~Is There Not A Cause

A Greater Cause!

There are many causes which people believe in and work toward. All of these causes are considered legitimate and worthy by those involved. Many do deserve our consideration and support.

We are grateful to those who have committed their lives to the pursuit of worthy causes that benefit mankind such as curing disease, eradicating hunger, and providing for the poor.

Following are some causes and rights, as well as organizations which support their pursuit.

Causes

     *Save the Whales
     *Save the Dolphins
     *Save the Tiger
     *Save the Elephants
     *Save the Bay
     *Save the Children
     *Save the Clavey
     *Save the Stanislaus
     *Save the Tuolumne
     *Save the Redwoods
     *Save the Earth

Rights

     *Civil Rights
     *Abortion Rights
     *Human Rights
     *Animal Rights
     *Environmental Rights
     *Constitutional Rights
     *Women’s Rights

Organizations

     *PETA – People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
     *EF – Earth First
     *NOW – National Organization for Women
     *NRA – National Rifle Association
     *EDC – Environmental Defense Center
     *EDF – Environmental Defense Fund
     *WWF – World Wildlife Foundation
     *EPA – Environmental Protection Agency
     *NRL – National Right to Life
     *ACLU – American Civil Liberties Union
     *WTO – World Trade Organization
     *WHO – World Health Organization
     *Greenpeace
     *Nature Conservancy
     *Sierra Club
     *Wilderness Society
     *Red Cross
     *Salvation Army
     *March of Dimes
     *Endangered Species Act
     *World Rainforest Movement
     *National Cancer Institute
     *Friends of the Earth
     *Friends of the River
     *Global Hunger Alliance
     *Center for New American Dreams
     *Rainforest Information Centre
     *Scientists for Population Reduction
     *National Geographic Society

I am not here to debate the validity of any of these causes, rights, or organizations. I only wish to show that most people believe in something for which they are willing to work, struggle, fight, and even to die for, whether the cause be just and equitable, or ridiculous and absurd.

The point is when you believe in a cause, you are willing to take extreme and extraordinary measures to succeed in accomplishing your goals.

Julia (Butterfly) Hill gained notoriety a few years back when she made her home a top a 200-foot-tall, 1,000-year-old Redwood tree on the North Coast of California for two years in her effort to keep the tree from being cut down and harvested for lumber. She also wanted to draw attention to the lumber companies that were involved in ‘clear cutting’ old growth Redwood forests. Because of her commitment to the cause in which she believed, the tree which she called home for two years was spared, and several concessions were made by the lumber companies to the environmental movement.

Mark Dubois, another environmental activist, chained himself to the bedrock inside New Melones lake on the Stanislaus River in the late seventies in a gallant effort to stop the filling of the lake to its capacity. He claimed that doing so would destroy the ‘white water’ adventure on the nine mile stretch of lower ‘Stanislaus River Canyon’ which was considered to be some of the world’s best by rafters and kayakers. From this protest Mr. Dubois founded an organization (named above) called ‘The Friends of the River.’

On September 11, 2001, we were all shocked and saddened when made aware of the extreme actions some will take when pursuing a cause in which they believe.

Our American forefathers believed there was no greater cause than freedom. “Give me liberty or give me death!”

The Old Testament records the story of a shepherd boy named David and how he defeated a giant against overwhelming odds. David’s indignation that the evil Goliath should threaten Israel, God’s chosen, was expressed with the cry, “Is there not a cause?” I Sam 17:29. He was willing to face the enemy’s threats and trust God, undeterred.

Let me share with you the cause that is greater than any other…Jesus said "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." The population of the world exceeds six billion and every one of these people deserves to hear the good news of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We must do more...the people cannot wait; they need Jesus now!