It would be one thing if religionists in some obscure country believed that their god would protect them from environmental destruction. But instead it's members of the US Congress and the US is so powerful it may have the fate of the species in its hands.
John Shimkus is a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. There's no reason to fret about global warming, he tells us, because God promised never again to destroy the earth with a flood. Well that's a relief. I suppose when Jesus returns and the stars fall to the earth and the moon turns to blood we'll have more to deal with than excess CO2.
These people aren't cynics. They are true believers. They really think it's all a liberal hoax. They are our elected representatives. I think every new tea party candidate in Congress is a global warming denier. And as I continue to talk with Christians I continue to confirm my fears. They really don't care because they really think Jesus will bail them out.
3 comments:
I hope that you will allow this self-advertisement: I posted a lengthy examination of Shimkus's speech, with a transcript, on my blog last November: "Who Needs Science When You’ve Got the Bible?" Shimkus gave the speech in March of 2009. Some other Republican clown was saying similar things more recently, but I can't remember who it was.
The Christians you're talking to, I would argue, are idiots. God is not God, in my opinion (or my 30-year anti-evangelical theologian parents opinion) to bail us out- rather we contain because of our belief a sense of peace- we reside ourselves to work towards the best solutions for everyone, and accept whatever fate that course lands us in. And as for economics, may I suggest triplecrisis? An amazing blog- don't worry, it's not Christian. The right and left do very little differently, as you know. It's up to the educated among us to make a difference by bringing our education into play... after all- Predictive capacity is the mark of a good scientific theory. :)
Well I'll tell you, one of the Christians that I spoke to that prompted my comment is a very highly educated, well paid, and generally intelligent person. But I know what you mean. He's being idiotic on this topic. And I don't mean to imply that Christians generally have this kind of attitude towards our environment. Unfortunately in the US evangelicals largely do have exactly this attitude. At least that's my experience. Christianity generally though I happen to kind of like. I do find Jesus to be an inspiring person and a good example. And some of the most important activism is being done by Christians. I will check the blog you mentioned.
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