An Inconvenient Truth
I saw Al Gore’s documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, a little over a week ago and it’s still having quite an impact on me. Perhaps one of the dusty closets from my high-school days of ultra-conservativism which I never got around to cleaning out was the issue of Global Warming. When I was a kid it was drilled into my head by such reputable scientists as Rush Limbaugh that Global Warming was a conspiracy theory cooked up by “liberals.” Back then anything attached to the word “liberal” automatically meant evil, wrong, deceitful, etc. so there was no need to actually look at science when something had been thusly labeled. Please don’t make that mistake. Many people will write off what Al Gore has to say, simply because he’s Al Gore, please don’t make that mistake. This film was so eye-opening, and in some ways terrifying, we can’t afford to not here what he has to say because of a political bias. I’m not familiar with www.humaneventsonline.com but noticing the oodles of Ann Coulter ads, something tells me that I would find myself constantly at odds with their journalism. Not so with this article. This conservative Christian from Human Events Online tells us we need to pause and listen to what Gore is telling us, no matter what our political leanings are.If you want a tiny bit of what the film is about, check out the site www.climatecrisis.net. But for the full effect see the movie or get the book! If we don’t do something about the way we as Americans live our world could look very different in 70 years. The effects of this will be so much more drastic and tragic (and already have been) than Terrorism, but unlike terrorism this danger happens somewhat gradually (although it may begin to speed up quite a bit). Let’s not make the mistake of the frog in the pot of boiling water.
Right now there are 12 states taking the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to the Supreme Court in order to force the EPA to regulate CO2 emissions from automobiles. Right now CO2 from cars isn’t considered “pollution.” But regulating these emissions and finally raising fuel-efficency in the US would have huge positive consequences in the fight against Global Warming.
Labels: Film
posted by Charlie at 12:47 AM
6 Comments:
I don't get the thing about the frog and the pot of boiling water.
Have you never heard the old parable about a frog that jumps into a pot of boiling water will jump out, but a frog that jumps into a pot of warm water that is then slowly heated up to a boiling won't jump out.
My correlation is that climate change happens gradually enough that even though it is far more dangerous than terrorism, we don't react with as swift a response because it is a gradual rather than explosive change.
I agree with a lot of what you say, but it's interesting in reading your blog that you try so desperately hard to discredit the whole "American nationalism" experience, and anything that comes from anywhere even close to the political right. Yet, when Al Gore comes out with this documentary, you eat the entire thing without even a hint of skepticism.
And it's not that I'm trying to discredit this view, because I do believe that global warming is very real and very scary (for more propaganda on the whole thing, read a great book by Michael Crichton called "State of Fear"). I just wonder if you're so desperate to prove that you are no longer "ultra conservative" that you'll try your hardest to agree with anything in opposition. Just playing devil's advocate here, not attempting to draw you into any kind of argument.
It is true that I spend a lot of time on this blog taking shots at Nationalism, specifically amongst Christians. I do spend a lot more time criticizing the political right than I do the political left, and here's why. The political right pretend to be Christian. That makes their deceit so much more dangerous, because it is spirtitually poisionus.
Al Gore's movie didn't strike me as "leftist" or "liberal," but rather scientific. I don't see Global Warming as a "liberal" issue, it's just that liberals tend to care more about this than conservatives.
As far as being "desperate to prove that I'm no longer 'ultra conservative'," that's just not true. Anyone who knows me has no problem picking that up. I added a bit of my "history" to that post because it was pertinent to the post (ie-I had not approached Global Warming from a Christian point of view before, it was one of those things where my previous views still influenced my opinions of it). I am also not "trying my hardest to agree with anything in opposition [to ultra conservatives]." I am, however, trying to daily align myself with the politics of Jesus. Hillary Clinton and John Kerry are in "opposition" to these so-called Ultra-conservatives and believe me I'm not trying my hardedst to agree with them.
I think you mistake my mostly one-sided criticism of conservative evangelicals and the political "right" as a stand with the political left. That's just not true. I have a growing suspicion of the political co-opting of the language of Christianity on the left as well. Look at what Dems are doing with the help of Jim Wallis, they're "using" Chrisitan language as a tool for re-election.
Anyway, what I found so awesome about Gore's movie was the science and data and that it was a presentation of Global Warming that wasn't "liberal" but just made sense for those who care about creation. I thought it was prophetic to the Church. If Al Gore came out with a movie about drinking Pepsi over Coke because it's the "liberal" choice over and against the "Ultra-Conservative" Coke, you wouldn't find me "trying my hardest" to "desperately" agree with him just because he's on the other side.
Maybe I shouldn't have used the phrase "trying your hardest" and "desperately" when trying to reach the point I was going for. I'm not saying that you're trying to align yourself to the left (although maybe I implied it in my comment).
The real thing is that I agree with you. I was raised in the same place more or less where you were. We both grew up ultra-conservative, and it took time and knowledge to undo all of that dis-information. I try to focus so hard on finding my own ideology and not pledging allegience to a political party or mind-set, and I know you do as well.
What I do wonder in reading your posts is this: Are you so personally invested into this new movement of Christians who are distancing themselves from the current fake-Christian administration that it's where you are getting your politicial ideals? Do you go to study groups and meetings where somebody stands up and tells you his thoughts and you say "YEAH!", or are you striving for independent thought?
Again, I hope this didn't come off wrong Charlie, I love what you have to say and think it's very important, and I agree with 90% of it.
Well first off I guess I'd have to say I don't really believe in independent thought. If we think we're thinking independently and not being influenced and shaped by others, then we're just buying into that whole idea from the Enlightenment that we're Autonomus Individuals. I don't always agree with everyone around me, and I think I have a unique perspective if you looked at all of my stances together, but what I really strive for is to be shaped by a community that strives to live the path of the Cross.
I encounter a lot of people who think similarly about discipleship and the Christian life, partly because I seek them out. I go to a church that embodies this as best as it can, because I want to be shaped and influenced by those kinds of people. But that's not to say that I live in an echo chamber by any means! I do live in Kansas City afterall. Most people are conservative Republicans who find nothing wrong with flags in church, etc. I am definitely in the minority.
While I really like the way certian church movements are going (Emergent, Ekklesia Project, etc.) I am not committed to any movement more than I am to Christ and His church. What attracts me to these movements is that is their main objective; to shed other priorities and allegances that are above Christ.
So do my politcal views get shaped by the community of Christians I live among? Absolutely, and I'm a part of that community shaping those around me as well. Do we all agree? Not always, no. But I've got to tell you, when your "personal" politics are shaped by the worhsiping body you participate in it's a lot harder to be greedy and pro-war because people will call you on it. I wouldn't want it any other way.
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