Featuring fresh takes and real-time analysis from HuffPost's signature lineup of contributors
Supriya Dwivedi

GET UPDATES FROM Supriya Dwivedi
 

Are You There, God? It's Me -- Climate Change

Posted: 11/01/2012 12:40 pm

Hurricane Sandy pelted the eastern seaboard with high winds, devastating storm surges, fallen power lines, billions in damages and a death toll over 60. The cover of Business Week is rather blunt in its position: "It's Called Global Warming, Stupid." The article goes on to state that it would be irresponsible to causally link any one given storm to climate change, while nevertheless pointing out that this storm, and others like it, have become ever more frequent and greater in scope, on account of climate change.

And yet climate change deniers and detractors will try to argue this is an isolated incident, whilst ignoring the reality surrounding them: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydroflourocarbons (HFCs), and other compounds all contribute to the warming of our planet via the greenhouse effect. Hurricane Irene last summer was also considered to be an unprecedented event, (it was commonly referred to as a hundred year storm, signifying its rarity), there have been a record number of droughts world wide, resulting in an increase in global food prices, and extreme heat waves have now become the unfortunate norm.

When I was growing up being conscientious of the environment was more or less apolitical. Captain Planet was a popular cartoon, and even the heroes in a half shell used to take the time to advise children on how to be a friend to our planet.

BLOG CONTINUES BELOW SLIDESHOW...

Loading Slideshow...
  • Long Island Residents, Many Still Without Power, Continue To Clean Up After Superstorm Sandy

    LONG BEACH, NY - NOVEMBER 09: A man walks past a destroyed section of the boardwalk at the base of Lincoln Boulevard as Long Islanders continue their clean up efforts in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy on November 9, 2012 in Long Beach, New York. New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has said that the economic loss and damage to homes and business caused by Sandy could total $33 billion in New York, according to published reports. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

  • Storm-Damaged Communities On East Coast Hit By Nor'Easter

    NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 08: Alex Vila, 2, carries a box of cereal after visiting an aid station for people affected by Superstorm Sandy on November 8, 2012 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Household supplies and groceries were distributed to Red Hook neighborhood residents by Catholic Charities at the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary church. Meanwhile a nor'easter storm plunged temperatures to below freezing, bringing more misery to many Red Hook residents still without power, heat nor running water in their public housing apartments. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

  • US-WEATHER-STORM-SANDY

    Boats and docks damaged by Hurricane Sandy are seen at the Mansion Marinia on the shores of the Great Kills community November 7, 2012 on Staten Island, New York. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday announced a limited evacuation of some neighborhoods ahead of harsh weather barreling toward a city still recovering from superstorm Sandy. The national weather service forecast heavy rain and likely snow on Wednesday and Thursday, accompanied by gale force winds gusting as high as 43 mph (69 kmh). Though barely half the strength of Sandy, the autumn storm will lash already damaged buildings and bring lower temperatures for tens of thousands of people still struggling without electricity. Bloomberg told a news conference that parks and beaches would close. The worst-hit patches of waterfront neighborhoods, including Rockaways in the Queens borough, and in Staten Island, were being asked to evacuate again. AFP PHOTO/Paul J. Richards (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

  • Storm-Damaged Communities On East Coast Hit By Nor'Easter

    LONG BRANCH, NJ - NOVEMBER 08: Debris from Superstorm Sandy is seen on a beach November 8, 2012 in Long Branch, New Jersey. Meanwhile a nor'easter storm plunged temperatures to below freezing, bringing more misery to many residents throughout New York and New Jersey still without power. (Photo by Allison Joyce/Getty Images)

  • Long Island Residents, Many Still Without Power, Continue To Clean Up After Superstorm Sandy

    OCEANSIDE, NY - NOVEMBER 09: (L-R) James Vouloukos and William Ferris sort through donated clothes at a site maintained by the Town of Hempstead in cooperation with FEMA at Oceanside Park during in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy on November 9, 2012 in Oceanside, New York. New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has said that the economic loss and damage to homes and businesses caused by Sandy could total $33 billion in New York, according to published reports. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

  • Funeral Held in Brooklyn For Two Young Brothers Killed During Superstorm Sandy

    NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: New York sanitation department workers watch as a hearse arrives with a casket carrying the bodies of two brothers killed during Superstorm Sandy for a funeral at the St. Rose of Lima Catholic church on November 9, 2012 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Brandon Moore, 2, and Connor Moore, 4, were swept away from the arms of their mother Glenda Moore as she fled Superstorm Sandy floodwaters in New York's Staten Island borough to seek safety with family in Brooklyn. She is married to New York Sanitation worker Damian Moore, and dozens of workers and officials from the sanitation department attended the funeral ceremony. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

  • Long Island Residents, Many Still Without Power, Continue To Clean Up After Superstorm Sandy

    ISLAND PARK, NY - NOVEMBER 09: (L-R) Residents Paul and Donald Zezulinski and their dog 'Plywood' of Island Park show their appreciation to first responders during their clean up efforts in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy on November 9, 2012 in Island Park, New York. New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has said that the economic loss and damage to homes and business caused by Sandy could total $33 billion in New York, according to published reports. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

  • FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 file photo, people stand next to a house collapsed from Superstorm Sandy in East Haven, Conn. While Connecticut was spared the destruction seen in New York and New Jersey, many communities along the shoreline, including some of the wealthiest towns in America, were struggling with one of the most severe storms in generations. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

  • Meg Dolan holds her dog "Nellie" during Sunday mass at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Breezy Point, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, in New York. With overnight temperatures sinking into the 30s and hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses still without electricity six days after Sandy howled through, people piled on layers of clothes, and New York City officials handed out blankets and urged victims to go to overnight shelters or daytime warming centers. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

  • A representative of the Salvation Army walks past homes destroyed by Superstorm Sandy in Breezy Point, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, in New York. The beachfront neighborhood heavy populated by firefighters and police officers was devastated during the storm when a fire pushed by Sandy's raging winds destroyed 100 or more homes and buildings. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

  • Ginny Flanagan, right, and her sister go through photographs and mementos that were recovered from Flanagan's flooded bungalow in Breezy Point, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, in New York. The beachfront enclave heavy populated by firefighters and police officers was devastated during the storm when a fire pushed by Sandy's raging winds destroyed 100 or more homes and buildings. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

  • US-WEATHER-STORM-SANDY-MARATHON

    Runner Jonathan who would have run the ING New York City Marathon, spend the afternoon volunteering by unloading and organizing emergency supplies near Midland Beach as New York recovers from Hurricane Sandy on November 4, 2012 in Staten Island, New York. AFP PHOTO / Mehdi Taamallah (Photo credit should read MEHDI TAAMALLAH/AFP/Getty Images)

  • A woman with her groceries passes a group of National Guardsmen as they march up 1st Avenue towards the 69th Regiment Armory, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in New York. National Guardsmen remain in Manhattan as the city begins to move towards normalcy following Superstorm Sandy earlier in the week. (AP Photo/ John Minchillo)

  • Patrons on foot carrying gas canisters line up for gasoline at a Hess station in the New Dorp section of the Staten Island borough of New York, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012. Those on foot reported waits up to 40 minutes while motorists lined up for two hours as Staten Islanders fueled up to run their generators and automobiles in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. (AP Photo/Eileen AJ Connelly)

  • Girls hold hands during Sunday mass at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Breezy Point, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, in New York. With overnight temperatures sinking into the 30s and hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses still without electricity six days after Sandy howled through, people piled on layers of clothes, and New York City officials handed out blankets and urged victims to go to overnight shelters or daytime warming centers. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

  • Many streets in the Silver Lake section of Belmar, N.J., remain underwater Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, Neighbors and volunteers clean out homes Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, in Belmar, N.J., five days after the storm surge by superstorm Sandy. (AP Photo/Ben Nukols)

  • Water from superstorm Sandy is pumped from a flooded basement of an office building near New York's Battery Park, Friday, Nov. 2, 2012. The massive storm that started out as Hurricane Sandy slammed into the East Coast and morphed into a huge and problematic system, killing at least 96 people in the United States. The cost of the storm could exceed $18 billion in New York alone. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

  • Cars that were uprighted and submerged by Superstorm Sandy remain at the entrance of a subterranean parking garage in New York's Financial District, as the water is pumped out, Friday, Nov. 2, 2012. . The cost of the storm could exceed $18 billion in New York alone. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

  • National Guard in Lower Manhattan

    The National Guard 827th Engineer Company helps hand out MREs to Lower Manhattan residents at the Alfred Smith Playground on Friday Nov. 2, 2012. (Damon Dahlen, AOL)

  • National Guard in Lower Manhattan

    The National Guard 827th Engineer Company helps hand out MREs to Lower Manhattan residents at the Alfred Smith Playground on Friday Nov. 2, 2012. (Damon Dahlen, AOL)

  • Grand Central Terminal, New York City

    People walk through Grand Central Terminal as the sun rises during a subdued morning rush on Nov. 1, 2012 in New York City. Some trains are back up and running into Grand Central following shutdowns in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. Subway train service in the city is back in a limited capacity, but with much of lower Manhattan still with out power, trains are not running there and busses are replacing them.

  • Seaside Heights, N.J.

    A roller coaster sits in the Atlantic Ocean after the Fun Town pier it sat on was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy on Nov. 1, 2012 in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. With the death toll continuing to rise and millions of homes and businesses without power, the U.S. east coast is attempting to recover from the effects of floods, fires and power outages brought on by Superstorm Sandy.

  • National Guard in Lower Manhattan

    The National Guard 827th Engineer Company helps hand out MREs to Lower Manhattan residents at the Alfred Smith Playground on Friday Nov. 2, 2012. (Damon Dahlen, AOL)

  • Charging Station Provided By AT&T

    Phillip Melly charges the phones of Hurricane Sandy victims at Kimlau Square in Lower Manhattan on Friday Nov. 2, 2012. The generators used were brought in by AT&T to help out the residents of Lower Manhattan in New York City who currently have no power. (Damon Dahlen, AOL)

  • Stocking Up On Ice

    United City Ice Cube Company workers who refer to themselves as "Icemen" take in a shipment of ice into their 45th and 10th ave. store on Friday Nov. 2, 2012. The workers who asked not to be identified by name said there had been a run on ice purchases due to Hurricane Sandy and they were stocking up in anticipation of more demand in the coming days. (Damon Dahlen, AOL)

  • Car Crash Due To Power Outage

    The power outage in Lower Manhattan due to Hurricane Sandy has created a gauntlet of dangerous street intersections as can be seen by this car accident at the Houston and Varick Street crossing on Friday Nov. 2, 2012. (Damon Dahlen, AOL)

  • Car Crash Due To Power Outage

    The power outage in Lower Manhattan due to Hurricane Sandy has created a gauntlet of dangerous street intersections as can be seen by this car accident at the Houston and Varick Street crossing on Friday Nov. 2, 2012. (Damon Dahlen, AOL)

  • Clean Drinking Water

    Pedestrians fill up on water at a drinking station that had been setup at the corner of Centre and Canal Streets in Chinatown on Friday Nov. 2, 2012. The stations use water from fire hydrants and have been erected due to the blackout caused by Hurricane Sandy in Lower Manhattan. (Damon Dahlen, AOL)

  • Trash Picking In Chinatown

    A pedestrian looks through discarded food near a supermarket located at Henry and Market Streets in Chinatown New York on Friday Nov. 2, 2012.

  • Fort Lee, N.J.

    People wait in line for fuel at a Shell Oil station on Nov. 1, 2012 in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The US death toll from Hurricane Sandy rose to at least 85 as New York reported a major jump in fatalities caused by Monday's storm. Fuel shortages led to long lines of cars at gasoline stations in many states and the country faced a storm bill of tens of billions of dollars.

  • New York City

    Commuters ride the F train Nov. 1, 2012 in New York City. Limited public transit has returned to New York. With the death toll continuing to rise and millions of homes and businesses without power, the U.S. east coast is attempting to recover from the effects of floods, fires and power outages brought on by Superstorm Sandy.

  • Toms River, N.J.

    A gas station displays a "No Gas" sign on November 1, 2012 in Toms River, New Jersey. With the death toll continuing to rise and millions of homes and businesses without power, the U.S. east coast is attempting to recover from the effects of floods, fires and power outages brought on by Superstorm Sandy.

  • Fort Lee, N.J.

    Cars wait in line for fuel at a Gulf gas station on Nov.1, 2012 in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The US death toll from Hurricane Sandy rose to at least 85 as New York reported a major jump in fatalities caused by Monday's storm. Fuel shortages led to long lines of cars at gasoline stations in many states and the country faced a storm bill of tens of billions of dollars.

  • Brooklyn, N.Y.

    New Yorkers wait in traffic as they head into Manhattan from Brooklyn as the city continues to recover from superstorm Sandy on Nov.1, 2012, in New York, United States. Limited public transit has returned to New York and most major bridges have reopened but will require three occupants in the vehicle to pass. With the death toll currently over 70 and millions of homes and businesses without power, the US east coast is attempting to recover from the effects of floods, fires and power outages brought on by superstorm Sandy.

  • Hoboken, N.J.

    Mud and debris liiter a street on Nov.1, 2012 in Hoboken, New Jersey. Hurricane victims continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall along the New Jersey shore, and left parts of the state and the surrounding area flooded and without power.

  • Washington, D.C.

    Firefighters shoot water into a building in the 1200 block of 4th St., NE, near the recently opened Union Market, after responding to a blaze that broke out around 9pm Wednesday night.

  • Seaside Heights, N.J.

    Debris lies on the boardwalk in front of the Casino Pier, which was partially destroyed by Superstorm Sandy on Nov.1, 2012 in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. With the death toll continuing to rise and millions of homes and businesses without power, the U.S. east coast is attempting to recover from the effects of floods, fires and power outages brought on by Superstorm Sandy.

  • Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, N.Y.

    A New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer looks over flood waters at the entrance to the Brooklyn Battery tunnel in New York, U.S., on Nov. 1, 2012. The New York region is replacing a rail network built over a century with a patchwork constructed day-by-day to move its 8 million people again as it struggles back to life after Hurricane Sandy.

  • New York City

    Residents charge their cell phones and computers on the East River esplanade in New York, U.S., on Nov. 1, 2012. The New York region is replacing a rail network built over a century with a patchwork constructed day-by-day to move its 8 million people again as it struggles back to life after Hurricane Sandy.

  • Toms River, N.J.

    An American flag flies in front of a home damaged by Hurricane Sandy on Nov. 1, 2012 in Toms River, New Jersey. With the death toll continuing to rise and millions of homes and businesses without power, the U.S. east coast is attempting to recover from the effects of floods, fires and power outages brought on by superstorm Sandy.

  • Lower Manhattan

    Water is pumped on to the street in lower Manhattan in New York, U.S., on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012. The New York region is replacing a rail network built over a century with a patchwork constructed day-by-day to move its 8 million people again as it struggles back to life after Hurricane Sandy.

  • North Bergen, New Jersey

    A woman leaves an Exxon gas station which was out of gas on Nov. 1, 2012 in North Bergen, New Jersey. The US death toll from Hurricane Sandy rose to at least 85 as New York reported a major jump in fatalities caused by Monday's storm. Fuel shortages led to long lines of cars at gasoline stations in many states and the country faced a storm bill of tens of billions of dollars.

  • Manhattan from Hoboken, N.J.

    People board the NY Waterways ferry with the Manhattan skyline in the background Nov.1, 2012 in Hoboken, New Jersey. Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall along the New Jersey shore, left parts of the state and the surrounding area without power including much of lower Manhattan south of 34th Street.

  • South Ferry 1 Train Station, New York City

    Joseph Leader, Metropolitan Tranportation Authority Vice President and Chief Maintenance Officer, shines a flashlight on standing water inside the South Ferry 1 train station in New York, N.Y., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in the wake of superstorm Sandy. The floodwaters that poured into New York's deepest subway tunnels may pose the biggest obstacle to the city's recovery from the worst natural disaster in the transit system's 108-year history.

  • Seaside Heights, N.J.

    John Okeefe walks on the beach as a rollercoaster that once sat on the Funtown Pier in Seaside Heights, N.J., rests in the ocean on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012 after the pier was washed away by superstorm Sandy which made landfall Monday evening.

  • Grand Central Terminal, New York City

    People exit a Metro-North train arriving in Grand Central Terminal during the morning rush on Nov. 1, 2012 in New York City. Some trains are back up and running into Grand Central following shutdowns in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. Subway train service in the city is back in a limited capacity, but with much of lower Manhattan still with out power, trains are not running there and busses are replacing them.

  • Brooklyn, N.Y.

    Pedestrians look over a fence at a pile of boats flooded inland at the Varuna Boat Club on Oct. 31, 2012, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Sandy, the storm that made landfall Monday, caused multiple fatalities, halted mass transit and cut power to more than 6 million homes and businesses.

  • Queens, N.Y.

    People walk by a destroyed section of the Rockaway boardwalk in the heavily damaged Rockaway section of Queens after the historic boardwalk was washed away during Hurricane Sandy on Oct. 31, 2012 in the Queens borough of New York City. With the death toll currently at 55 and millions of homes and businesses without power, the US east coast is attempting to recover from the affects of floods, fires and power outages brought on by Hurricane Sandy. JFK airport in New York and Newark airport in New Jersey expect to resume flights on Wednesday morning and the New York Stock Exchange commenced trading after being closed for two days.

  • Queens, N.Y.

    Damage is viewed in the Rockaway neighborhood where the historic boardwalk was washed away during Hurricane Sandy on Oct. 31, 2012 in the Queens borough of New York City. With the death toll currently at 55 and millions of homes and businesses without power, the US east coast is attempting to recover from the affects of floods, fires and power outages brought on by Hurricane Sandy. JFK airport in New York and Newark airport in New Jersey expect to resume flights on Wednesday morning and the New York Stock Exchange commenced trading after being closed for two days.

  • Atlantic City, N.J.

    A damaged car is shown in the wake of superstorm Sandy, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012, in Atlantic City, N.J. Sandy was being blamed for at least six deaths across the state plus power outages that at their peak Monday affected 2.7 million residential and commercial customers.

  • Brooklyn, N.Y.

    A worker picks up debris outside of the damaged Tatiana Grill on the Brighton Beach boardwalk, on Oct. 31, 2012, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. Sandy, the storm that made landfall Monday, caused multiple fatalities, halted mass transit and cut power to more than 6 million homes and businesses.

During the 1980s, the depletion of the ozone layer was seen as a serious threat to mankind, and people took note. Similar to climate change, the destruction of the ozone layer was caused by the anthropogenic increase of compounds in the atmosphere, and like many greenhouse gases, these ozone-depleting substances also exist naturally in the atmosphere (specifically chlorine and bromine), but it was the increasing concentrations of these compounds that disrupted the natural balance. Yet unlike greenhouse gases, ozone-depleting substances have dramatically decreased in use and production in industrialized countries since 1980. This was because of an aggressive and concerted effort to do so, as evidenced by both the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the subsequent Montreal Protocol.

So, why do we have such a problem with admitting to ourselves that climate change is real and it's here? A rather ugly answer is that as a society, we are becoming increasingly afflicted with a phobia of sorts when it comes to science. America is arguably one of the greatest countries in the world, and yet it is progressively lagging when it comes to accepting scientific facts -- all under the premise of religion. Climate change deniers and detractors may very well cite the economy to support their view, but the truth is, economically, we can no longer afford (pun intended) to ignore climate change. It literally costs over a trillion dollars.

So there must be something else, and I would argue that something is religion, specifically, the rise of a rather dangerous breed of dogmatic Christianity. After all, you can take your pick from an onslaught of GOP members who have either questioned evolution, biology, or climate change and have all cited their belief in God as justification.

Rep. Paul Broun, a physician who sits on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, recently stated:

"God's word is true. I've come to understand that. All that stuff I was taught about evolution, embryology, Big Bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of hell. It's lies to try to keep me and all the folks who are taught that from understanding that they need a savior. There's a lot of scientific data that I found out as a scientist that actually show that this is really a young Earth. I believe that the Earth is about 9,000 years old. I believe that it was created in six days as we know them. That's what the Bible says. And what I've come to learn is that it's the manufacturer's handbook, is what I call it. It teaches us how to run our lives individually. How to run our families, how to run our churches. But it teaches us how to run all our public policy and everything in society. And that's the reason, as your congressman, I hold the Holy Bible as being the major directions to me of how I vote in Washington, D.C., and I'll continue to do that."

If Rep. Broun truly believes what he is saying, and I believe he does, then there is no reason why denying climate change would be unwarranted. Yet the scientific reality is that oceans are becoming increasingly desalinated, sea levels are rising and sea surface temperatures are warmer all due to record melting of Arctic sea ice. Ask any child what causes ice to melt and they will invariably answer heat. Funny how we can't get our politicians to retort in the same way.

 

Follow Supriya Dwivedi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/supriyadwivedi

FOLLOW CANADA POLITICS
 
 
  • Comments
  • 27
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Recency  | 
Popularity
Page: 1 2  Next ›  Last »  (2 total)
photo
CanadaToo
Religion != God
09:19 PM on 11/02/2012
The non-crazy non-fundamental who are sane and normal majority needs to find it's sense of duty and take the steering wheel away from the nut bars.

All you back seat whiners who think the politicians are ruining the land and who are not taking action need to get off your duffs and do something about it.
01:37 PM on 11/02/2012
i think you need to understand how people get voted in to public office. the meek do not make the cut. you must be a radical these days. you will always find a group of people on your side, if you have a strange view of something.
not enough people vote, specifically, normal people don't vote. they understand that they cannot make a difference. so you end up with the "crazies" voting in the "crazies". if there is a god, i hope he saves us from ourselves.
i personally think that we are all screwed.
01:23 PM on 11/02/2012
People can't admit they are the problem. Pure and simple. They've convinced themselves either through religion or ego or both that they are the best, brightest, most wonderful things to walk the earth and all must fall at their worthless, shoe-needing feet.

Humanity lacks humility.

At this point, the technology we have to look at would be adaptive, rather than preventative. We've crossed the point of no return.
12:12 PM on 11/02/2012
Religion is the problem.

Why anyone would listen to the Evangelists is beyond me, anyone hearing them spea-I mean preach can get the idea they have no freakin idea what they are talking about, yet whole political parties in the states are being run by them *cough* Republicans.

Its time we take God out of.. well everything, teach it secularly, practice it at home if you want, tax the churches (because I mean.. if your god is so great, he should be able to fund/support your church, why do you need my money to do it?) and will someone listen to the goddamn scientists once in a while.. its not like this is their freakin profession or anything.
10:52 AM on 11/02/2012
Religion is not the problem. People's decisions are. In this case, any person who decides to vote for a person who thinks like Rep. Broun does is making a very bad decision - they are just plain stupid. But since he is a Representative, he obviously garners votes.......if there was a way to tax stupidity we could get rid of the debt.
10:28 AM on 11/02/2012
History is replete with examples of the battle between religion and science and in every case religious belief has been forced to change in the face of irrefutable truth. It just astounds me how stubborn and ignorant people like Paul Brown can be...and he's a doctor!!
09:25 AM on 11/02/2012
this should be in huffpost USA, not Canada
08:52 AM on 11/02/2012
Only a mentally deficient person would try and blame climate change denial on a dangerous breed of christianity, given that most people today are either agnostic or atheist.

The issue, which Hurricane Sandy so boldly highlighted, is that we have not designed our infrastructure properly and we are not spending enough money keeping our infrastructure updated. This has nothing to do with climate change. Deadly natural disasters such as Sandy have always occurred and will continue to do so. Can you imagine what New York would look like if all its power came from solar panels and wind turbines and all the cars were electric (in an area which now has no electricity)?
11:12 PM on 11/01/2012
True skeptics are equally skeptical about religion as they are about say, climate change. Being skeptical was a virtue (still is), of the human experience - doubting what others may believe is not inhuman. Cynics are a different matter.

For me I am fine with evidence of climate change...but I doubt the wild hysteria that differs greatly between scientists and researchers. In 1979 we were going to be without oil in 10 years, in the 80's we were told there would be huge rises in skin cancer because of ozone layer depletion. There was wild earth population explosions that came to not be and then of course, the "panic now" of Y2K. I have every right to doubt the outcomes of climate change. The earth is far more dynamic I guess than we give credit for.

I am irreligious by the way. Never part of my life.
photo
jsehgal
Micro-bio? There is too much to say!
12:43 AM on 11/02/2012
So ... tell me, how skeptical are you about evolution, quantum mechanics, age of life on this planet, the ages of earth, our galaxy, our universe and cosmology in general. Are you skeptical of gravity as well?
12:52 PM on 11/02/2012
skepticism simply implies a healthy requirement for evidence before believing in something. It doesn't mean you don't believe in anything, or believe in heavily tested scientific theories. This is such an old red herring. Its what trips up scientists when they cautiously reserve their complete unadulterated belief in something... For example, saying hurricane Sandy was most likely caused by CC rather than saying definitively. This is the spirit in which I believe DA-Europe-S intended his post.
10:48 PM on 11/01/2012
The deniers will slowly but surely have to face the reality of climate change. Until then let them keep believing that politicians( who are the closest thing to "God" for many of them) can 'save' them. Most people just refuse to lessen their carbon footprints by simplifying their lifestyles. They are too disrespectful, greedy and selfish.
10:35 PM on 11/01/2012
The fact is it requires people to give up life the way they are told to live it. a hundred years ago women didn't smoke. Then they learned it was "smart" to smoke. How many women have died becaused they believed smoking was smart. How many people are buying water in bottles which is nothing other than tap water. People never used to have to have water which was bottled. They buy it because they think they look smart walking around with a bottle. A hundred years ago streetcars were the way to get around in a city. then the car seemed smart and suburbs seemed smart and you had to have a car to get around in a suburb. So people bought homes on big lots and bought big cars which could drive a hundred and fifty miles an hour so they could drive to work in a traffic jam from fifty miles away. When ads tell people it is smart to live in small places, near to their work and recreate neighbourhoods then that's what people will do. Religion is what kills but people die serene in the knowledge that they will move on to a better existence. In the name of religion they will kill others, kill themselves and remain convinced that they know what god(s) want people to do.
02:10 AM on 11/02/2012
@pinkibus - you are quite right but a simpler way of putting it is; we are sheep.
10:10 PM on 11/01/2012
Great piece. I still cannot wrap my brain around how Paul Bronn is on the House Science committee. How is he even a doctor? So much of what we know about treating people stems from evolution, e.g. viruses, medicine, etc. aka a direct contradiction to his beliefs.

I also don't even understand people who dispute climate change. Look around. It's literally happening this second. When is the world going to finally take some real, aggressive action? Oh yeah, probably when it's too late and damage becomes irreversible.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Juanne Michaud
Proud Canadian, loony lefty
09:36 PM on 11/01/2012
Having spiritual beliefs need not render one stupid. I know a lot of people of different faiths and beliefs who were and actively involved with social justice, the environment, and a host of other causes.

It's the dogmatic fundamentalist mindset that is the cause here. A rigid set of beliefs that brooks no deviation or questioning.

When times are tough, it's understandable that people look for something to cling to, and the very rigidity of these types of religion is comfortable. No grey areas, no ethical conundrums. It's either/or, black or white.

Of course, the probability that a lot of the people in power who deny climate change or want to postpone action "for more study" are in the pockets of the petroleum industry is also a factor. In addition to God, it is my opinion that many are also worshiping that Almighty Dollar.
photo
HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Supriya Dwivedi
10:19 AM on 11/02/2012
I don't think having spiritual beliefs renders one stupid, either. I just think taking one's scientific cues from any religious text is stupid.
02:40 PM on 11/02/2012
"It's the dogmatic fundamentalist mindset that is the cause here. A rigid set of beliefs that brooks no deviation or questioning."

Excellent point. And the fundamentalist mindset is not only or especially a religious one. It is economic, political, and societal. Petro-dollars speak. No one wants to have to change their lifestyle and lose creature comforts (that is the fear of many) to battle climate change. Throw in ignorance plus poor science education levels, and voila.

As for the religious fundamentalists p.o.v. - by using 'science' to explain climate change... the same word that is used to promote/explain evolution (a fundamentalist bogeyman and no-no)... all 'science' is shown to be evil. So scientific facts, theories, even the scientific method, are all thrown out.

Oh and apathy, let's not forgot apathy!
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
09:23 PM on 11/01/2012
While I don't necessarily agree with the premise, some actual evidence of the claim that this is being driven by Christianity would be nice...
09:26 AM on 11/02/2012
click on the hyperlinks.
or just google climate change deniers and genesis, you'll get a whole bunch of stuff
08:21 PM on 11/01/2012
It's not just climate change skeptics who maintain that one cannot extrapolate one major storm system as proving man made global warming is a fact. None other than the IPCC itself has stated that fact.
Businessweek can say what it wishes, but keep in mind , it's only objective is to sell magazines, the truth is merely a casualty.
Note also that no mention of climate change was evident in all three presidential debates.

Hmmm, it looks like it's dead on arrival. !!!!
09:28 AM on 11/02/2012
increased levels of CO2 and CH4 warm the earth. that's fact. humans contribute to this more than any species on earth. also fact. so, humans contribute to climate change. it's quite easy.
06:43 PM on 11/02/2012
The problem with such simplistic thinking is that you lose a sense of perspective. The key question is how much do humans contribute, and there is no consensus on that, whatsoever., and, until there is actual hard information, all the computer simulations in the world  are just pure junk science.     The public is rightly moving on.