Split Over Global Warming Widens Among Evangelicals

Texas Christians Cite Conflicting Scripture;

Staying 'On Mission'
By ANDREW HIGGINS September 28, 2007

Link to Article

WACO, Texas - Suzii Paynter, director of the public policy arm of Texas's biggest group of Baptist churches, traveled to central Texas early this year to talk to a local preacher about a pressing "moral, biblical and theological" issue. She wanted to discuss coal.

Christians have a biblical mandate to be "good stewards of God's creation," Ms. Paynter says she told the Rev. Frank Brown, pastor of the Bellmead First Baptist Church here in the county where President Bush has his ranch. So, Texas Baptists should demand that controversial plans to build a slew of coal-fired power plants be put on hold.

Mr. Brown was not impressed. God, the pastor said, is "sovereign over his creation" and no amount of coal-burning will alter by a "millisecond" his divine plan for the world. Fighting environmental damage is "like chasing rabbits," he recalls telling her. It just distracts from core Christian duties to spread the faith and protect the unborn.

I guess that protecting the unborn does not include providing clean air for a pregnant mother to breath or clean water to drink. Rather it requires that you bury your head in the sand and leave the problem for someone else to solve.

I do believe that most Christians, even conservative Christians, believe that global warming is an issue we (Christians, non-Christians, atheists, agnostics... everyone!) need to address and, as this article points out, many are changing their behavior to make a difference.

Comments

[thomas]

Idiot religious zealots. The leaders of the idiots just scam artists trying to make a living on the backs of the poor & dumb. It doesn't matter which religion, they're all in the same black soup together. Working hard at trying to wreck the lives of normal people... Split, they need a split brain with some fresh beans added!

[Mark]

Seriously?? This is what "100 million people" are debating...whether or not the answer to what is increasingly clearly a man-made issue can be found in a fairy tale?

Here is something for evangelicals to think about...lets assume global warming really is a fallacy for a minute. What about the billions of dollars we ship to the middle east every day and the national security implications of this? If Americans, including evangelicals, understand anything it is money.