"Things You Wouldn't Know If We Didn't Blog Intermittently."
30 March 2009
Creeping theocracy
Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL) speaking at the March 25, 2009 hearing of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
The subcommittee is apparently holding hearings on matters involving climate change. Rep. Shimkus appears to hold the view that man's effects on the climate cannot be significant because "the infallible word of God (who says that "every inclination of man's heart is evil from childhood") states that such outcomes will not be permitted because "God's Word is infallible, unchanging, perfect."
You could argue it many other ways as well: (1) HE won't destroy all living creatures, but he may let US do it. (2) Maybe he won't allow all living creatures to die, but if we work at it, we might come awfully darn close. (3) The operative words may be "as I have done"--i.e., in the same manner. It won't be a flood this time. It will be a combination of famine, disease, freezing, drought, storm, and earthquake, maybe with a little flooding thrown in.
By the way there's another bit of sacred writing (I challenge you to find it) that says: "a day when there shall be heard of fires, and tempests, and vapors of smoke . . . and earthquakes in divers places . . . a day when there shall be great pollutions upon the face of the earth."
When just one of these bible thumping Republican hypocrites starts practicing "love your enemy" and that little ditty about a camel and the eye of a needle... then, and only then, will I take anything they have to say about their religion seriously.
And that still doesn't mean I won't do a spit take when they start talking about Adam and Eve riding dinosaurs 6,000 years ago...
He is right about a couple of things, but the way he interprets it is all wrong:
1) Earth will not be destroyed. The law of conservation of mass/matter states matter cannot be created nor destroyed, but it CAN be changed. Once the human race is gone, Earth will still be here. It may be uninhabitable for most species, but it will STILL be here. It's been here 4 billion years. Eventually though...
2) The levels of Carbon in the atmosphere was at high levels during "the age of the dinosaurs". - most of the Carbon that was in the atmosphere was changed over time into plant matter by photosynthesis. This plant matter would later to become the fossil fuels that we are burning today. Of course, that same carbon is again returning to the atmosphere.
We are not DESTROYING our planet, but we ARE RUINING it for human (and other) life. That's what get's me about people like Congressman Shimkus - they take such a literal translation of the Bible - it's like putting blinders on. Nothing is ever open for interpretation; anything that is related to science or reason HAS to be wrong in spite of evidence, because it goes against what we've been believing all of these years. So God is perfect - but who wrote the Bible, and rewrote it, and rewrote it???
"Never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done."
ReplyDeleteBut he DIDN'T destroy all living creatures. Not the Noah family, not the creatures on the Ark.
So he (or the translation) is WRONG. It's NOT INFALLIBLE and PERFECT.
Well, I think global warming hype is ill-advised, but my evidence and reasoning is more secular...
ReplyDeleteYou could argue it many other ways as well: (1) HE won't destroy all living creatures, but he may let US do it. (2) Maybe he won't allow all living creatures to die, but if we work at it, we might come awfully darn close. (3) The operative words may be "as I have done"--i.e., in the same manner. It won't be a flood this time. It will be a combination of famine, disease, freezing, drought, storm, and earthquake, maybe with a little flooding thrown in.
ReplyDeleteBy the way there's another bit of sacred writing (I challenge you to find it) that says: "a day when there shall be heard of fires, and tempests, and vapors of smoke . . . and earthquakes in divers places . . . a day when there shall be great pollutions upon the face of the earth."
The Book of Mormon 8:29. Armageddon is widespread through all religions.
ReplyDeleteEvil man cannot do evil to the environment?
ReplyDeleteHow did this guy get elected to Congress from Illinois? Oklahoma or Texas, maybe, but Illinois?
ReplyDeleteWhen just one of these bible thumping Republican hypocrites starts practicing "love your enemy" and that little ditty about a camel and the eye of a needle... then, and only then, will I take anything they have to say about their religion seriously.
ReplyDeleteAnd that still doesn't mean I won't do a spit take when they start talking about Adam and Eve riding dinosaurs 6,000 years ago...
Thought he gave us the finger for a couple of seconds there. Yes yes, he is, I know, but literally with his finger as well.
ReplyDeleteWhat a SOB! Man is not God *cough cough*.
ReplyDeleteSo he's saying, "I can do whatever I want until God stops me. Your not God. I am unstoppable! Unstoppable, I tell you."
ReplyDeleteAnyone else notice the girl behind him can barely keep form laughing?
He is right about a couple of things, but the way he interprets it is all wrong:
ReplyDelete1) Earth will not be destroyed. The law of conservation of mass/matter states matter cannot be created nor destroyed, but it CAN be changed. Once the human race is gone, Earth will still be here. It may be uninhabitable for most species, but it will STILL be here. It's been here 4 billion years. Eventually though...
2) The levels of Carbon in the atmosphere was at high levels during "the age of the dinosaurs". - most of the Carbon that was in the atmosphere was changed over time into plant matter by photosynthesis. This plant matter would later to become the fossil fuels that we are burning today. Of course, that same carbon is again returning to the atmosphere.
We are not DESTROYING our planet, but we ARE RUINING it for human (and other) life. That's what get's me about people like Congressman Shimkus - they take such a literal translation of the Bible - it's like putting blinders on. Nothing is ever open for interpretation; anything that is related to science or reason HAS to be wrong in spite of evidence, because it goes against what we've been believing all of these years. So God is perfect - but who wrote the Bible, and rewrote it, and rewrote it???