Climate Science and Evangelical Christians (the debate)
Evangelical Christians are often labelled as the ‘ones that vote for Trump and don’t believe in climate science’. But if you look up what an evangelical Christian is, it’s someone who believes in the complete word of God, which if you read the Bible, basically tells us to look after the planet and all its creatures.
So what Bible they are reading, is anyone’s guess.
Of course, there are really serious issues here. We have issues with many ‘Christians in England’ who seem to think that drilling for oil, building over natural habitats and releasing farm chemicals, is all okay (even if it destroys our land and native species). But so far, most of them don’t do it because ‘God is telling them to’, which kind of happens in the USA (Jesus Christ was actually Middle Eastern).
And denying climate science to ‘drill, baby, drill’ could have consequences not only in other countries, but worldwide. It’s ironic that Trump wants to buy the very country (Greenland) that has melting ice caps, often due to the oil-drilling countries, of which he is so supportive.
And if the ice caps melt, we’re all in deep deep trouble. We will have more floods and freak weather, less food (so there will be more ‘boat migrants’ fleeing to us) and polar bears will go extinct.
This wasn’t part of God’s plan, was it?
Of course, there are some ‘true Christians’ who do indeed care for our planet. But you’re less likely to find them on pulpits, or celebrated by the media.
Reverend Sue Parfitt (eco-friendly Christian!)
Sue Parfitt is a former social worker, who has lost count of the times she has been arrested, for standing up for the planet. Now over 80, she’s a member of Christian Climate Action and says that sometimes she has so many pending court cases, she gets muddled up about which is when!
Inspired by Jesus (who she says ‘broke the law all the time’), her recent peaceful actions include travelling the country with her crucifix and walking stick to protest policy, she even chained herself to the underside of a lorry!
We’re told by the scientists that even to slow the climate emergency down, to stop global warming by a fraction of a degree, will save millions of lives and huge amounts of suffering. That’s worth doing, isn’t it? Sue Parfitt
She has not yet caught up with Catholic Father John Dear in the USA, who has been arrested over 70 times for protesting against environmental harm, animal abuse and nuclear weapons.
Back in Sussex, Father Terry Martin is also ruffling feathers, as a major campaigner for animal welfare (and asking Pope Leo to denounce bullfighting which he won’t, due to many Catholic countries supporting the Vatican).
Vatican City even takes around 30,000 Euros in rent from a branch of McDonald’s, something that has appalled many of the Cardinals and Bishops.
Why Won’t Christian MPs Listen to Science?
Ofcom has recently come under fire, for refusing to investigate an interview that GB News did with President Trump, when he dismissed climate science as ‘fake’. It’s not (97% of climate scientists say it’s human-induced, the others are mostly funded by the oil industry).
The channel recently interviewed Reform UK’s ‘climate expert’, who has not published any research papers, her views not on a par with climate scientists.
The campaign site 38 Degrees has a petition for Ofcom to change its minds, as it’s so important for correct unbiased information to be presented to people who will be affected by climate change.
The GB News interview with President Trump was the most blatant example of a British media organisation collaborating with the Trump administration, to undermine British democracy with this misinformation. Bob Ward (Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment)
Scientists’ best estimate is that roughly 100% of warming since the mid-20th Century is caused by human activity. The main producers of greenhouse gases are electricity generation and transport. If humans weren’t around, the climate would be cooling slightly. We need to stop burning fossil fuels and transition to renewable energy. Dr John Cook
Why Are Christian MPs Destroying the Planet?
It’s strange. Those of us who believe in some kind of God would wonder why they aren’t (a bit like ageing dictators) a teeny weeny bit scared about ‘what comes next’, if they are peddling policy to kill the planet and all who live in it, by not listening to climate science.
Research that has delved into why it’s right-wing evangelical Christians that give out wrong information is due to:
- End-Times Theology (basically, they believe ‘Jesus is coming back to save us’, so they turn a blind eye to environmental issues).
- They confuse ‘dominion’ with ‘do what you like’. But of course we have ‘dominion’ over babies and animals, it doesn’t mean that we destroy them.
- Political Tribalism (this is the most common, with right-wing politicians believing that they have to have a set different policy from ‘the radical left’ that tends to care more about the planet’).
The upshot of course is this mad point: that the planet may actually cave and ‘all God’s children’ will die – simply because those who say they are ‘proper Christians’ will be making the policies that destroy it. What would Jesus say? He won’t be best please with them, that’s for sure.
But don’t lose hope, many Christians care deeply about our planet:
- English priest Luke Larner used to be a climate science denier. A former bricklayer, he then read up all the facts for himself, and now campaigns for climate protection (and social justice).
- Yorkshire’s Stanbrook Abbey has solar panels, rainwater harvesting and a sedum (living) roof. Green Sisters is a wonderful book about ‘eco-nuns’ who drive around in electric cars, and replace manicured gardens to grow free food for parishioners. The best line comes from Mother Superior ‘anyone who saw the Divine in a potato, could never turn it into Pringles!’
- Sr Dorothy Stang was an American nun, who lived with tribes in the South American forest, campaigning to keep their homes from loggers. She was murdered by two men, praying for their forgiveness as she died.
We Need Young Christian Environmentalists!
The good news is that most young Christians do believe in climate change, and are willing to do something about it. Many are worried about the rise of Reform UK, due to its (very low priority) on environmental policies. Ironically, this could not only lead to oil spills, floods and wildfires- but more ‘climate refugees’ arriving on boats from abroad. They would make the problem worse!
Something does need to be done about illegal migrants. But you can’t just ‘send them back on boats’ as it’s against international law to let a child die in the sea. And unless they are going to be ‘talking to the Taliban’, its policy of ‘dealing direct with countries the migrants come from’ is not going to work.
What is needed are stronger labour laws (so migrants don’t arrive to work in nail bars and car washes’) and to find solutions with those who know what the issues are, not just leave it to MPs.
Let young voices shape the future of green communities, making sure climate science wins out over out-dated, political data. Join your tribe!
A YouGov study found 25% of under-30s said they would never vote Labour. In the year since the general election, Labour has gone from dominating youth vote, to being a three-way race with Greens and Lib Dems. Reform (despite the headlines) isn’t even close. University of Exeter
The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it. The world, and those who live in it. Psalm 24:1
