Climate Crisis: The Oceans Are Dying
It Feels Biblical
A Cry for Creation
The oceans are dying, and it feels like a tragedy of biblical proportions. As I studied passages in Revelation about the destruction of the seas and the suffering of marine life, my heart breaks. I'm an animal lover, and the thought of wildlife—fin and feather—suffering due to human carelessness is overwhelming. Yet, what I find even more distressing is the utter disregard humanity has shown towards creation. How did we, as a species, ever think it was logical to dump our trash into the oceans? It’s akin to a scenario from the science fiction movie Thor: Ragnarok, where trash falls out of the sky on a distant planet. Yet here we are—dumping not just garbage, but our very waste—into the rivers, seas, and land. The toll on marine life is catastrophic, with whales dying at an alarming rate. And still, the world’s leaders remain silent, while corporate oligarchs relentlessly prioritize their bottom lines.
The Biblical Warning: Stewardship and Wrath
This reality reminds me of the words found in the book of Revelation, where the oceans are turned to blood, and the earth is consumed by fire and pestilence as part of God's judgment on a broken world. Revelation is often dismissed as mere apocalyptic fiction, but what if it's not? What if the scriptures are less a prediction of distant destruction and more a warning about the path we’re on today? Revelation offers an image of cosmic and environmental collapse—an Earth ravaged by human sin. The sea, which has long been a symbol of life and abundance, is corrupted, and all its creatures suffer.
While it may seem extreme to link modern environmental degradation with biblical prophecy, the correlation is clear: humanity’s stewardship of the Earth is not optional. Scripture calls us to care for the creation we’ve been entrusted with. When we fail in that responsibility, we see the effects not just on the environment but on our souls, and ultimately, we see the consequences manifesting in the very systems that govern our lives.
Political and Corporate Failure: A Blind Eye to the Crisis
In our current world, however, the consequences are playing out before our eyes. When we look at the political landscape, particularly the past leadership of figures like former & now (gasp) President Trump, we see a failure to protect our environment. The destruction of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not just a political decision—it is a moral one. By rolling back environmental protections, we have undermined efforts to address the very crises the Bible may have warned us about.
This isn't just an issue of governmental oversight; it's about corporate greed. Companies that profit from fossil fuels, unsustainable agriculture, and pollution are too often given free rein to operate without regard for the future. These corporations contribute disproportionately to climate change, and their influence on policy makes it harder to enact meaningful change. The idea of "profit over planet" has become the mantra, even as the oceans die, wildlife perishes, and we inch closer to irreversible tipping points.
In the same way that Revelation warns of divine wrath for failing to uphold justice, we are witnessing the wrath of the Earth itself as it begins to crumble under the weight of human neglect. Corporate and political leaders may turn a blind eye, but creation cannot.
The Science: A Tipping Point We Can’t Afford to Ignore
The Economist video, See What Three Degrees of Global Warming Looks Like, gives a stark glimpse into the future we’re creating. Just a few degrees of temperature increase will lead to catastrophic outcomes: floods, wildfires, extreme heat, and devastating loss of life. But even as we approach these tipping points, the conversation is still too often drowned out by misinformation, vested interests, and political inaction. This video, backed by science, should serve as a wake-up call. It's not fiction. It's reality—one we must confront before it’s too late.
And yet, there is a peculiar situation unfolding in the media. YouTube, for example, has started placing 'grey boxes' under videos that present real scientific concerns about climate change, attempting to 'clarify' the content, but often confusing rather than informing viewers. These boxes appear under credible scientific content, but I don’t see them on videos that the algorithm force-feeds users—nor do they appear under videos where misinformation is spread, such as those from figures like Trump. It’s alarming that platforms designed to promote truth are instead muddying the waters, enabling corporate interests and political ideologies to maintain their grip on power, all at the expense of the planet. This moment of disinformation, where truth is frequently obscured, mirrors the spiritual blindness described in Revelation, where people refuse to acknowledge the truth of their situation until it's too late.
The Call to Action: Stewardship, Accountability, and Hope
At this critical moment, we must choose a different path. The climate crisis is not just a political issue—it’s a moral one. The Bible’s call for us to care for the Earth is clear. We are called to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us, not just for our benefit but for the future of all life. When we fail to heed that responsibility, we see the consequences in real-time—whether it’s dying oceans, decimated wildlife populations, or the suffering of vulnerable communities affected by environmental disasters.
For both believers and secular readers, this is a call to action. We can no longer stand idly by as our leaders make decisions that harm the planet for the sake of profit. The Bible is not a fictional story; it is a roadmap that shows us what happens when we disregard the divine call to justice, stewardship, and care. Politicians and corporate leaders must be held accountable, not just by voters but by all of us, for the decisions they make today will determine the legacy we leave for future generations.
We are at a tipping point—one that we can still reverse, if we act with urgency and moral clarity. The question is: Will we choose to listen to the signs before it’s too late, or will we allow the earth to suffer, just as Revelation warns?
