Climate Change Generates Near-Religious Fervor
Climate Change Generates Near-Religious Fervor
Feb 8, 2008,
By Chad Vander Veen
With so much chatter focused on green technology, has this infatuation evolved into something akin to a religious movement?
The world's major religions have more in common than their respective followers would prefer to admit. Typically each maintains an elaborate dogma that dictates believers act a certain way and engage in traditional rituals. Most religions also warn of some world-ending cataclysm that can be avoided only by strict adherence to religious principles. Critics of religion often compare these true believers to sheep, blindly following a leader out of willful ignorance.
Today green technology is part of a movement that's winning millions of converts, many of whom would count themselves among the critics of traditional religion. This new belief system used to be called Global Warming, though its disciples now prefer Climate Change as the more accurate term. And woe unto he who neglecteth the tenets of Climate Change, for surely he will bring upon us the End Times.
Many who oppose religion do so based on science, a perfectly valid position to take. Ironically the science - or dogma if you wish - that drives the Climate Change movement is anything but agreed upon. Yet Climate Change believers are often so passionate about their "religion" that if you are in their numbers, you're probably seething right now - even before discerning the position I take.
Clearly finding renewable energy sources, deploying Earth-friendly technology and discouraging pollution are sensible goals regardless of whether manmade climate change is real. And even the staunchest Climate Change opponent might admit global temperatures are on the rise. The debate is what role, if any, man plays in contributing to this warming.
Both history and science tell us conclusively that the Earth's mean temperature is in perpetual flux. But just as Christianity teaches the sinful nature of man will be his undoing, so Climate Change tells us man's mistreatment of the environment will spell our doom.
The Climate Change clergy demands we live to as-yet undefined green standards, lest we create a global catastrophe. Many believers in manmade climate change are quick to mock religious beliefs as baseless superstitions; they also bristle at any suggestion that their own beliefs are debatable. But like other religions, there's no irrefutable proof that Climate Change is true. Correlation doesn't equal causation, after all.
Traditional religions have been blamed, often deservedly, for countless atrocities. But these religions also have done incalculable good. Likewise, the religion of Climate Change can do great works for the planet. But to the objective observer, simmering under the Climate Change movement is a palpable sense that a modern-day, politically correct inquisition is at hand.
One other tenet most religions share is that followers do unto others as they would have done unto them. Let's pray those who believe we are responsible for climate change keep that in mind.
http://tinyurl.com/22223x
Feb 8, 2008,
By Chad Vander Veen
With so much chatter focused on green technology, has this infatuation evolved into something akin to a religious movement?
The world's major religions have more in common than their respective followers would prefer to admit. Typically each maintains an elaborate dogma that dictates believers act a certain way and engage in traditional rituals. Most religions also warn of some world-ending cataclysm that can be avoided only by strict adherence to religious principles. Critics of religion often compare these true believers to sheep, blindly following a leader out of willful ignorance.
Today green technology is part of a movement that's winning millions of converts, many of whom would count themselves among the critics of traditional religion. This new belief system used to be called Global Warming, though its disciples now prefer Climate Change as the more accurate term. And woe unto he who neglecteth the tenets of Climate Change, for surely he will bring upon us the End Times.
Many who oppose religion do so based on science, a perfectly valid position to take. Ironically the science - or dogma if you wish - that drives the Climate Change movement is anything but agreed upon. Yet Climate Change believers are often so passionate about their "religion" that if you are in their numbers, you're probably seething right now - even before discerning the position I take.
Clearly finding renewable energy sources, deploying Earth-friendly technology and discouraging pollution are sensible goals regardless of whether manmade climate change is real. And even the staunchest Climate Change opponent might admit global temperatures are on the rise. The debate is what role, if any, man plays in contributing to this warming.
Both history and science tell us conclusively that the Earth's mean temperature is in perpetual flux. But just as Christianity teaches the sinful nature of man will be his undoing, so Climate Change tells us man's mistreatment of the environment will spell our doom.
The Climate Change clergy demands we live to as-yet undefined green standards, lest we create a global catastrophe. Many believers in manmade climate change are quick to mock religious beliefs as baseless superstitions; they also bristle at any suggestion that their own beliefs are debatable. But like other religions, there's no irrefutable proof that Climate Change is true. Correlation doesn't equal causation, after all.
Traditional religions have been blamed, often deservedly, for countless atrocities. But these religions also have done incalculable good. Likewise, the religion of Climate Change can do great works for the planet. But to the objective observer, simmering under the Climate Change movement is a palpable sense that a modern-day, politically correct inquisition is at hand.
One other tenet most religions share is that followers do unto others as they would have done unto them. Let's pray those who believe we are responsible for climate change keep that in mind.
http://tinyurl.com/22223x
bin66 - 11. Feb, 00:11
