There is a problem in the evangelical community. No, it’s not homosexuality or liberal theology, though those are definitely a pox on the community.
The problem centers around the Second Coming of Christ. Specifically the Evangelicals whose only concern is the Second Coming.
These people, with outstretched arms pointed to the sky, shout “Maranatha. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. 
Come” on a regular basis.
Because their eyes are so focused on heaven, these earth-bound creatures worry not about the place they reside.
They don’t care about the environment.
They don’t care about social injustice.
All they care about is Jesus scheduled return like a “thief in the night.”
I remember going to see Al Gore’s an Inconvenient Truth. Whether global warming is cyclical or caused by humans didn’t concern me as much as the fact that whatever was going on was alarming.
The next day, I went to church.
At church, I started talking to some acquaintances about the movie.
All they could say was, “There are scientists who say global warming isn’t true. And it doesn’t matter anyway. These are the end times. Jesus is coming back.”
To be honest, the conversation made me upset.
All I could think about was Genesis, and God’s mandate that man be the earth’s steward.
Everything in the world, and the world itself, belongs to God, but man is supposed to take care of it.
So when other Christians throw up, “it doesn’t matter, Jesus is coming back.” It irks me.
We are supposed to be taking care of the planet now. If we don’t, we do a disservice to ourselves and the rest of creation.
I can just imagine the scene. Jesus with eyes of fire descends from heaven, wearing radiant white clothes. He touches down, and sees the earth full of trash and in shambles.
Who’s gonna get the blame? Christians. Pagans are going to act lawlessly because they don’t know any better—that’s their vocation.
That’s why when pagans decide to take care of the earth, they do it in an unbalanced way. They begin to deify nature. They give equal weight to rocks and human beings.
Pagans even give more attention to the plight of the oppressed in my opinion.
Again, they do so in an unbalanced way, which leads to humanism, but at least they are doing what Evangelicals aren’t.
Sure there are organizations with a Christian heritage or ethos that give aid to people in need, but does the average Evangelical Christian?
I don’t think so.
I’ve seen Christians cross the street, so that they would not be accosted by the poor and hungry.
Jesus would never do that, but when Evangelicals do it, they are communicating that that’s “What Jesus Would Do.”
Maybe Evangelicals need to burn their copies of In His Steps and destroy their WWJD paraphernalia and adopt a new slogan—“What Would Pagans Do.”
Maybe remembering that people who have NOT been saved from the Wrath to Come take care of the environment and show love for their neighbors will help Evangelicals do the right thing.
–by Tiffany Orr, the Underground managing editor
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When I read the Gospels, and the words of Jesus Christ, I see humanism as a core part of His message. Though, perhaps, we share a different definition of the word. Certainly pre-occupation with the ‘end times’ has lead to unspeakable atrocities on the parts of many Christians.
Most Christians I know,at least, do care for the environment. The issue is when individuals use environment issues as a front for hidden agendas unrelated to the environment. I do agreed with you that many of us do look the other way concerning those in need. Some of this is because there is so much fraud that it forces all of us to be careful but that should never stop us from opening our hearts to those truly deserving. Personally, I am looking forward to the Second Coming. Not as an excuse not to address what needs addressing here on Earth, but because it reunites me with the One who saved me. Assuming that Christians look to the Second Coming as justification for lack of action is judgemental in and of itself and mischaracterizes one of the most important tenants of the Christian Faith.
according to the scriptures especially in the gospel of Matthew and Mark, Jesus is with us always and his second coming back or the day of parousia is for each person alone ” …two will be in the garden and then one will be taken and one left”. When one passes away from this worldly life, he/she sees Jesus coming in clouds with angles to take him.
In exodus, God told Moses that no necked eye can see the face of God like wise in the gospels Jesus says that after the worldly life we shall belike engles in heaven and that is when we shall see God(Jesus) with our “eyes”