The Smog of Sin

In an article I read today from Wired.com, I discovered it is possible that anti-smog efforts in Beijing are failing. In an effort to clean up the atmosphere in preparation for this year’s Olympic Games, the Chinese government has taken various measures. These efforts include: “traffic bans, factory shutdowns, cloud seeding, and construction slowdowns.” The BBC’s Beijing bureau has set up air pollution sensors to monitor the environment in Beijing. Levels actually rose following the institution of anti-smog measures and only lowered for a short time during a heavy rainfall. Photographs reflect the dangerous levels of pollution with the appearance of gray skies and air that appears thick enough to cut. The Chinese government claims that these photographs merely show clouds and haze and are not a proper measurement of pollution levels. In an investigation by the Wall Street Journal, several manipulations of pollution measurements were revealed. The Chinese government, while they may be bending the truth, is planning to institute a plan that will remove 90 percent of Beijing’s cars from the road.
If Beijing’s pollution troubles remain during the Olympic Games, there is going to be quite the number of people unhappy with not only the games, but with the Chinese government. The athletes, struggling to breathe, will find themselves risking not only their performance level, but their health. It is expected that few, if any, records will be broken. I read one article that suggests various cardiovascular problems might be triggered in not only the athletes, but for the spectators. When reading all of this, I couldn’t help but think of sin. Man mass-produces sin and sin causes man to struggle and choke. Ecclesiastes 7:20 tells us that there is not one man on Earth who does not sin. In Psalms 38:3, the author admits that he can not rest because of sin. In James 1:15, it is states that sin ultimately leads to death. We can make efforts to avoid this. Ephesians 1:7 states that we can be forgiven through Christ. Unlike Beijing, we shouldn’t wait until our situation is at its worst and we have to face judgment. We need to make a change now.