Climate Change, the Will of God

[Nakosis]

One in four Republicans believe climate change is not caused by man but is the will of God.

For a significant number of Americans, the reality, causes and meaning of global warming are seen through the lens of their religious beliefs. Some reject the evidence that humans are causing global warming because they believe God controls the climate. Others believe that global warming is evidence that the world will be ending soon, and that we don’t need to worry about global warming in light of the approaching apocalypse. To assess the level of acceptance of these beliefs among Americans, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1,204 American adults in March, 2016.

Global Warming, God and the "End Times" - Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

 

[Skwim]

Source: Linked OP article
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Regarding the bar chart title: Does this mean god couldn't be using people to cause global warming?

In any case, an interesting poll. Thanks for sharing.

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[sun rise]

That's a false dichotomy. We're supposed to do the best we can and then leave the results to God. For Christians, the Bible does not say that God will take care of the poor. It talks about separating sheep and goats based on our ACTIONS. If we were to say "forget helping the poor, the world will end soon", how would we be judged if we're a Christian.

 

[URAVIP2ME]

That's a false dichotomy. We're supposed to do the best we can and then leave the results to God. For Christians, the Bible does not say that God will take care of the poor. It talks about separating sheep and goats based on our ACTIONS. If we were to say "forget helping the poor, the world will end soon", how would we be judged if we're a Christian.

Jesus said we would have the poor with us. Jesus used the illustrative story about a neighborly good Samaritan to show we should all widen out or broaden out in showing love to others in distress on a one-on-one basis.

I find at Psalms 72:12-14 that God will take care of the poor.
That is in God's due time frame of Psalms 72:8 when Jesus will have earthly subjects or citizens under him.
Meaning to me when Jesus' coming 1,000-year governmental rule over Earth begins.
At that millennial time according to Revelation 22:2 there will be healing for earth's nations.
' Healing ' in that No one will No longer be poor during Jesus millennium-long day of governing over Earth.

Any thoughts about Revelation 7:16-17 because we are before God's throne here on Earth ( Earth God's footstool, so to speak )

 

[Jumi]

If they believe God takes care of everything, why do they do anything?

 

[Nakosis]

If they believe God takes care of everything, why do they do anything?

Matthew 6:25-34
25 Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? 26 Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto [a]the measure of his life? 28 And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

You just reminded me of these passages.

Certainty I suppose that as a Christian, whatever they do, do is cause God wants them doing it.

 

[Terese]

We control the climate too, through our technology. This shouldn't be debatable.

 

[Subduction Zone]

We control the climate too, through our technology. This shouldn't be debatable.

It is not debatable in a science based debate. But sadly the Republicans have become the party of the science deniers. It is one of the reasons that I can no longer support them.

As conservatives they should be looking for conservative solutions to climate change, instead too many are using the ostrich defense.

 

[Sha'irullah]

Well I am a Republican and I have proof god is the cause of climate change. Who else would spend unfathomable amounts of time raising the heat for us humans.

Kidding aside, saying a god controls climate change can mean so many things and be interpreted so many ways.

 

[LionLooking]

If anyone believes that God controls the climate then this may be an excuse to bury their head in the sand.
Something desperately needs doing if the planet is to be saved and, we are the ones who have to act - not God.

 

[Jumi]

Matthew 6:25-34
25 Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? 26 Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto [a]the measure of his life? 28 And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

You just reminded me of these passages.

Certainty I suppose that as a Christian, whatever they do, do is cause God wants them doing it.

This is probably a subset of Christians, who think that way.

 

[Nakosis]

This is probably a subset of Christians, who think that way.

1 in 4 republicans according to the poll. So I'm thinking this is part of the reason the Republican party is more skeptic of climate change.

 

[metis]

Last spring I went to a five-evening seminar on Pope Francis" book "Encyclical On Climate Change & Inequality", and let me just say that it is top-shelf. In it he, and the scientists who helped him write it, covers what many of us in science have been reading in scientific publications of the recent decades, namely that it is real, it is very problematic for our future, and we shouldn't be avoiding what we are learning, thus we need to do somethings about it..

I mention this because not all Christian leaders are burying their heads in the sand.

 

[Jumi]

1 in 4 republicans according to the poll. So I'm thinking this is part of the reason the Republican party is more skeptic of climate change.

Well, like all bad ideas, it's spread to my country too... such things didn't use to be part of Christianity here at all. Some people just love to copy bad ideas especially when they come from the US. We even now have our own NRA, a copy of the one from US, although I don't think they have any say...

 

[Sha'irullah]

If anyone believes that God controls the climate then this may be an excuse to bury their head in the sand.
Something desperately needs doing if the planet is to be saved and, we are the ones who have to act - not God.

This actually goes back to my point earlier.

I for example would have to say the gods control the weather because they permit it to happen, but if a Christian said the exact same thing it would be interpreted as them ignoring the reality of climate change. Even with this said statistically it shows in the actual study that it is more prevalent with people who otherwise have no knowledge of science. The survey size is not that great but I could tell you from personal experience that more uneducated groups like African Americans and lower income whites have some contradictory yet common beliefs regarding things such as climate change.

Most people who accept climate change with religious ferverance cannot describe the basics or the nature of how it is created. It actually seemed to be a trend especially for people more skeptically inclined like me toward climate change.

 

[TheBannerofHomuraAkemi]

Climate Change is clearly man made. But God made us care takers of this earth and with our greed we are destroying it. I doubt God will intercede on our behalf and heal our planet.

 

[metis]

Climate Change is clearly man made. But God made us care takers of this earth and with our greed we are destroying it. I doubt God will intercede on our behalf and heal our planet.

Welcome here to RF, and I largely agree with the above, except I would substitute "mostly" for "clearly".

 

[Twilight Hue]

If they believe God takes care of everything, why do they do anything?

It's clearly a form of denial.

Factually God isn't going to do anything, only people can.

 

[Valjean]

This is probably a subset of Christians, who think that way.

They don't think that way, they feel that way.

 

[TheBannerofHomuraAkemi]

Welcome here to RF, and I largely agree with the above, except I would substitute "mostly" for "clearly".

Thanks for the warm welcome and thanks for the advice.