Sunday, September 23, 2007

Profits of Doom

This posting is written by a guest blogger.


My frustration has been building for some time, added to by the September 20 Vatican Radio podcast. The climate change fad has found its way into these broadcasts often over the last months. I even sent a letter requesting more balance.

To place things in context, I am a hardcore papist. On the dogma-doctrine-discipline spectrum of orthodoxy, I’d bleed traditionalist violet (or red; I can never remember which band is which). And I think it’s precisely due to this that I find myself so irritated.

The bulk of the global warming issue falls outside of the faith. Rational folks seem to agree that climate change, though maybe not warming, is a certainty. These disagree whether it represents a pattern of any significant duration. If so, they disagree about whether human activity factors in to an appreciable degree. If so, they disagree about whether it is a negative thing all told. If so, they disagree about the best course(s) of action to take.

In spite of this fountain of uncertainty, the broadcast ladies at Vatican Radio’s English branch frequently lecture from their bully pulpit. And many are willing to help. Based on reports of his words, or interpretations of these words, the Holy Father seems to join this train. Even was our German Shepherd a scientist, his words on the science of the issue would be worth no more than those of another. His speciality, his charism, is to strengthen the brethren in the faith. While environmentalism is attaining marks of religion, it ain’t mine.

Some of those who chant environmental doom, at least subconsciously, no doubt do so for what they can gain materially. More, I think but again subconsciously, are attracted to the prestige of being in the know. Pride has always been our greatest struggle. I doubt I am alone in remembering those words of Jesus, “For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26a). Is it too much to imagine that he wanted also to warn that creation should not take the place of the Creator (cf. Romans 1:25).

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home