I grew up in places with a lot of room to play. At one house we had woods in the backyard that led to a dammed up creek. We tied a rope to one of the trees and jumped from a ledge, catching onto the rope, letting go at just the right moment to land right in the middle of the pond.
I remember one night my family and I went to a campsite and it was well past dark when we arrived. All 10 of us piled out of the van. My brothers, dad and I set up camp, and went to sleep for the night. The next morning, a ranger came and told us to move. It turns out that we pitched our tent on the gravel road.
We later moved to Montana where I felt like I had land to run and run. I spent hours hiking in the mountains as a boy scout, making sure to keep the area, "cleaner than I found it" - my dad's mantra.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as with most religious traditions, a culture of environmental awareness and stewardship is preached and understood. In many Sunday School lessons (found here, here, here, etc.), we learn about how we need to be wise stewards of our Earth. The mantra my father taught me when I was young, and what I learned as a boy scout, points to the fact that we should care for Mother Earth – as we all rely on her bounty. Just as Adam and Eve were tasked to care for the Garden, so too are we asked to be careful stewards of our temporal home.
It seems like the Republican Party has come a long way from Theodore Roosevelt and his National Parks initiative. Instead of increasing the size of these beautifully preserved areas, Republicans are trying to shrink them; and to what end? So we can continue to give companies leases to ravage our planet? Is the consumption of oil and other natural resources worth such a price?
Roosevelt spoke in such respect for our land, "Of all the questions which can come before this nation, short of the actual preservation of its existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us."
With a real and present danger lurking in the next 20 years from the fallout of climate change, it would seem like a sense of urgency would be etched into the heart of every person – especially every Latter-day Saint, who has been taught we need to be good stewards of the planet.
Unfortunately, I’ve found this sense of urgency does not seem to exist for many Republican members of the church. When I bring up climate change among Republican friends who are members of the church, I am met with a litany of excuses for not doing anything. Mostly I hear these two arguments:
- "Climate change doesn’t exist."
- This excuse is repeated, despite near scientific consensus on the issue.
- "It does exist, but it’s a natural cycle; mankind has nothing to do with it."
- This excuse is also repeated with certainty; as if emitting billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year would have no effect whatsoever.
We have known about climate change since the late 1970s. At the same time, there was also a large and growing hole in our ozone layer because of the use of CFCs and other harmful-to-ozone chemicals. An international agreement was reached, Congress worked with President Reagan and these harmful chemicals were banned. The ozone holes caused by these harmful chemicals have finally started healing.
Shortly after this environmental initiative was instituted, climate change was brought to the fore. John Sununu, Bush Sr.’s chief of staff, derided the science and threw up roadblocks for those wanting stronger regulation. Consequently, emissions-reducing initiatives never took off during Bush Sr.’s presidency. This was arguably the best time to get something done around the issue because Republicans and Democrats were working together on environmental issues. After the Reagan presidency, oil companies began producing propaganda and lobbying legislators to begin doubting the science.
By the time President Clinton came around it had become a political issue, not a human one. The Republican congress would never allow legislation to curtail the effects of climate change.
The paramount question seems to be, "Do we save Earth, or do we save our systems built on oil?" Such a question is ridiculous when one realizes that without Earth, we have no home, we have no systems, we have nothing; indeed we are nothing.
It is time for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to realize our environmental legacy, given to us by our parents in the Garden, to preserve and nurture this beautiful Earth that we call home.
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If anything is justified, it’s taking down the system that’s responsible for destroying life on this planet. When our Founders signed the Declaration of Independence, they did the same thing. When governments fail, it’s the right of the people to abolish that government. Regardless, it’s going to collapse on its own because it’s unsustainable.
If you want to continue living in a lie, I really don’t have anything further to say to you at this time. If you want to take the red pill, give me a call.
I haven’t responded in awhile because I thought maybe Justin could cool off a little. I love his response. I have to wonder how my " lazy and hateful ignorance" is somehow killing people? I guess the dehumanization and name calling of someone that doesn’t believe like you is part of the progressive way. It’s allows justification of violence. It is ridiculous that we cannot have a debate about something without resorting to name calling but I should have known better. I never said that I hated any of the people that were mentioned. It does become quite apparent that the hate is on the left side of the aisle.
To answer your questions.
The grape question can be answered in a couple of ways.
1. It is only relevant if grapes have never grown in England. They have.
2. It is an anecdotal question. It doesn’t give me enough data. Grapes could be growing better for a number of reasons. Better farming techniques, hybridization etc.
Your second question. About Co2 in the atmosphere.
1. Co2 is fertilizer. It has shown a positive effects on farming. There is many benefits of rising Co2. Too numerous to go into here. But suffice it to say that I land on the side of science that believes that a little increase in Co2 is not going to bring the end of the earth as we know it.
1. Why can they grow grapes in England now, if the Earth is not warming?
2. Do you think that emitting billions of tons of Co2 into the atmosphere is having no effect?
I know you want to believe that I am living in a fantasy about the government interfering in my life. But it is not a fantasy. Also your statement that the people have rights is worrisome. What rights? We have the bill of rights and God given rights so what rights are you talking about? The right to take whatever they want. The rights to someone else’s labor.The real problem with socialism is that it codifies the tenth commandment. If one group covets what others have they can take it. Whether it’s with a vote or with a gun the eventual outcome is the same, the eventual destruction of the civil society. Just like what is going on in Venezuela.
I can guarantee that I am not angry. The real anger comes from the progressive left. Bernie Sanders Supporter shooting up a GOP baseball team. Madonna thought about blowing up the White House just because Trump won. Ashley Judd calling us Nazi’s. Kathy Griffin beheading Trump in effigy. Threats to 15 year old children because of lies. CNN pundits pontificating on how Trump associates could get raped in prison, thinking that it might be a good thing. Here is a tweet by someone convinced that the world is coming to an end. “Not condoning violence, but let’s have some perspective here. Deniers are trying to kill 7+billion people so if a few of you have to be taken out to save the rest of us you’ll have no one to blame but yourselves. I’ll certainly shed no tears, the future of humanity is at stake.” Wow he actually thinks that anyone who doesn’t believe like him wants to kill 7+ billion. Twitter was fine with his tweet by the way. Hillary calling us the basket of deplorables. Louis Farrakhan good friend of Barack Obama and democrats alike. He’s not a hater. He only flies to Iran and chants death to America. Thinks Hitler was good guy. I guess he loves Jews as well. I wonder why the media hid the picture of Barack with him while he was president. I guess Barack agrees with good old Louis X because he flies pallets of cash into Iran and releases billions so they can keep killing. Lois Lerner using her position in the IRS to destroy conservatives. You are living in some sort of fantasy to think that any sane person would want to give any kind of power to these people. The very people that believe that the ends justify the means and have a blatant disregard for the law. I just wonder how many eggs you think need to be broken to make the New Green omelet?
Look, I don’t blame you. I was once in your shoes. I was privy to different information than I am now. I’m sure that’s the case with you. But let me ask you, will you take the medicines doctors prescribe you for cancer, even though they can’t predict exact timelines and are often wrong about them? I bet you will.
The green energy economy may be worth 90 trillion dollars. If it is it will not require taxes and one world socialist government agreements and carbon credit trading to get it rolling. Nothing is stopping it from beating the socks off of fossil fuels. That is what capitalism is all about. When personal computers were taking off the economy expanded on its own. When smart phone appeared on the scene the same thing. The government didn’t have to subsidize. When the green economy appeared we have had nothing but top down lies, threats and non performing predictions of doom. None of which have been able to help the green economy take off. If we do not have to worry about time tables because scientists are humble about their predictions we should give the green economy a chance to work on its own not force it down our throats.
So you want to defend socialism here? The political system responsible for the death of millions in the last century! Venezuela has amazing natural resources honest hard working people, a 12 month growing season. A weather pattern that is great. It is an amazing location. Why is it a third world country? Maybe a little too much socialism/fascism/communism or just plain old totalitarianism. Just like Cuba, North Korea the old Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and any other big know it all government—The people suffer. There is two things that socialism promises. First to help the poor. Second to punish the opposition. It is always the second promise that they follow through with. Just look at the media, twitter etc. Oral sex for anyone who beats up a 15 year old for wearing a maga hat. Tweeted death threats against climate deniers is common and okay with twitter. If we had socialized medicine it would be denied or the prices will priced out of reach for people who don’t agree with the socialists. Antifa is good? Obama weaponized the IRS, CIA, and FBI. Totalitarians have no problem using the government as a weapon against their opposition. The IPCC and the climate fanatics are doing the same thing. Chuck Todd is the newest climate scientist. We have have to live through Al Gore and Leonardo Dicaprio as well. He has shut down debate because he claims that the science is settled. It’s insane. There is no integrity in the media or the climate scientists. Their predictions are meant to create fear. It’s still a scam. All designed to have us sign our rights away. Please don’t fall for it.
I looked at your data on ice in the north pole. Just like the article above there is one written by a “credible” scientist that said north pole ice free by 2008. Biggest and fastest thing thing ever, right? There is still ice. Greenland and the North Pole most of the year is spent way below freezing. Some times the highs never get above 20 below 0. There will be lots of ice in the next 12 years just like there will still be ice in 2020.
Lets talk data. NOAA has been altering the data. It hasn’t done a good job hiding it. Since the year 2000 they have decreased the heat from the thirties and forties and increased the heat from the nineties to present. They get caught all the time cooking data. They have done it on sea level rise as well. It is impossible to believe anything they say. False predictions false data add up to totally untrustworthy. They are never held accountable. They keep coming out with the same old rehashed predictions and want us to panic into some total government take over of the economy.
Lets talk Socialism. Bernie is a communist loving democratic socialist. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez is a is a communist loving democratic socialist. The Green New Deal is a total marxist take over of every aspect of my life. Every major democratic presidential candidate and a bunch in congress signed on to it in one day. I’m sure Tom Steyer would be happy to make more billions off of the wealth transfer that would happen from it. Lets be realistic. Just because 90 trillion dollars would be the cost of the Paris Accord it would come off of the backs of the poor just like every other socialist program eventually does. Just ask the Venezuelans.
https://skepticalscience.com/print.php?r=429
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11958916/Paris-climate-deal-to-ignite-a-90-trillion-energy-revolution.html
Why can we now grow grapes in England when only 50 years ago this was unheard of?
Do you think that emitting billions of tons of C02 per year into the atmosphere is doing nothing?
No one is asking for your paycheck. No one is coming for your guns. No one is going to arrest you. We’re just trying to find a solution to a problem that you seem to think doesn’t even exist.
Once we can agree there is a problem, we can find a solution. We certainly did find one during the ozone layer crisis in the 70s. We can come together and find one again now.
Just a heads up science is not determined by consensus. Thank goodness. Scientists are the biggest enemies of science out there. Their dishonest studies and conclusions have all but destroyed the credibility of scientists in general.
The number of crazy predictions that have come and gone are too numerous to list here. This latest 12 year scare is just that a scare tactic. One in a long line of predictions that have amounted to nothing but hot air. The predictions are always exaggerated for effect. Placed out far enough that they can be denied or ignored when they don’t come true and new predictions can be issued if the media doesn’t keep anyone accountable. They are also near enough in time frame to hopefully scare people into giving up their rights. This process has been repeated over and over decade after decade. and none of the predictions have come true.
It was the coming ice age in the 70’s. It was global warming after that and now it is climate change. So back in the 70’s 80’s 90’s and beyond we have the likes of Paul Ehlrlch, John Holdren, Jim Hansen, and Al Gore predicted the end of earth as we know it. Such as the USA needing water rationing 1974 and food rationing and the worlds oceans dead by 1980. Also an ice free north pole, parts of New York under water etc. There is also the inconvenient truth about the predictions of a coming ice age in the 70’s by the same people. In fact it could be said that 100 percent of their predictions are easily debunked. Sometimes by there own predictions.
If it is true that the oil companies started a successful propaganda program as you say, they could have saved millions of dollars and just quoted “Climate Scientists” . The real propaganda program has come from the climate believers side. They are never held accountable for their ridiculous predictions. Also if the oil companies had been so successful in their propaganda why is there not one news organization willing to take their side. There is hardly ever a positive news article or report about big oil. Over the years I have never seen a pro oil news report. Not locally, nationally or internationally. That’s super successful. If they did spend any money on this propaganda it was the most unsuccessful of all time!!!!!
If climate scientists wanted action they would quit lying to us. Stop with the outrageous predictions, phony propaganda films and actually accept the invitation to debate the deniers. Show us that they actually have something.