Monday, March 10, 2008

First Church of the Weather

From the recent climate change statement by some Southern Baptist leaders (see here), the key line is:

Our cautious response to these issues in the face of mounting evidence may be seen by the world as uncaring, reckless and ill-informed.

This thing is an attempt to shape public perception of Southern Baptists more than anything else. Just my opinion.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let the ecumenical march continue.

For the record, I don't think many of the men who signed that nonsense even have a clue what they signed. They did it, probably, as a favor to a certain friend who's son happens to be spearheading this stupidity.

No slam on them, I just think they're sadly misinformed.

Doug (who thinks the global warming scare of Algore and his amigos is a bunch of garbage) from Memphis.

R. L. Vaughn said...

Interesting that you mention this may be "an attempt to shape public perception of Southern Baptists.."

A friend who saw this e-mailed his perception, writing that the SBC has "been suckered by many things, and now this..."

Attempts to shape public perception are always a two-edged sword.

Bart Barber said...

Anonymous,

These folks are not ecumenists (at least, not all of them). The influence of friendship may have been a factor, as you suggest. As you say, no slam on them.

I'm merely speculating that the primary reason is a desire "to shape public perception" (to steal R. L.'s words).


R. L.,

As you appear to be, I am not optimistic that this move will be successful in securing climate change.

Bart Barber said...

To all:

Media reports have pitted this statement at odds with the resolution adopted at this year's SBC annual meeting. I'm not so sure that the two statements cannot be reconciled. I don't think that the denominational employees who have endorsed this later statement would knowingly and willfully take a stand in public opposition to the expressed will of the convention.

R. Grannemann said...

Doug,

CO2 lets short wavelength radiation from the sun pass through and reflects re-radiated longer wavelength radiation from the earth, so the increase of CO2 in the earth's atmosphere does increase the temperature of the earth TO SOME DEGREE. No one really knows FOR SURE if increased levels of CO2 are what is responsible for the measurable increase in average earth temperatures. So why are you so dogmatic about it? And what in the world could climate change have to do the ecumenism?

Bart,

Surely you don't believe the signers of the climate change statement could ever be considered bad Southern Baptists just because they might happen to disagree with a vote of SBC messengers on climate change.

Bob Cleveland said...

Whatever's behind it, it made the 5pm News here, with a somewhat sarcastic tag line along the lines of their last pronouncement being against the same thing.

Dave Miller said...

I just wish someone would do some unbiased research. It seems like radical-environmentalists do research and find one thing and then scientists who reject global warming do research that says the opposite.

We accept the science that buttresses our viewpoint.

This preacher does not have enough legal knowledge to sort out the Klouda case. Even more so, i don't have the science knowledge to sort out Global Warming.

Tim G said...

Hot off the Baptist Press - the scoop is now out:

http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=27582

Ron Phillips, Sr. said...

Dave,

I'm with you on this. I think this is something that does bear closer scrutiny. But when politics and money are driving the research, as well as a near religious zeal, it makes me wonder how much of it is motivated by things other than the truth.

Ron P.

Anonymous said...

"In the lecture, he said, my professor made the statement that when we destroy creation, which is God's revelation, it is no different than tearing a page out of the Bible. At that moment, God began to work in my heart and call me to do something."

The "destroy creation" part got my attention.

Me thinks his prof needs to go hug a tree.

Does this also stand for deer hunting, fishing, etc. as well?

Doug in Memphis

volfan007 said...

doug,

how mean and cruel of you to shoot bambi!!! how can you shoot, skin, and roast thumper? oh my. :)

david

Anonymous said...

Was anyone else troubled by this line?
"my professor made the statement that when we destroy creation, which is God's revelation, it is no different than tearing a page out of the Bible."

Anonymous said...

Just for fun, here is a link to a climatologists report in Canada who predicted a very cold winter in Canada - and was right!

http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/326718

For the record, I am a semi green - I use florescent light bulbs, recycle, dont litter and try to take care of the environment around me. I am a sportsman, and especially enjoy fishing. I get really angry when I see poluted waters etc.

My personal feeling is that global warming is more related to sun spot activity than mans activity. Sun spots had been very active for the past few years - and were much less so this year

Bart - this link is from insideautomotive.com This site is managed by Ed Wallace who has the car show on 570 KLIF on saturday mornings in the DFW area - great show

Jimn Champion

Anonymous said...

http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/326718

lets try that link one more time - and the website for ed wallace is http://www.insideautomotive.com/

Bart Barber said...

Thanks to all for the discussion. I'm birthing another post on this topic. Feel free to hop on over there.

Dave Miller said...

Bart,

Was the birthing process painful?

Bart Barber said...

Dave,

Roughly equivalent to pulling your lower lip over your head. :-)

Anonymous said...

Jim, I'm so glad you added what you think is the reason for global changes. I was sitting here speculating and thought it might be because of all our invisible cyber links. Who knows what all this magnetic, electrical impulses is doing to the environment. Look what happens when you have a cold room and fill it up with a bunch of people. All the hot air and body-heat warms it up lickety-split.
I told a pastor friend of mine, years ago that all these computer connections are like rubberbands inside a golfball. One of these days someone is going to click on and we're all gonna explode. :) I hope you know I am kidding.

I rather like your sunspot conclusion. And I'm not joking with that. selahV

R. L. Vaughn said...

Bart, I'm not sure I understand your comment, "As you appear to be, I am not optimistic that this move will be successful in securing climate change." I think it went over my head somewhere. ;-)

I mainly just meant (but did not communicate well) that the climate change statement can be perceived positively by some and negatively by others.

As to my own opinion of global warming/climate change, I think it is mainly cyclical (as opposed to the opinion of doomsayers like Al Gore).