Okay, so you have to watch this first, and realize that this guy is a Representative, a member of Congress, from the Great State of Illinois.
My, oh, my.
Well, let’s start off with the bad theology. I mean, I won’t even raise the dubious basis for policy writing based on the assertion, through Scripture, that God will not destroy man through Global Warming because, well, God promised He wouldn’t after the Great Flood, and that, in fact, the world will be destroyed when Gabriel blows the Last Trump and all that Apocalypse Jazz.*
“There is a theological debate that this is a carbon-starved planet, not too much carbon.” Because the halls of Congress are where we should be having a theological debate. That always ends well.
Let me just say (taking his premise that, in fact, we should use theology to drive public policy) that:
- No scientist actually thinks that Climate Change will “destroy” the world. Lots of animals and plants will survive. Some won’t, sure, but who needs pandas and coral and, pretty much, everything that’s currently endangered and barely surviving in its current marginal ecological niche? Indeed, even humanity will likely survive, as a species.
- Yes, there was (I will take his word) a lot more CO2 in the air during the Age of the Dinosaurs. But what is a good, Bible-thumping man doing talking about the age of the dinosaurs. We all know the world was created 6000 years ago, right? All those CO2 readings based on fossils and ice corings and all that sort of thing are all cleverly-placed ruses by God to fool the ungodly. Right?
- Massive climate change, on the order of what is talked about, will wildly disrupt the agricultural and ecological balance of the world, not to mention not a “flood” but a still disastrous inundation of coastal regions. God perhaps won’t let mankind be destroyed, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be happy, fed, or even be able to maintain our national integrity. After all, God allows natural disasters that kill many and cause great hardship, but still leaves survivors. Why would something like that not be allowed to happen on a global scale? I certainly don’t read anything in Genesis that says otherwise. Does Rep. Shimkus think that’s an okay thing?
- And, going back to those dinosaurs, do we want to live in Jurassic swamps? How much wheat are you going to be growing there, do you think?
Of course, he also goes on to lament the Clean Air Act for causing job losses due to mine closures. Never mind those losses and the CAA amendments in question don’t actually have anything to do (at the time) with Global Warming worries, but general air pollution issues. I don’t recall anything in the Bible that indicates that air pollution is, in fact, holy or sacrosanct. Indeed, to the extent that humanity is appointed the steward of Creation (Genesis
Yeesh. As Bugs would say, “What a maroon.” Yet one who evidently has been elected to Congress.
(via DOF)
*”Last Trump and the Apocalypse Jazz” is an awesome name for a group.