Click to read Notable Signers of “An Evangelical Declaration On Global Warming”
As governments consider policies to fight alleged man-made global warming, evangelical leaders have a responsibility to be well informed, and then to speak out. A Renewed Call to Truth, Prudence, and Protection of the Poor: An Evangelical Examination of the Theology, Science, and Economics of Global Warming demonstrates that many of these proposed policies would destroy jobs and impose trillions of dollars in costs to achieve no net benefits. They could be implemented only by enormous and dangerous expansion of government control over private life. Worst of all, by raising energy prices and hindering economic development, they would slow or stop the rise of the world’s poor out of poverty and so condemn millions to premature death.
- We believe Earth and its ecosystems—created by God’s intelligent design and infinite power and sustained by His faithful providence —are robust, resilient, self-regulating, and self-correcting, admirably suited for human flourishing, and displaying His glory. Earth’s climate system is no exception. Recent global warming is one of many natural cycles of warming and cooling in geologic history.
- We believe abundant, affordable energy is indispensable to human flourishing, particularly to societies which are rising out of abject poverty and the high rates of disease and premature death that accompany it. With present technologies, fossil and nuclear fuels are indispensable if energy is to be abundant and affordable.
- We believe mandatory reductions in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, achievable mainly by greatly reduced use of fossil fuels, will greatly increase the price of energy and harm economies.
- We believe such policies will harm the poor more than others because the poor spend a higher percentage of their income on energy and desperately need economic growth to rise out of poverty and overcome its miseries.
- We deny that Earth and its ecosystems are the fragile and unstable products of chance, and particularly that Earth’s climate system is vulnerable to dangerous alteration because of minuscule changes in atmospheric chemistry. Recent warming was neither abnormally large nor abnormally rapid. There is no convincing scientific evidence that human contribution to greenhouse gases is causing dangerous global warming.
- We deny that alternative, renewable fuels can, with present or near-term technology, replace fossil and nuclear fuels, either wholly or in significant part, to provide the abundant, affordable energy necessary to sustain prosperous economies or overcome poverty.
- We deny that carbon dioxide—essential to all plant growth—is a pollutant. Reducing greenhouse gases cannot achieve significant reductions in future global temperatures, and the costs of the policies would far exceed the benefits.
- We deny that such policies, which amount to a regressive tax, comply with the Biblical requirement of protecting the poor from harm and oppression.
In light of these facts,
- We call on our fellow Christians to practice creation stewardship out of Biblical conviction, adoration for our Creator, and love for our fellow man—especially the poor.
- We call on Christian leaders to understand the truth about climate change and embrace Biblical thinking, sound science, and careful economic analysis in creation stewardship.
- We call on political leaders to adopt policies that protect human liberty, make energy more affordable, and free the poor to rise out of poverty, while abandoning fruitless, indeed harmful policies to control global temperature.
While our signatures express our endorsement only of this Declaration and do not imply agreement with every point in A Renewed Call to Truth, we believe that document provides ample justification for it. We call on scholars and experts to join us in signing this Evangelical Declaration on Global Warming.
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Once the Earth was flat.
Once the Earth was the center of the Solar System.
Once the Earth was “admirably suited for human flourishing, and displaying His glory.…“
Now, it looks like man is warming it up.
“… let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth,….” (Genesis 1.26)
Wingnuts. Plain and simple. God gave Man dominion over the Earth. “synonyms: supremacy, ascendancy, dominance, domination, superiority, predominance, preeminence, hegemony, authority, mastery, control, command, power, sway, rule, government, jurisdiction, sovereignty,”
Do you see anywhere in the synonyms for Dominion that include, Waste, destroy, loot, sack, ruin, soil, pollute, spoil or make uninhabitable? I doubt the Creators intent when giving man control of the Earth was for us to take a precious gift and like irresponsible children ruin if for our own short term pleasure. Dominion implies responsibility. In simple words, don’t excrete in the bowl from which you eat.
Well done, sir.
You modern-day “Trump Christians” are the most disgusting of the slime. Of course it is you people who chose to accept the multiple translations of Genesis to instead of saying “stewardship of the earth” to “subdue the earth” or “have dominion over the earth”. And of course “dominion” means to exploit and destroy.
Of course, it is you people who choose to ignore Jesus’s teachings of giving up your earthly possessions, to not pursue earthly treasures. It is you people who instead of heeding the Bible’s warning of not loving money, use your pursuit of the almighty dollar as your primary excuse to destroy God’s creations.
Of course it is you fake Christians who claim that we don’t have to behave in a responsible way. Just act like spoiled children. Sin sin sin! God will forgive. God will take care of everything. That is NOT what the Bible teaches. The Bible does not say to take advantage of God’s grace. We are not to test the Lord. We are not to waive our hands of any responsibility our actions have.
And again, what is the real reason all these people are making excuses not to take better care of the planet? Money. No one truly thinks mining is wonderful. No one truly thinks blowing the tops off mountains is a beautiful thing. No one thinks oil spills are healthy. No one really thinks the disappearance of all the wondrous biodiversity on this planet is great. But, just so you don’t have to change., just so you don’t have to lose a dime, you will kill God’s creations and pretend he wanted you to do it.
Sounds like we found where Satan is hiding to me. In today’s churches.
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This declaration notes that:
“Recent global warming is one of many natural cycles of warming and cooling in geologic history.”
And the declaration was signed by Dr. Roy Spencer:
“Roy W. Spencer”
https://cornwallalliance.org/signers-of-an-evangelical-declaration-on-global-warming/
But Dr. Spencer now attributes much of the recent global warming to human activity:
– 2019: “In the ensuing 10 years, I now would probably say my “best guess” is that more than half of warming since the 1950s was human-caused (consistent with the IPCC AR5).”
https://web.archive.org/web/20191220180811/https://www.drroyspencer.com/2019/01/uah-global-temperature-update-for-december-2018-0-25-deg-c/#comment-336247
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29QDGEJC1fg&t=1117s
Let’s begin with the fact that E. Calvin Beisner, the Cornwall Alliance’s founder and leading spokesman, was never trained as a scientist. His academic background is in theology, ethics, and history–NOT the natural sciences. While theology, ethics, and history are interesting subjects, Beisner’s background does not qualify him to speak or represent himself as a climate expert in any legitimate way.
So let’s take a look at The Cornwall Alliance’s two leading scientists– Roy Spencer, a meteorologist and and principal research scientist at the University of Alabama, and David Legates, a professor of Geography and ex-director of the Center for Climatic Research at the University of Delaware. Although both have scientific credentials, their work and public statements has been frequently criticized by the scientific community for (a) misrepresenting data and (b) ignoring the broader body of climate science.
As a result, neither Spencer nor Legates are held in high esteem by the mainstream scientific community. Both are well-known for publicly denying or downplaying the scientific consensus on anthropogenic global warming, which is at odds with the VAST MAJORITY of PEER-REVIEWED research. Don’t take my word for it, however, a simple Google search will quickly shed light on the deeply suspect work coming from both. Spencer has repeatedly been called out for misinterpreting data from his own satellite temperature record, as well as his ties to conservative, fossil fuel-funded think tanks. His work has been heavily criticized by reputable mainstream climate scientists. Legates has a long history of misrepresenting climate science, which has drawn significant rebuke from his scientific peers. Both men are considered “on the fringe” among the climate science community and their views on climate change, as well as the reliability of their methodologies have been widely challenged and rejected by the overwhelming scientific consensus.
It would be quite revealing to find out where the Alliance’s major funding comes from, but they do not publicly disclose its major financial contributors, a fact which itself should raise some eyebrows. Although the group officially states that the “vast majority” of its donations come from private individuals (and claims to have never received a “penny” from major oil, gas, or coal corporations), this is sleight-of-hand. Its major funding comes indirectly from the anonymous donor group, Donors Trust, which has ties to foundations associated with the Koch brothers and fossil fuel interests.
All of the above is easily verifiable using trusted public sources of information.
Do not be fooled by the rhetoric coming out of the Cornwall Alliance (“to enhance the fruitfulness, beauty, and safety of the Earth to the glory of God,” blah blah). This organization and the men behind it are shills for corporate/fossil fuel interests, as well as far-right political strategists. Pure and simple.
(1.) Argumentum ad hominem is a logical fallacy. Instead of attacking the person, try focusing on specific facts and logical inferences. (2) Appeal to consensus or majority, which is argumentum ad populum, is a logical fallacy. Instead of counting noses, try focusing on specific facts and logical inferences. (3) Neither Dr. Legates nor Dr. Spencer has been funded by fossil fuel interests. Dr. Spencer is paid his salary by the University of Alabama at Huntsville, and federal and state grants have been the major funding sources for his research. Dr. Legates was paid his salary by the University of Delaware until his retirement. (4) The Cornwall Alliance receives no significant income from any fossil fuel (or other corporations). Its funding over the years has come from thousands of private persons. (5) Judging someone based on source of funding is the logical fallacy of ad hominem circumstantial–Smith has something to gain from concluding such-and-such, therefore his conclusion is to be rejected. Try that when you oncologist diagnoses your cancer. And again, see (4).