Americans still in denial on climate 04 October 05

Depends on perspective, but I read this yesterday (off ABC source below) & thought, “Great, an improvement. See how many believe GW is happening & may have contributed to Katrina.”

Considering we here are in an extreme drought of denial about GW, a few extra drops of reality belief tastes really good, and I nearly keeled over when Bush told us (meekly & weakly) to conserve fuel. And there’ve been reports of people opting for fuel-efficient cars (sales are up & SUVs are down)—which will go on saving on fuel, even if ANWR is opened.

We’ve got to take tiny bits of good news where we can get it.

Here is the article I read: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=1174220&page=1

If you go the the 2nd pg, at the bottom you can link the full study & stats in pdf.

That story stresses the “act of God re Katrina/Rita” aspect more.

My perspective: Yes, God had his almighty hand in it; he reduced it from category 6 (which is what it was supposed to be, given his laws of nature + AGW) to cat 4, because of his pity for us poor slobs. Praise be the name of the Lord. Now, if he could just get a lot more people in the “fight against GW boat,” then we’ll be really sailing.

Don’t emit greenhouse gases beyond your needs or simple pleasures, For you’ll warm and harm the world and its many treasures.

And when you get to heaven the Lord will say, What about those excess gases you emitted day after day?

And when you say you do not know, The Lord will say, please step below.

(this is based on an autograph book poem I learned as a kid.)

I would call myself an atheist and I think it is fair to say that the majority of Americans have very conservative/christian views.

An idea struck me recently after I had been talking to a christian friend. We were talking about a unexpected death in his god-daughter’s family and I said I didn’t think anyone could explain why these things happen. I was taken aback when he said “We will all understand when Jesus comes back. He will be able to explain.” My friend believes that there will be a second coming and Jesus will save the world again.

This is not an idea I am comfortable with but it occurred to me that it does give a lot of people a get out clause. They don’t have to worry about the planet because one day Jesus will come back and sort it out.

I appologise if I have offended you or if I’m misrepresenting most Christians but this is just a thought I had from my own limited experiences.

They say they’re Christian, and they seem sincere, but they are in total violation of anything resembling Jesus & his message. They love to point their finger at hapless women going for abortion, but they won’t lift a little finger to reduce their own GHGs & killing of people (Jesus speaks on this & criticizes those types). They think they know when the 2nd Coming will be (or that it will be very soon, thus they don’t need to “save the Earth”), but even Jesus said he didn’t know (so they figure they know more than he). They say, “Lord, Lord,” but they don’t do the “Lord’s will” by reducing harm to people & creation. Jesus had some stiff things to say about those types as well.

I saw an “End Times” televangelist program some 10 years ago. The prologue film included environmentalism (as if it were some satanic cult), as one of the proofs the end was near. I wrote the “end times” televangelist that environmentalism to me was saving human lives (actually, reducing the killing of them, to be honest) & reducing harm to God’s creation (as commanded by God himself; that I didn’t know when the 2nd Coming would be – perhaps tonight or 100,000 years from now; and that I might even die tonight, but I wouldn’t want to have killing people through environmental harm on my soul & end up in Hell.

To his credit, he deleted the segment about evil environmentalists.

I think Bush is a genocidal maniac – either evil or (benefit of the doubt) stupid & immature/psych.stunted. I don’t like the way he hides behind an “anti-abortion” stance. We know he has no intention of helping, of feeding the mother-to-be & her newborn when it arrives, if they happen to be starving & malnurished. So it doesn’t cost him one centavo to hide behind that issue & act self-righteous, all the while continuing the killing of people through wars, neglect, and allowing environmental harm. I hate to say this, but I think a lot of my fellow Americans are in the boat with him, hiding behind their self-label “Christian.” Yes, one day they may come to understand & regret.

I have to disagree that christians are in denial and use their religion as an excuse.

If I were buddhist I would be going to nirvana or muslim to heaven with 72 virgins or hindu I would simply be reincarnated to be given another chance at enlightenment… each of these theologies have a “peaceful” end if things are not going right here today…

Why target christians just because they happen to believe that when Jesus comes back or they die then all of their questions will be answered? Each theology could be used as an excuse for a lot of different behaviors… look at the muslim extremists who are conducting a modern day “inquisition.” They are (mis)justifying their behavior.

If you read in Genesis (the first book in the Christian Holy Bible) God charges man (Adam) to care for his environment. Christians are charged to be good stewards of the land, animals and surroundings…. God also warned that fallen mankind will toil all his days.

As an atheist I’m sure you can appreciate that this is as good as it gets for you so you’d better make the best of things because when it’s over it’s over…. however, other religions look to better worlds’s beyond this one.

Many Christian’s believe this is a fallen world with better things to come. Christ is key to the betterment as he came once to redeem fallen mankind and will one day come again to live with them. His motivation was love.

than a globally warmed world (as horrible as that might be if runaway GW kicks in), if we don’t shape up & do the right thing. Of course, the “good thief” on the cross next to Jesus had a valid excuse why he couldn’t go & do the right thing & make amends—but that’s a pretty rare situation. Even invalids can at least pray to end GW. So, actually, Christianity (& all other religions with “worse than death” negative consequences for bad behavior) should give more of a spur for believers to do the right thing & end GW.

Assuming people actually believe—which, it seems they don’t, ... or maybe they’re just masochistic gluttons for punishment.

Another Christian point: there’ve been a lot of readings in my church recently about sins of omission. The “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers” verse is as much about going to hell for failing to help others, as it is about heaven – but people don’t focus on that distasteful side of the verse.

So what that means for me, is it’s not just enough to reduce my own GW harm, I must work to inspire others to reduce theirs, as well as help people in other ways, or it’s “step below” for me. I’ve been sometimes hesitant to bring up GW in some contexts where I know I’ll get a lot of flack. But these church readings have given me new impetus. Look out world, here I come…..

I heard a opinion piece by Harold Evans on Radio 4 Sunday am. Evans is a “senior” journalist who edited the Sunday Times in Britain some time ago and is now living in the US. The piece reviews Michael Crichton’s book. Evans clearly really “gets it” on GW/CC which is encouraging. You can read the piece at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/views/a_point_of_view/

And a note for Colin. Thanks for pointing me to Scientific American. The September Special Issue is v useful and the subsequent special issue a very good reference doc on the natural features of our planet.

And for all who plan ahead. Saturday December the 3rd you need to be in Lincoln’s Inn Field (central London) at 12.00 noon ready to march to Stop Climate Chaos. George Monbiot and Caroline Lucas will speak at the rally outside the US embassy. More at www.campaigncc.org

Oh and Chris Mooney’s book “The Republican War on Science” is spine-chillingly frightening. The lengths some powerful interests will go to undermine legislation and warnings on GW/CC and other issues of concern is gobsmacking.

Cheers

Douglas Coker

who’ve mounted a “What Would Jesus Drive?” campaign. http://www.whatwouldjesusdrive.org/intro.php

Evangelical Environmnental Network http://creationcare.org/

U.S. Catholic Bishops’ statement on global warming: http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/international/globalclimate.htm

Other denominations’ environmental programs/statements http://www.webofcreation.org/Links/denominations.htm

http://www.webofcreation.org/Links/para-religious%20orgs.htm

My point is, so what. Let God decide the end of the world. Who are we to destroy it. It’ll only get us into Hell, if we do. Furthermore, even Jesus didn’t know when the end would come. So it’s sheer arrogance for people to say the end is near. They’d better be thinking about their own end of life, and what they’ve done to harm or help others (through environmental actions & in other ways). And at least fling their sorry selves into the forgiving and merciful arms of Jesus, if they’ve only harmed & not been able to help; then if they have a bit of time left on Earth, start helping rather than harming.

I believe that I avoided overgeneralizing by stating that my experiences “May not be typical of Christians”. It looks like people who are posting on this topic are not trying to offend, just speaking from experience. That’s valid.

Revelation 11:18. “and he (God) shall bring to ruin those ruining the earth”

see ya there

cheers

Colin