Later chapters will show that the solution proposed by Deep Ecology – a speedy return to paganism – will only multiply the earth’s distress.

Elliot Miller, in A Crash Course on the New Age Movement, defines our challenge:

3. BLENDING CHRISTIAN AND PAGAN BELIEFS. In the spring of 1990, a conference brochure that came in the mail looked promising at first glance; yet, the discordant blend of workshop titles disturbed me: “Healing Mother Earth,” The Sacredness of Nature,” Christian Environmental Ethics,” Cosmic Creativity.” Was this North American Conference on Christianity and Ecology (NACCE) really Christian?

To find out, I joined a crowd of enthusiastic Greens in San Francisco. Prepared to resist the pantheistic spiritism so prevalent in the Green movement, I prayed for encounters with those whose attitudes toward nature echoed the heart of the Creator.

God answered quickly. Warmly welcomed by coordinator Frederick Krueger, I showed him another mailing I recently received from the North American Conference on Religion and Ecology. I had noticed that the names of two organizations differ by one word: one emphasizes Christianity, the other, religion.

“Is there a connection between the NACCE and the NACRE?” I asked, pointing to the announcement of a Washington, D.C. conference. Featuring England’s Prince Philip, it promised that “environmental theology will be in the ‘90s…what liberation theology has been to Third World countries in the ‘80s.”

“We split,” explained Krueger. “They wanted to replace the word Christianity with Religion in order to include Buddhism and Hinduism. We wanted to remain Christian. “Thank you for taking that stand,” I said, feeling a growing appreciation for this dedicated defender of God’s handiwork, but wondering what he meant by Christian

Passing a row of display tables on my way to the auditorium, I gathered an armload of literature ranging from lists of practical conservation measures to a puzzling vow: “I pledge allegiance to the heart of Our Mother Earth…” I also bought the April issue of Matthew Fox’s Creation magazine, wondering how his mystical view of God’s creation could fit into a supposedly Christian setting.

I sat down, opened Creation, and read Fox’s introductory statement: “Our goal is to bring out the wisdom and mystery of the cosmos itself as celebrated by today’s sciences and the wisdom of Western mystics, primal people and artists.” 12 An excerpt from The Language of the Goddess by Dr. Marja Gimbutas praised the cultural richness and sacred rituals f the Goddess (“ am she that is the natural mother of all things…chief of the powers divine”) 13 who, centuries ago, hid underground to escape “oppression from male-dominated societies.” Did she mean Christian ones?

I tried another publication, NACCE’s own quarterly, Firmament. What a contrast! A delightful quote caught my eye. “Love of the Earth should be the natural overflow of a Christ-centered life.” 14

The conference opened with an ecumenical bouquet of prayers and a prerecorded video message from David Brower, found of Earth Island Institute. He urged us to work “shoulder to shoulder” even with people we disagree with, to put “back together the life-support system that the Creator gave us.”

For the rest of the day, the spiritual focus swung like a pendulum in and out of biblical truth. One session taught the divinity of all things. (In Genesis 3:17 and Romans 8:20-21, God declare the opposite.) Another session acknowledged the transcendence of our Creator. A workshop called “Universal Kinship: Brother Sun and Sister Moon” affirmed monism (all is one) while “Scripture and Environmental Principles” offered helpful biblical guidelines.

The conference ended with biblical truth. William Dyrness, the Dean at New College, Berkeley, taught “Stewardship of the Land in the Biblical Tradition” to enthusiastic listeners, while Fred Krueger led a workshop encouraging us to practice the disciplines of a God-centered life.

Driving home I reviewed the day. I had heard some strange teaching, but unlike other Green groups I had encountered, the NACCE welcomed Christians. Yes, many seemed to confuse biblical truth with pagan religions. Yet, most participants hungered for God’s guidelines, and everyone longed to pitch in and clean up God’s creation. No apathy here!

One thing was clear: To join any environmental group today requires spiritual discernment. But so does simply living in our fast-changing culture. Schools, the media, movies, and peers bring us (especially our children) face to face with a tempting array of spiritual counterfeits. Some sound almost like truth. But isn’t that the nature of a counterfeit? It always tries to hide its deception behind an enticing imitation of truth.

4. SEPARATING HELPFUL INFORMATION FROM SPIRITUAL DECEPTION. Sometimes it seems that nature worshipers – Buddhist monks, Native American shamans, witchdoctors – put Christians to shame by their devotion. Practicing the discipline of stillness and the art of listening, they model a commitment God longs to see in His own people. Yet, by rejecting their Maker, they oppose the very purpose for which He created the earth they love – to manifest His glory.

God’s path to healing of the earth is written in the Bible, not in the well-meaning but distorted philosophies of earth-centered reformers. To test an environmental philosophy, ask yourself these questions: Does it agree with Scripture and honor and God? Or does it focus on the creation and deny its Maker? Or does it blend truth and error?

If we keep thanking God for the wonders of His creation, we will also share His concern for the land and its life – and He cares about the smallest detail. Remember, even the death of a sparrow touches His gentle heart, and the wasteful destruction of a single fruit tree belittles His wonderful gift and hinders His plan (Deuterotomy0:19-20). This kind of stewardship demands a wisdom and love that far exceeds our meager supply. But God wants our inadequacy to drive us to Him, so that He can demonstrate His sufficiency in and through us. “My grace is sufficient for you,” He says, “for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

God can use the environmental movement to teach us to respect and enjoy nature. But since most environmentalist reject the biblical Creator, we need to filter everything they tell us through biblical truth. This practice, fed by daily reading of God’s word, gives us freedom to go wherever God leads us and to enjoy all that He shows us.

This kind of freedom may bring us in contact with all sorts of beliefs. One morning I hiked through a redwood forest near San Francisco with a leader in the Green movement who was also an elementary school teachers. Love for nature and a desire for simplicity had brought us together for this moment, though we were poles apart spiritually. She told me that she was a lesbian and a witch.

Her spiritual connection with the ancient Goddess came as no surprise. In my studies, I had already noticed the amazing correlation between Deep Ecology, ecofeminism (a blend of ecology, emphasis on sensuality, and feminine spirituality) and witchcraft. Silently I reaffirmed the Armor of God which I had put on that morning (see Chapter 2). Then I continued to hear – and appreciate – this woman’s deep concern for the well-being of the earth, its animals, the homeless, and the poverty stricken children in her classroom. Was I as willing to serve His hurting ones?

Since you love nature, wouldn’t Matthew Fox’s Christianity be more relevant for you?” asked the witch, referring to my biblical beliefs.

“I looked through his book, The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, “ I answered. “Fox describes a different Jesus – not the personal Jesus I know and love.”

We listened to the whispers of the wind in the treetops and they reminded me of Psalm 96:12, “All the trees of the forest will sing for joy.” Perhaps they reminded her of what she believed – the spiritual connectedness of all things.

“I pray when I sense God’s presence,” I said. “Do you pray to the Goddess?”

I shivered as I thought about her words. Self-will, mind control, earthy spirits. The occult formula for magic seemed puny compared to the infinite might of the God who created these towering redwoods. The King who reigns over His creation, yet lives in His people, is immeasurably “greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). In the presence of His majesty, man’s arrogant dreams and grandiose plans seem absurd. Only our sovereign Maker can heal the earth. He determines its destiny. As He shows us the ways to responsible stewardship, we should follow Him, and remember the true song of the earth; “let everything that has breath praise the LORD!” (Psalm 150:6)

Deep Ecology (Biocentric)	Humanist Green Activism (Anthropocentric)	Christian Stewardship (Theocentric)
Earth-centered	Human-centered	God-centered
Mother Earth evolved, and nurtures and organizes her parts	Earth and man evolved by chance	God created the earth and its inhabitants
Humans and animals are expressions of Mother Earth	Human animals are responsible for Earth	God told His people to use and care for Earth
Wisdom from Nature	Wisdom from self	Wisdom from God (through the Bible)
Connect with Gaia through ritual, celebration, drugs, meditation, sex	Connect with nature through human mind, emotions, experience	Trust God and walk with Him, praying always and following His guidelines.
Help Earth save herself by hearing her sprit and heeding her wisdom (spiritism)	Save Earth by trusting human nature	Care for Earth by trusting God’s Word, receiving his strength and guidance

See Chapter 2: Calling the Spirit of Gaia

Chapter 3: Myths, Magic, Mysticism, and Make-Believe

Chapter 4: Witchcraft and Ecology

Chapter 5: Welcoming the Goddess

Under the Spell of Mother Earth, Chapter 6: The Goddess in Every Person?

Under the Spell of Mother Earth, Chapter7: Sacred Sex and Empowering Connections

Chapter 8: Transforming Art and Empowering Symbols

Chapter 9: Can Global Oneness Save the Earth?

Under the Spell of Mother Earth

Chapter 1

Is Earth our Mother?

The Media and Mother Earth

WHAT CAN FAMILIES DO?