Evangelical Leaders Swing Influence Behind Effort to Combat Global Warming

[rodeodance]

umm....ordinarily, i would welcome this--but.....looking at the major playeres in this--I am skepitcal at the moment (see below)


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/10/national/10evangelical.html?th

March 10, 2005
Evangelical Leaders Swing Influence Behind Effort to Combat Global Warming
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN

A core group of influential evangelical leaders has put its considerable political power behind a cause that has barely registered on the evangelical agenda, fighting global warming.

These church leaders, scientists, writers and heads of international aid agencies argue that global warming is an urgent threat, a cause of poverty and a Christian issue because the Bible mandates stewardship of God's creation.

The Rev. Rich Cizik, vice president of governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals and a significant voice in the debate, said, "I don't think God is going to ask us how he created the earth, but he will ask us what we did with what he created."

The association has scheduled two meetings on Capitol Hill and in the Washington suburbs on Thursday and Friday, where more than 100 leaders will discuss issuing a statement on global warming. The meetings are considered so pivotal that Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, Democrat of Connecticut, and officials of the Bush administration, who are on opposite sides on how to address global warming, will speak.,,,,,,

[Gman]

1. I wonder what Rush will say about these enviro-whackos

They canibalize theirselves at every turn.

[Catfight]

13. LOL...enviro-whackos. That's funny. I thought conservatives were

consuming at such alarming rates to make sure that nothing is left after this generation of bushites. I mean, isn't the world going to end and if not, won't they force it by destroying the planet anyway?

All conservatives are idiots and Rush is their king.

[liberal N proud]

2. Won't happen!

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. They created the problem, so they can fix it.

[QC]

11. Evangelicals cause global warming?

Never heard that one before.

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. Stop being obtuse. They support Bush who supports corporatists

and deregulation that makes our global warming situation worse. The right-wingers were thrilled when Bush backed away from the Kyoto Treaty. And it's not likely that the Evangelicals desire to put the genie back in the bottle is going to matter to the genie.

[CoolOnion]

4. Gee, glad they found the "good steward" part of Christianity

I used that argument in letters during election season against Bush, "Smokey" Joe Barton, and Barton's pal Pete Sessions. All three of those guys claim to be United Methodists, but according to the Social Principles for the United Methodist Church, "God has granted us stewardship of creation. We should meet these stewardship duties through acts of loving care and respect. Economic, political, social, and technological developments have increased our human numbers, lengthened and enriched our lives. However, these developments have led to regional defoliation, dramatic extinction of species, massive human suffering, overpopulation, misuse and over-consumption of natural and nonrenewable resources, particularly by industrialized societies..."

If these guys are going to brag about being Methodist, they should at least read the rule book!

[LizW]

12. When I was a kid the Methodist Church had "Stewardship Sunday"

They had local farmers and park rangers and fishermen, etc. come and talk about what they were doing to conserve soil and water and keep the earth clean according to the stewardship passages of the Bible.

This was back in the 60's. My dad was a farmer, and he spoke occasionally about farming methods that conserved fertile topsoil and water use in farming and subjects like that.

This was a natural and normal part of what the church believed. There was no stigma attached then to being environmentally conscious. It flowed from how we lived our lives and how the church taught that the earth belonged to God and we were just temporary stewards.

Now, you're much more likely to hear religious speakers quoting the verses about how God gave man "dominion" over the earth and all the creatures in it.

[CoolOnion]

18. That's the way I was brought up--good stewardship.

Now, in the Methodist church--the one I go to, anyway, which has articles about such topics as recycling in the church newsletter--some members are rejecting the word "evangelical." We had an intern pastor a couple of years ago, who balked at doing a paper on evangelism for one of her classes. Her professor asked me about it, and stood up for the intern. "We're not evangelicals," I told her. "Evangelicals are 'those' people, not us."

I had seen this particular professor at many peace rallies--she knew what I meant, but explained that evangelism is outreach. Going to peace rallies and serving the homeless is "evangelism," not the kind of ranting "those" people are doing. She said we should take the word back, but in my opinion, it's a lost cause. We need to find some other words, 'cause the right-wingers have ruined that one!

[DrRang]

5. Three way split

I'll take this at face value, and I think it's great. Many U.S. churches have a more progressive national leadership, more conservative local congregations.
Groups seem to break down into three views. The most liberal churches, Episcopalian, Unitarian, Mennonite, etc, have been pushing for environmental sanity for years. Those in the middle, which this group seems to be, are more conservative--they may even think that Bush is God's precious boy--but they're beginning to worry about a completely unsustainable system. Then there are the mouth-breathing, gay-bashing, Armageddonist whack jobs.

[Why Syzygy]

7. Yes there are ...... eom

[bunkerbuster1]

8. Said it before, say it again--the Enviroment is our ultimate wedge issue.

The RW can only scream "evironmental wackos" so long and so loudly. I can't tell you how many times I've discussed these matters with staunch Republicans who might not necessarily call themselves "Environmentalists" but who are dismayed by wreckless development and a loss of hunting/fishing habitats.

[DrRang]

6. Three way split

I'll take this at face value, and I think it's great. Many U.S. churches have a more progressive national leadership, more conservative local congregations.
Groups seem to break down into three views. The most liberal churches, Episcopalian, Unitarian, Mennonite, etc, have been pushing for environmental sanity for years. Those in the middle, which this group seems to be, are more conservative--they may even think that Bush is God's precious boy--but they're beginning to worry about a completely unsustainable system. Then there are the mouth-breathing, gay-bashing, Armageddonist whack jobs.

[bunkerbuster1]

9. BTW, "Evangelical" is NOT equal to "Fundamentalist"

Not even close. Let's not forget that.

[Bridget Burke]

15. All "Fundamentalists" are not the enemy, either.

Some just want to follow their faith & be left alone. The recent move to politicize religion (& religion-ize) politics is something else again.

Here's the group's website: www.nae.net/

They seem pretty conservative to me--but it's old-style conservatism. The type that realizes "conservation" comes from the same root.

[bunkerbuster1]

17. True dat.

I should probably banish the word "fundie" from my teensy list of Approved Slurs. But writing "Hezbollah" takes so much longer.

[rodeodance]

19. yes, you are right

[GOPBasher]

10. Whoa!!!!! That's really cool!

Surprising, but quite a pleasent surprise. :-)

[Mountainman]

14. Now if we can get them to care about people too. Things like jobs

and health care and education and world peace, maybe we could build a coalition to defeat the neocons.

This could begin to be the start of the neocons fall from power.

Christian Dems and Christian Repubs working together?