Dear, faithful and true brother Mark,

I'm confused. Why is all the ice melting? Why are the polar bears drowning? Temperatures are rising. Does one day, one week or even one month of cold make up for decades of creepingly increasing temperatures?

Your sister, Mary Ann

You are very fair minded Mark. That is refreshing. Here’s a little something for you...

Al Gore's Inconvenient Electric Bill - the Tennessee Center for Policy Research reported that Gore’s Nashville mansion consumed more than 20 times the electricity than the national average*.

"Fair and Balanced", that's ME! Seriously. Its good to care for the world we live in. But if this world is all we care about, I think that's being very short sighted. I wished everyone could refocus their attention from this planet and on to their own final destiny. The Bible says that there is a day of judgement coming.

 Talk about global warming on a personal level. By God's grace all who put their faith in Christ excape this awful event.

Mark well done I love this blog. I am a student at North Davidson High School and we did a project on global warming. We also did a small video on the effects and causes of global warming or in scientific terms the heating of the planet. The video was sent to the National Board to see if our biology teacher could become Nationally certified.

I can explain my information that I found out later. I have to go to a Kick off at my church for Youth Week. I also have a verse that I found.

Cya

Help_Stop_Global_Warming 

Mary Ann, Thanks for the star. I needed that!

Help_Stop_Global_Warming, Thank you for your comments and I would love to see your video and know the verse you found.

Karl K, Thanks for sharing the artical. I have to admit you guy's have made me think more seriously about this global warming subject. I have to admit that I have doughted its existance because most of what I have heard about it has originated from envionrmental extremist groups. These people drive me up a wall. They are such hypocrites. They don't want another tree cut down but they are living in houses built out of lumber from trees. They have their homes but don't want anybody else to get theirs. We live in a world that wants to save the whales but kill the babies. I think as Christians we need to learn how to look at all the facts and not let extremists lead us into radical thinking in either direction. We need to look at these things in a balanced way and stay in God's Word to find out how He wants us to view these matters. Then seek His strength to make the adjustments in our lifestyle that will improve our world.

We

I hit a wrong key and sent my comment early. Don't know what I did. Anyway, I have one more important thought.

We need to gaurd ourselves as Christians that we do not becaome overly exteme about the wrong things. It's good to care about the planet. But the great commission given to us by the Lord focuses on preaching the Gospel not saving the world. He says that He will make this world new so I believe that our job is to share with people His Gospel so more are ready for this world to come. We do need to be good stewards, like you said Karl of the world we are blessed to live in.

 Is amazing how gullible the average Christian is on this hyped up issue. I could understand the unsaved heathens buying into this hyped up issue, however it truly grieves me to hear some one that claims to be a Christian fall for this, “The sky is falling”, type argument. Evidently, some have never that little story of Chicken Little.

Are their Global Warming, yes there is and I thank God that there is, otherwise we would freeze to death, vegetation could not grow, thus the end of all life, as we know it. Nevertheless, the issue is not whether there is Global Warming or not, (and that is the question that is posed by those trying to exaggerate this for political gain).

 They know that no one can rightly say that there is not global warming. Thus, they have cleverly set their argument up in such a way that one would to appear foolish to disagree.

Here is the way it goes, an advocate for, and those that have been brainwashed in this issue, will ask the question to an unbeliever of this do you believe there is global warming. If you say no you are a fool, however, if you rightly say yes they confirmed in their belief that it is a bad thing that it will destroy everything and they will not be receptive to hear the truth from the other side of this issue. The honest question to ask is; do you think that the Globe is getting warmer than it should, and if you, do you think it is the fault of humankind? This would prompt an honest assessment of this issue and an honest debate.

When Gore was in office, he had a team of his take the Global Climate Study Report done years ago and had his team summarize it to say what he wanted it to say. The original study report was far too long to be presented to the public and he rightly knew no one would take the time to read it to find the actual conclusion of the study.  

However, those that have read the entire study know it does not conclude what Gores team claim in their summary and this was the basis for him to start this propaganda. In addition, the temperature samples that were taking for this were done in incorporated areas of high population and building density with much asphalt and concrete surface, not in remote virgin areas of which they claim are in danger. There is in fact many more scientist and researchers that do not believe that this is a danger as do believe.

However, here again is a clever way that they discount that fact. If you do not agree with this premise, you not considered a mainstream scientist; I know we have all heard them say at times the mainstream scientists all agree with the harmful effects of global warming.

 Again, as typical of these people, instead of dealing with the opposition on an honest level, they will merely attack the opposition’s credibility to even have a position on the issue. A similar tactic used by third world dictatorships, you either agree or you are destroyed.  Gore was once asked how could an aerosol can be such a detriment to the ozone layer When a volcano eruption will put far more damaging pollutants into the atmosphere than a hair spray can in ones bathroom..

His answer “well a volcano is higher up and won’t cause as much damage”. DUH!! Does any one actually buy Gores’ ignorant comment?  Well, he is not that ignorant, he is just a deceiver for political gain, and he will say what ever it takes to gain power.

Any Christian that is fretting over this has forgotten that the Bible teaches that “ we have not been given a spirit of fear”. Yes, we are to be good stewards of what we have, but we are not to follow a liar and a deceiver, as Gore has been proven to be.

Blessings ,Clyde

We should be good stewards of the earth.  God put us in charge of it.

However, we should also understand that God is in control.  As Mark mentions, we should not become "overly extreme about the wrong things."  God will use the natural to bring about the supernatural.  He calls us to be faithful to our mission.

Three comments on McLaren's article:

1.) I don't see how the story of Joseph can be compared to the situation today with a plethora of scientists trying to draw conclusions from incredibly complex, often ambiguous climate data from around the world. Joseph had a proven track record of interpreting dreams, which he gave credit for directly to God. Scientists of today are all over the map on global warming, there isn't anything close to a consensus on either whether the globe is truly warming OR if so then what's causing it.

2.) Given the legitimate level of disagreement on global warming among scientists, we are nowhere near ready to gauge possible impacts let alone solutions to a hypothesized problem. There persists a small minority of folks who predict dire circumstances are imminent -- I fear these people cause more strife and worry than is necessary.

3.) NOTHING the evangelical community can ever do will appease Richard Dawkins, he is militantly atheist. I grimace whenever I see Christians try to placate the likes of him. Dawkins will likely go to his grave complaining about anything and everything Christian, we shouldn't use his complaints to justify anything we do!

Unfortunately I don't place much stock in the article above. But then, that's just me! ~mike

I belive this whole global warming is a matter of opinion. We are to look for the day of the coming of destruction but we are to be stewards of his call. You can not stop global warming it will come and go. Scientists are not trying to stop global warming as you can see we have not changed the status of our work. This is a matter of greed, this gives us an opertune time to witness. Mark you say "This proves that global warming will happen..." It has already happened. It is happening in our yards, in our ocean. Glaciers are melting much faster than recorded.Thousands are dieing because of hungry because of drought. Organisms and species can no longer be studied because they are extinct. Coral reefs are bleaching, the weather is warming up causing storms to be in the 5's. Flooding is becoming a problem. 

But as long as we keep going the path we are going then we will go to a place we do not want to go. Greed, lies, these are things that encumber our opinions.

There are also matters of life. You all must be adults, I guess. Look at those who are me, teenagers. Will we have a future? If this goes at the rate it's going people like us will never have a future. In a way this is also a matter of want. I want this, you want that, the government wants money, people don't want to pay more on cars just to buy an electrical vehicle they will never use because it doesn't have good gas milage. In this I might want to commit suicide, to never see the world of freedom because it will not exist.

We are stuwards of his call. We believe in a future of no hate and no pain. This what we stive for. And then there is the cause of this destroyed world that will end soon. Want, hate, Greed, lies, deception, these are not Godly acts. (Not saying all people do this or christians for that matter)

My Bible says as follows: 2 Peter 3:11

"Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives..."

Are we living holy and godly lives? This is what i ponder on... 

Oh just so you know I read an article on Antarctica...

Methane gas, 1/3 of the polar ice cap has Methane in it. Methane is 30 times more potent than Carbon dioxide. As the ice cap melts the ocean is poisened and all life will die. The atmosphere will heat faster than ever and our planets ending point will be closer than we have estimated. The scientists estimate that the worst may come this year. I fear that this Hurricane sesson will be more devastating than all hurricanes combined.

I agree with Mike on the idea that Joseph had a different message...his was from God and he knew it. I don't see any prophet of the Lord standing up and saying "thus says the Lord". 

I think it is important to take good care of our environment and our world. He did give us dominion over it as has been mentioned here.

What is missing is consistency.  It wasn't twenty years ago we were all being told the ozone layer was disappearing and we were entering into a new ice age.  However, as more data is collected, it doesn't look like an ice age at all...maybe we are warming...and maybe we have been warming since the last ice age (would make sense)...and if that is the case, maybe there really isn't anything we can do about it...the warming, that is.  One more good volcano eruption and the impact is more than if we shut down all the output that humans make.  My question is, where is the consistent message?  It isn't global warming. It may be taking good care of our environment and I think that is a good message we all need to work harder at learning. IMHO.

Help Stop,

Just so you know what the fear mongers that are crying wolf over the climate now were saying before you even were born, read this article from the same scientific radicals.

(Excerpt) Read more at globalclimate.org ..

I would love to be around to hear what they are saying in the next 32 years about global warming?  Not too long ago I listened to a radio commentator speaking about the high temps.  He went on and on about us reaching an all time high and Global warming.  When I was a kid I can remember the temps being 103 degrees in the summer.  We had no air conditioning and we endured.  We had a great many tornadoes, and we have always had some summers when the tornadoes seem abundant. This was in 1952.

  When my husband and I were flying our small airplane back and forth to Minnesota we were always landing and staying overnight because of tornadoes in Iowa and n. Il.  This was in 1992- 1994.  There would be as many as 6 or 7 around.

I believe if we would have had the animal rights and the enviromental types around when the dinosaur walked we would still have the dinosaurs.  My point is some things are in God's hand and our earth evolves for a reason.  Sometimes man takes it on himself to play God.  We do need to take care of our earth but let us strike an even middle ground. Too left and too right can spell disaster.  God is our middle ground.   Praise be to God and God's will be done. 

Jan, I think you are a spectacular sister...and I love you from our communications on mychurch. I do believe though that we should honor all of God's wonderful creation. It is His gift to us. It should not be taken for granted and spoiled. It is greed that lays waste to our rivers and forests. I don't want to get off on a tangent here. I think you probably would agree with me. I am so in love with God, I am so thankful for the wonderful beautiful world He has created...and we are destroying...poisoning, polluting, wasting it away. Ohhh, do I sound Left Wing? I couldn't possibly be :-)

peace to you all...mychurch family,

Mary Ann

In Romans 8 we read that "creation was subjected to frustration", that creation is in bondage to decay, and that "creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth." And this was during the reign of the Romans, LOOONNGG before the evil capitalistic American empire! The fact is, God's entire creation is suffering from the awful effects of The Fall, and the only hope is for God's complete renewal, which we believers eagerly look forward to. Until then we could all become diehard humanist/environmentalists and recycle, plant trees, stop killing animals, cease all polution, and all that other good stuff, and creation would still be just a mere shadow of its original glory. In fact, despite our best efforts it will continue to decay!!

The fact is, disciples of Christ are the only true environmentalists, b/c only we desire to see creation as it was really meant to be, wrought by the hand of God Almighty! Amen brothers and sisters? ~mike

You just described a fatalistic mentality perspective...so pervasive in the “Christian” mindset… so sad…

Say, did I insult you Mike? I certainly did not intend to.

Jesus was a fisherman.  I think he would be sad that we can't eat the fish anymore. 

You didn't insult me, but I admit that I was a little frustrated at how hard it is for me to harness these little black and white squiggly lines and dots that form letters, and then when organized in the right way form words, then sentences. And those who are good at putting all these things together can actually convey whole thoughts! And then there's me. :-(

Of course, I have a smile on my face as I type this.

The thought above, that seems to have been misconstrued as fatalistic, was that our real hope is in Christ, and man's efforts to build (or preserve) a perfect environment here will not result in anything near what our Father has planned for us. Soooo, I look forward to that glorious time (even while taking care of the present earth), and I do not become fearful over the alarmist predictions of dire catastrophe. My mission is to minister and share the love of Christ, not convince tens, hundreds, or millions of people to recycle! I don't have time for that! For the global warming extremists, the end of civilization as we know it could be a few decades away. For many people in my life, eternity could begin tomorrow!

So I'm an optimist. Not an environmentalist, at least not the way Americans define the term. I look forward to an environment that few of them can even imagine, and none of them can do anything to create! I don't criticize them for their intentions though. Hope that makes things a little clearer! ~with love, mike

Very well said  Mark, as  well meaning as the rank and file who are following these alarmist are, as you so eloquently penned, there focus is far off the mark.

Blessings in the Lord Jesus Christ,Clyde

Matthew 5:43-47

You have heard that it was said "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?  Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

DarZ, at first I thought your comment about fish was a diversion tactic, when Mary Ann and I seemingly became embroiled in conflict. (btw, she and I go to the same church, a small one at that, and I can assure you everything we say to ea other is completely in love)  However, it seems you might possibly be inferring that fish will become contaminated worlwide. Wow, that's far out!

I also don't understand why you're quoting Matt 5.

Clyde, I appreciate your perspective, and I believe that I share it! Thanks for the definition of fatalistic, it really doesn't sound like a bad thing now. Although I think the word also conveys a sense of "hopelessness" which I do not subscribe to.

Mary Ann, when you wrote "The practicing ones? And, who might they be my dear brother?" it sounded sarcastic. But then, I am probably guiltier than most at reading too much into written comments. I am confident we are tight now, given that you were laughing at me in your following post. ~love, mike

Mary Ann did you even read what I said?  I know I am not as fantastic in my writing or as skilled with my words as all of you but please don't be condescending.  I love this earth and I feel we should take care of it. But let's take off the rose colored glasses and see this with a touch of reality.  We, everyone,  including all the scientists, environmentalists, Christians, liberals, and all others have helped destroy the earth. Yes and there are those who blatantly abuse, but a measure of it is called the process of living and a thing called progress. We keep searching for ways to keep our earth's devastation under control and the only way is to roll back time ,give up cars, cut down on all progress, quit building.  I know this is extreme and that is my point, we can't roll back time and there will always be those who destroy.  What I was saying in my last paragraph above was if we could find a way of working together.  The views range extreme left to right.  Let's take a look at what has to be done and be smart about our approach. Because of the one's who screamed we are cutting down too many trees! the underbrush in some areas has become so extreme that the trees are not growing, which in turn has allowed a horrible vine to take over and is moving from state to state.  This of course makes for rampant fires and complete devastation.  I am not saying we should ignore I am saying for the love of God let's use common sense.  If there is a problem with too much cutting of trees don't cease all cease some.  The process of clearing trees works and it also has to be done with common sense, not with extreme measures.

So what ocean or waterway or forest have you saved lately?  I am hearing a great deal of TALK what have you done lately in the way of THE WALK?

I profess that I am not part of any group and I confess that I am very busy in all that I do but none of it is belonging to a group that are "saving our planet".  I lead my life as most, doing the best I can. Taking care , very well I might add, of the part of earth that I own and live on and all that I don't own that surrounds it.   

Go with God

Jan, I did read what you wrote. I don't see any condescension in my response. What specifically is troubling you? 

Mike, I was asking a legitimate question – regarding the “practicing Christians” – that was not defined…I was curious.  

Back to Jan, I’m glad I read what you wrote before posting my response to Clyde J Now, that would have been condescending. Thanks for the Holy-Spirit lasso sister.  Love to you all,

Mary Ann

Yes, I suppose "practicing Christians" can mean different things to different people. What I meant was...

A practicing Christian is in the habit of seeking God everyday, and is an active participant in their own sanctification, ever striving to close the gap between where they are and where God wants them to be in regards to holiness. Walking close to God is another way of saying "practicing Christian." Or even bearing the fruit of the Spirit. One doesn't accidentally bear fruit.

One who is led by the Holy Spirit tends to do what he/she is able to do in order to take care of God's gifts, including the world we live in. The word for that is stewardship, and it has been used many times in this blog. I think the vast majority of folks who've written to this blog are good stewards. ~mike

Thanks Mike.

Clyde, I do need to clarify one thing – the word I used was fatalistic from the word fatal, not fatalism.

 The 'Green War' Heats Up

E. Ralph Hostetter
Tuesday, March 20, 2007

The window of the global warming issue will soon begin to close.

No doubt those who have benefited most by the climate change hoax are smart enough to anticipate this.

Climate, over the centuries, has fluctuated from cooling periods to warming periods and back again with variations of a few degrees dominating each climate change. However, average temperature differences over a century or more may be less than 1 degree Fahrenheit, as was the case from 1898 to 1998.

Predictions, not based on past science, have always been higher.

Such was the well-documented case of the predictions of Swedish professor Svante Arrhenius who advanced the theory in 1896 that increases in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at ground level might have effects on temperature.

He computed by hand what supercomputers do today. The results are the same.

He predicted that with a 50 percent increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, average temperatures on the planet would increase by some 7 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit.

In 1896 there were no motor vehicles or airplanes. The world's population was less than 2 billion. It reached 2 billion in 1930 and added another 4 billion by 1998. Carbon dioxide had increased by 30 percent over a 140-year period, most of that during the early part of the Industrial Revolution when coal was the principal source of energy, and long before the onslaught of vehicular and air traffic of the past 100 years.

A 100-year, well-documented test has been completed that disproves the theory that increases in carbon dioxide will lead to drastic increases in global temperatures that will, in turn, lead to billions of deaths by floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, famines, disease and pestilence.

Over the past century, temperature averages across the contiguous United States did not show a strong long-term upward or downward trend. The beginning of the century was generally cool for the first 30 years. The lowest average yearly temperature of the century was recorded in 1917 at 50.72 degrees Fahrenheit.

From 1930 to 1950, the temperatures ranged above normal with the warmest year of 1934 recording an average yearly temperature of 54.91 degrees Fahrenheit. This record would not be broken for the next 64 years, or until 1998, with an average annual temperature of 54.94, a difference of 0.03 of 1 degree, declared by then Vice President Al Gore as "the hottest year in history."

Beginning in 1950, a cooling period set in with mostly below average temperatures until 1980. It was during this time that an "ice age" was prognosticated. Volumes have been written about the dire predictions of the ice age people who would soon magically morph into global warmers.

Newsweek magazine's Earth Day issue in 1975 reported, "There are obvious signs that the earth weather patterns have begun to change dramatically . . . Climatologists are pessimistic that political leaders will take any positive action to compensate for the climate change." Newsweek conceded, however, that such solutions as "melting the Arctic ice cap by covering it with black soot to retain the Earth's heat" might create other problems.

A 1978 National Academy of Sciences Study suggested the possibility of huge year-round snowfields in the United States and Europe.

Lowell Ponte, in his 1976 book, "Cooling," claimed that "the cooling has already killed hundreds of thousands of people in poor nations because of floods, violent storms and other destructive phenomenona."

From 1980 on, the average temperatures began to rise as they did in the 1930s, and will no doubt continue a warmer trend for some years to come. In the likely event the 30-year cycle of warming and cooling periods continues as it has over the past century, a cooling trend will begin sometime about 2010.

So much for the theory of "manmade 'Global Warming'... This too shall pass...     Joel

Hi Joel,

I suppose it all depends on your source.

In its fourth assessment of global warming, released Feb. 2, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change used its strongest language yet in drawing a link between human activity and recent warming. The average surface temperature of earth has increased more than 1 degree Fahrenheit since 1900 and the rate of warming has been nearly three times the century-long average since 1970…

http://www.ipcc.ch/

Mary Ann

Hi MaryAnn-

Again, read the contents of this article and see the variations in global temps over the longterm...