Those of you following Grist's news feed (if you're not, you should) are aware that last week a group of conservative evangelicals launched the "We Get It!" campaign, arguing against action on global warming.
We've written a great deal on Grist about the split in the evangelical leadership between those who recognize the danger of global warming and those who don't. The former includes lots of younger churchgoers who want to broaden the church's mandate beyond abortion and homosexuality, taking on poverty and environmental issues and asserting the church's independence from the Republican party.
The latter group, the old guard, is filled with people who have become extremely rich and politically powerful through their association with the Republican party, and are keen to preserve the status quo. Their role is to keep the religious wing of the Republican base in line by stoking (but never resolving) the culture war, providing ground troops and votes for an agenda that ultimately serves the party's corporate backers.
In this context, it's particularly galling to see the We Get It manifesto focus not only on old-fashioned flat-earth skepticism -- that's to be expected -- but also on a purported concern for the world's poor. After years of supporting and mobilizing votes behind an agenda that exacerbates inequality and diminishes America's already tattered social safety net, these guys -- James Dobson, Sens. James Inhofe and Tom Coburn, Richard Land -- are now beside themselves with concern that a cap-and-trade program might hurt the poor. "With billions suffering in poverty, environmental policies must not further oppress the world's poor by denying them basic needs."
(For the record, Coburn and Inhofe were among the 23 Senators who voted Nay on the Biden-Lugar amendment to restore $4.1 billion to the International Affairs Budget, to fund crucial international programs to fight poverty.)
The cynicism is something to behold. You gotta squint pretty hard to see what God's got to do with it.
On ‘climategate’
What to make of the new climate poll
Comments
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JimInhofeHatesPeople Posted 12:28 am
19 May 2008
Help Andrew Rice out?
http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18228
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katakanadian Posted 1:04 am
19 May 2008
* Since poverty prevents many people from taking good care of their local environment, and since the Christian worldview provides a foundation for economic development, support missions work in a developing country, especially organizations that work to improve the living conditions of those in poverty.
Oh yes, let's build them a water pump while we increase drought conditions through climate change.
* Keep your lawn free of trash, especially near the road!
Out of sight, out of mind. No problem here.
* Recycle items like paper, glass and aluminum instead of just throwing them in the trash. Make sure to properly dispose of hazardous items that cannot be recycled.
Recycling is important but too many people think this is enough effort and they don't look any further.
* Donate used clothes and electronics (computers, cell phones, etc.) to charities that can reuse them.
Throwing away good usable stuff is God's work!
* Volunteer to help Habitat for Humanity build housing for the local poor.
One of the few good suggestions on this list.
* Make sure the air filter on your heat pump/air conditioning unit is changed regularly to filter out impurities in the air.
No mention of the efficiency benefit nor any suggestion to simply reduce use of heat/AC.
* Turn off (or just unplug) household items which run on electricity when you do not expect to use them over a long period of days.
But don't bother if you use the stuff daily?
* Treat pets and other animals humanely (Deuteronomy 25:4; 22:6).
How about listing something more useful like telling people to eat less meat, choose pets with smaller carbon footprints, and stop sport hunting? I bet most CAFO owners/workers are already very nice to their pets.
* Visit a National Park, zoo, or nature preserve and experience the wonder of God's creation with your family.
How about bringing the wonder of God's creation into our own neighbourhoods and enacting stronger protection for wilderness?
* Install French drains or barrels to catch rainwater from your gutters, and perform other landscaping to make maximum use of rainwater, lower your use of public drinking water, and protect your neighborhood storm sewers, rivers, lakes, and streams. And, of course, be sure that your sprinkler systems are not watering your driveways and streets!
Just let your lawn go brown in summer or get rid of the lawn and you'll reduce your water use more than all the other steps together.
* Reevaluate the vegetation in your yard - and at your church - to ensure that your plants are suitable for the soils; plant trees and shrubs that prevent erosion, and plant grasses that grow well in your local environment and do not require over-watering. Water conservation is critical to ensuring sufficient water for others who might live downstream, as well as for animals that live in lakes, bays and estuaries.
OK, this does help to address the previous point.
* Make sure your home's insulation conforms to legal standards to maximize heating and cooling efficiency.
Only up to legal standards? I bet most areas have pretty low standards or we wouldn't have a majority of inefficient buildings. I bet Dobson and his ilk would also fight hard against any improved efficiency standards.
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Tasermons Partner Posted 2:18 am
19 May 2008
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Catwoman Posted 4:19 am
19 May 2008
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