Does End Time Belief Really Cause Climate Change Apathy?

[cbayer]

http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/atheologies/7144/does_end_time_belief_really_cause_climate_change_apathy/

July 5, 2013
By ROBIN GLOBUS VELDMAN
Robin Globus Veldman is a PhD candidate at the University of Florida in the Religion Department. A Tedder Doctoral Fellow in the Humanities and an NSF-IGERT trainee, her dissertation examines how end time beliefs influence conservative Christians’ attitudes toward the environment and climate change.


Image courtesy The Canary Project: "art and media that deepens understanding of climate change."

End time belief has an almost salacious appeal in America—and not just to the four out of ten Americans who believe that Jesus Christ will return to earth by 2050. At least since the Millerites were laughed off the national stage in 1844, watching prophecy fail has become something of a national pastime. The attitudes of the two groups—heavenly-minded believer and smirking spectator—are well captured in a pair of bumper stickers: “In case of Rapture, this car will be unmanned” and “In case of Rapture, can I have your car?”

But some in the spectator camp hold that America’s remarkably durable “rapture culture” is no laughing matter; that it might, in fact, be a menace to society. At issue is end time believers’ perceived lack of investment in the earth’s future. That is, if they believe Jesus is coming back, do they have any incentive to preserve and protect the environment for future generations?

Many who are concerned about the environment—including prominent figures like Al Gore, E.O. Wilson, and Bill Moyers—argue that for such believers the answer is no.

Although mistrust of end time believers’ earthly intentions has smoldered for decades, a new study about “End Times Theology” has added fuel to the fire. According to the study’s authors, political scientists David Barker and David Bearce, when it comes to climate change, “a belief in the Second Coming reduces the probability of strongly agreeing that the government should take action by more than 12 percent.”

more at link

[get the red out]

1. I think so

Just my opinion.

[cbayer]

2. The author agrees with you but concludes that their overall effect is "modest".

[LostOne4Ever]

3. I think its more of a justification

Than a reason.

They come to their conclusion beforehand and then look for justification that supports their pre-determined belief. But I think that about opponents of alot of social issues like abortion and same sex marriage.

Im not saying there are not people who believe we should not worry about the environment, but that I believe they are probably a much smaller group than the article makes it out to be, and that many of those they interviewed the end of the world is merely a justification for their ideological positions.

[cbayer]

4. You make a good point.

Since the bible and other religious texts are often wide open to interpretation, they can be used to support one's position in many cases. Both GLBT equality advocates and foes can find passages that support their position Same goes for a number of social issues.

[Lordquinton]

5. I read a while back about rapture groups in the Republican party

that believe in things like Jews in Jerusalem and other events that somehow keep getting reinforced through the same people's actions. There is that whole "prepper" movement that is gaining ground, and while the tv shows (sigh...) make it seem like they have some practical idea to it, one look online shows a massive religious underpinning to it.

Could be coincidence, but it's also scary...

[cbayer]

6. I don't know what you mean by Jews in Jerusalem.

The fundamentalists thank they are leaving when the rapture comes. They have nothing to do with preppers. Preppers think the government is going to come after them or there will be some huge natural disaster. Why do you think this is religiously driven?

[Lordquinton]

16. Conditions for the rapture to happen

Jews in Jerusalem is one of them, Preppers are highly religiously motivated, do any online search and you will be overwhelmed with bible quotes, particularly that one quote from Luke about selling your garments and buying a sword. The whole Government thing is because Obama is the Anti-Christ, which is another rapture thing.

It seems like a crazy conspiracy, but these people believe it, and they have good PR.

[cbayer]

17. I see some of what you are talking about.

But I still think it's separate from the rapture. In the rapture, aren't all the "true believers" supposed to disappear? So what would they need to prep for? Do they think something catastrophic is going to happen before the rapture?

I would look more closely, but I find their websites very disturbing.

In one sense, I guess I am a prepper. We are fully prepared to live off the grid for an extended period of time. It's not about the rapture or revelations or doomsday or anything like that. We just like the fact that we can be fully independent at any time.

[bunnies]

7. I just saw a documentary about this.

It was called The Doomsday Code. Its a Channel 4 UK production so its done well. Literally scared the shit out of me. Very frightening stuff. Did you know that something like 58% of Americans believe the apocalypse will happen? Seriously. See the documentary.

[cbayer]

8. Thanks for the recommendation.

Unfortunately not on Netflix.

Where did you see it?

[bunnies]

14. PM'd ya. nt

[hrmjustin]

9. As a person who believes in the second coming, I do believe some people use it as an excuse to...

... do nothing. Some people believe that after Noah God created a covenant with Man and there will be no Flood from God that will wipe out man. Some take this to mean climate change wont happen because God made a promise. The GOP play off this issue so they don't have to do anything about it.

[cbayer]

12. There have also been a number of evangelical congregations who have

adopted the position that they are the caretakers of the earth and who have become very active in environmental issues.

[trotsky]

13. Well there's kind of the problem in a nutshell, huh?

No one can be absolutely certain that they have interpreted scripture correctly. Well, they can be, but then that makes them a fundamentalist.

Different interpretations can pretty much all be justified - thus the inherent problem of basing any kind of policy or law on religious belief.

[hrmjustin]

15. Yes I have seen some cases of that.

[Jim__]

10. The article makes a good point.

Studies that make broad assumptions may get their expected results, but they give little information about how to reach people. For instance:

The study’s main flaw is that it measures attitudes toward climate change using a double-barreled question—one that’s actually comprised of more than a single question. Barker and Bearce asked respondents to state the degree to which they agreed with the following:

Global warming is a problem that requires immediate government action, in order to prevent environmental devastation and catastrophic loss of life for future generations.

The statement actually contains four parts, each of which could elicit a different level of agreement: global warming is a problem; the government should be the institution to address it; action needs to be immediate; and the reasons for acting are to prevent environmental devastation and catastrophic loss of life.

The researchers should know that the question is loaded. I'm not sure what the purpose of their research was; but it doesn't seem to be directed toward convincing people to work against climate change, or to learn how to reach people about the issues surrounding climate change.

[cbayer]

11. Good point. The more variables you put into a question like this,

the more likely you will get a "disagree" answer.