Have you ever asked why the Religious Right doesn’t believe in global warming? I mean, we all understand why all kinds of big business shun the idea of global warming, but why the religious right? It is because they want to scratch the back of the politicians who try to outlaw abortion? Could it be that they are just mindless sheep following the direction of the puppets behind the pulpits? Or could it be that Global Warming is a direct assault on their belief in the existence of an all-powerful God? Bingo!!!!!
That has to be it, right?!? I mean, how can God be all-knowing and all-powerful and not be in control of the environment. Heck, God probably made that blizzard during the global warming conference last winter just to prove a point. If all of us heathens would just believe in God then we wouldn’t have to be terrified that the oceans were going to rise and wipe out California. Wait, maybe God wants to wipe out all those queers in San Francisco and those sinners in LA (maybe we shouldn’tforget the Mexicans in San Diego too).
Granted, I am painting with a wide brush here. I don’t really believe that the reaction to global warming is such a cut-and-dry issue for conservative ideologues. The correlation between Christianity and global warming is much more subtle and much less funny.
First, I should state my belief in God as clear as I can. I believe in omni-presence but not omnipotence. God is everywhere. You are God and I am God. I believe we are all one and that there is more than just us. So, I believe that God is everywhere. All-powerful is another story. I don’t believe in pre-destination or pre-determination. I don’t believe in an after-life consisting of heaven and hell with a great decider sitting with some friends making a decisionon a case-by-case basis. (That is an oversimplified version, but I could talk about metaphysics for days)
So, what are the consequences of believing in an all-powerful God? As far as I can tell it erodes the feeling of personal responsibility. External consequences and intermediation are excluded from possibility when "everything happens for a reason". Sure, you know that you were giving personal will from God, but that doesn’t mean you are actually powerful enough to effect the world around you. Even on mission trips you are only able to effect others when you are able to allow God to workthrough you. At then end of the day all the actual change making was done by God. You are just a little powerless human.
Matters are compounded with the belief of reserved eschatology. With the belief that you have already reserved your place in heaven (by taking the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart), you no longer are to be held accountable for your own actions. Not even by yourself. I mean, isn’t that what ‘grace’ is for? You can beat your wife or get blow jobs from a male prostitute in a hotel in Colorado, but you are still going to heaven. Afterall, you love Jesus.
The funny thing is that I initially thought existentialism led down a path of selfishness and carelessness. When I really stop to think about it, the lack of an all-powerful God to take care of you and bail your ass out means that you have to take great care to be conscious of you decisions and the chain reaction of consequences. Sure, you can never know the full effect of your actions, but every once in a while you get a glimpse into the severity of your indiscretions and you feel compelled to act(or at least act differently in the future). No wonder ‘existential depression’ often follows reading Neitzche and Sartre. Hell, without an omnipotent God the weight of the whole world is on your shoulders.
It is when you are certain that the world is ordered and in control, "even if it doesn’t seem to make sense right now", that you become incapable of seeing the importance of doing what’s right. Things like global warming smack your belief in the face. Really it is similar to someone close to you dying. You are forced to ask God, "Why would you do this to us". Sometimes, the silence is so deafening that you can only lash out. I understand. I have done that too. The thing is, we need you. God needs you, to help turn this thing around. You don’t have to do it for me or for my kids. Do it for Jesus. The time is now. We can do this together.
Note: It is not my intention to be condemning of Christianity or all Christians.
