Pride (In the name of Climate Change)

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." (Genesis 8:22)

Extreme environmentalism has introduced new concepts into the cultural and political conversation of our nation and the world. First, we were warned of the imminent threat of Global Warming. The polar ice caps, we were assured, would soon melt causing sea levels to rise, entire species to become extinct, and civilization as we know it to perish. When the rising temperatures didn't seem to conform to the demands of the experts, the terminology changed. Rather than "global warming" we began to hear about the threat of "climate change."

Another word for climate change, of course, is "weather."

There is an old adage that says, "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes. It will change." The fact is that weather patterns have shifted, sometimes dramatically, from time to time throughout recorded history. And the activities of humans have had precious little to do with it. The intensity of the Sun, which is planet earth's primary temperature regulator, waxes and wanes with consequent effects on the relative severity or mildness of our global climate.

The mythology of global warming has been debunked by reputable scientists. And if you don't believe them, just check with the residents of the western and midwestern United States, who have seen more than 90 cold weather records shattered within the past few months. Any person who is awake and cognizant ought to be able to discern that the rumors of planet earth's death through global warming have been greatly exaggerated.

Proponents of climate change fear-mongering, however, continue pressing their agenda despite increasing evidence to the contrary. This is because their agenda is more important to them than the facts. The real point is not saving the planet from imminent disaster, but capitalizing on a fear that has been magnified beyond all rational explanation in order to create a sense of urgency that will allow national and international policymakers to control the earth's natural resources, the production of energy, and even the mundane daily activities of private citizens under the pretext of “rescuing the world from certain destruction.”

Consider the introductory remarks from President Barack Obama's speech at the United Nations Climate Change Summit held in New York City on September 22, 2009 (and, just for fun, try substituting the word "weather" wherever you see the words "climate change"):

"That so many of us are here today is a recognition that the threat from climate change is serious, it is urgent, and it is growing. Our generation's response to this challenge will be judged by history, for if we fail to meet it - boldly, swiftly, and together - we risk consigning future generations to an irreversible catastrophe.
       No nation, however large or small, wealthy or poor, can escape the impact of climate change. Rising sea levels threaten every coastline. More powerful storms and floods threaten every continent. More frequent drought and crop failures breed hunger and conflict in places where hunger and conflict already thrive. On shrinking islands, families are already being forced to flee their homes as climate refugees. The security and stability of each nation and all peoples - our prosperity, our health, our safety - are in jeopardy. And the time we have to reverse this tide is running out.
       And yet, we can reverse it. John F. Kennedy once observed that 'Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man.' It is true that for too many years, mankind has been slow to respond to or even recognize the magnitude of the climate threat. It is true of my own country as well. We recognize that. But this is a new day. It is a new era. And I am proud to say that the United States has done more to promote clean energy and reduce carbon pollution in the last eight months than at any other time in our history."

The key here is to pin the blame for changing weather patterns on mankind, and thus force the conclusion that the solution to "climate change" (that is, shifting weather) is more government regulation of human activity – and thus, more government control of human productivity.

Here is what God says: "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease" (Genesis 8:22). This divine promise was made to Noah just after the great flood. It was given in the context of God assuring Noah that He would never again destroy the earth with a worldwide catastrophe. It is not a promise that there will never be changes in the climate patterns on earth, nor a promise that there will never be local meteorological shifts that will result in, for example, previously temperate regions becoming colder or frigid climates becoming milder. It is a promise that the global patterns of seasonal weather will always remain intact, as long as the earth endures.

So, who are we to believe? Can man really overpower God's resolve to maintain a stable climate on planet earth? To imagine this possible is an extreme expression of hubris. But, then again, the problem of human pride dates back even further than Noah's generation. And it, too, was predicated on the lie that man has the potential to be more powerful than God.