Damage To The Environment Threatens Poor People

[Nerf Hofflemire]

Pope says that damage to he enviornment threatens the poor. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/vaticanpopeenvironment;_ylt=Atw2SmXEHd.p79qn8vmmPD cDW7oF;_ylu=X3oDMTBhcmljNmVhBHNlYwNtcm5ld3M-)

SOURCE=yahoo!news "Pope Benedict XVI warned that damage to the environment had dire consequences for the poor and called for all Christians to work to save the earth."
"The world is exposed to a series of risks created by choices and lifestyles that can degrade it"
"Damage to the environment makes the life of the poor on Earth particularly unbearable"
it (is) very important that the Roman Catholic church (does) not confine itself to the traditional message of respect for the human being"


Here's how a good Christian should spend their time - trying to spead the word of God to those who don't know Him. Not spending their time saving the environment for the poor. Save people from Hell, not from the environment.

[dixiegirl]

so we are supposed to love G-d and plant a tree eh? we own earth, the earth doesn't own us

[Guns R Cool]

Too many Liberal Christians nowadays are for some reason focusing more on things that don't have anything to do with the Bible. God didn't tell us to protect the enviroment. Religions as a whole need to focus on their religious duties while individuals and communities need to focus on their surrounding enviroment.

[Jimbo]

Can you guys drop the bias against Catholics for just 2 or 3 minutes?

The Pope didn't preach liberalism, he didn't kiss Al Gores ass, he said we should try our best to protect our own planet. I'm sorry, but what the hell is wrong with that?!

[Nerf Hofflemire]

Jimbo, I never said that. I think that Guns said it best here -
Religions as a whole need to focus on their religious duties while individuals and communities need to focus on their surrounding enviroment.

[Dr. Madd]

Actually, God made us Stewards of the earth. That means he allows hunting and timbering and mining, but we have a duty as mandated in the book of Genesis to protect what's been put in our charge. Besides, if we don't protect the environment a little at least, where are MY kids going to learn to hunt?

[Guns R Cool]

Can you guys drop the bias against Catholics for just 2 or 3 minutes?

The Pope didn't preach liberalism, he didn't kiss Al Gores ass, he said we should try our best to protect our own planet. I'm sorry, but what the hell is wrong with that?!

No one ever said anything you're complaining about. I think you need to chill. If this discussion was about a leading Protestant, our responses would have been the same. Uncalled for defensiveness equals guilt.

[Madcowhunter]

So, the Pope says protect the environement. What's wrong with that?

[Jimbo]

Thats what I just said madcow. Guns I think your missing the point.
And if you read your first post GRC, the first sentence you have is "Too many liberal Christians". Since the person in question is the pope I can only assume your talking about him.

Also Keep in mind that Benedict was in line with a lot of conservative beliefs, and was the convservative choice for pope over many more liberals contenders.

[Madcowhunter]

I just think it's stupid that most people think protecting the environment is a trait that goes hand-in-hand with liberalism. Protecting the environment is important. I am VERY skeptical about the mainstream global warming theory, and I disagree heavily with environazis, and when it comes to scientific progress at the small cost of environmental damage, I'll take scientific progress. But that doesn't mean I'm going to drag my dumpster around the Puget Sound and set fire to Yellowstone....
I agree with Jimbo and Dr. Madd.

[Nerf Hofflemire]

The pope's job should be on their religious duties.


but we have a duty as mandated in the book of Genesis to protect what's been put in our charge.
The archbishop of Vienna, a primary author of the Catholic catechism, clarified that the Catholic Church does not adhere to the “creationist” theory that takes its information on the origin of life exclusively from the bible.

I don't think you can use the Bible book of Genisis theory, as catholics don't really belive in all of it. Such as "In the Beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth".

[Guns R Cool]

You need to lighten up Jimbo, if I wanted to attack Catholics I would have said Catholics, not Christians.

MadCow, protecting the enviroment is important, but doing our religious duties outweighs that. I don't think the Pope or any Christian leaders need to tell us that it's our duty to save the enviroment. That's for countries and communities need to worry about. The Pope and others need to worry about attracting more people to our religion, not cleaning up a park.

[Madcowhunter]

The Pope is both a politcal and religious leader. Thus, it is his duty to tackle bother religious and communal issues. The environment is included.

[Dr. Madd]

I just think it's stupid that most people think protecting the environment is a trait that goes hand-in-hand with liberalism. Protecting the environment is important. I am VERY skeptical about the mainstream global warming theory, and I disagree heavily with environazis, and when it comes to scientific progress at the small cost of environmental damage, I'll take scientific progress. But that doesn't mean I'm going to drag my dumpster around the Puget Sound and set fire to Yellowstone....
I agree with Jimbo and Dr. Madd.

And my ideas for this come from Teddy Roosevelt.

[Madcowhunter]

Exactly. TR was a great "environmentalist". I use the term in quotes, because it was once an honorable title before it was hijacked by left-wing Nazis.

[erichthewebguy]

Pope Benedict XVI warned that damage to the environment had dire consequences for the poor and called for all Christians to work to save the earth

Ya know, if you guys would stop and THINK for a minute, you might see that he is correct.

You are looking at this through the lens of an American. There is nothing wrong with that, at all. But, you fail to see the big picture. The big picture includes corporations dumping toxic waste into village drinking water supplies in third world populations, releasing lethal amounts of toxic chemicals into the air that kill people in their sleep, etc. Just because it doesn't happen here, doesn't mean it doesn't happen to the poorest people on the planet.

People, it's not a liberal or conservative issue. We only have one planet, and each person only has one life. When you kill someone with pollution, all of the politics in the world will not bring that person back. When you expel toxic substances into the atmosphere, they don't just magically go away. They either wash back to the planet via rainfall, or they stay in the atmosphere.

Listen, the point I am trying to make here is that the environment isn't a political issue, it's a humanity issue. If we ruin somewhere on this planet, it's ruined. If we ruin the planet, where the hell else are we going to go?

I just wish people would use at least a little bit of common sense here. However, I suspect that people will call me a "democrat" or a "liberal" or whatever. That's ok. I don't honestly care. Just think about it before you do, ok?

[earthtoned]

great discussion here, guys.

the pope is one of the most influential figures in the world, and speaks out on a very large range of issues. He is the leader not only of the catholic church, but also of the nation of the vatican making him both a religious and governmental leader. I would hardly call Pope Benedict a liberal especially in light of his fundamentalist views. I feel it is completely appropriate for any religious leader to speak out on a broad range of matters. While i absolutely believe that the separation of church and state are imperative, especially concerning religious freedom, religion does not exist in a vaccuum outside of public life. It affects a vast majority of people in how they approach their everyday lives. the health of our environment is often dictated by how people percieve its worth, especially in religious terms. If they see it as something to be used with no regard to its long term health, its not hard to see where that leads to oblivion. Until we find a way to manufacture food, air and water, our long term existance is reliant on it. I find it is sad that environmentalism is so politicized, or that the word itself seems to conjur up images of people strapping themselves to trees. the fact is that large numbers of conservatives are conservationalists. in fact the modern movement has much owed to teddy roosevelt as was mentioned earlier. obviously when the environment and the economy butt heads there will be disagreements, but they shouldnt force conservatives to the extreme end of the spectrum, where ultimately i think they will be hurt by this position.

[Jimbo]

Wow Erich. It took you all of 2 minutes to put into words the ideas that I tried for like 2 days. Show off.

[Dr. Madd]

What must be realized is that Environmentalism is not what the liberals do.

True Environmentalism consists of:

1. Pruning off, judiciously, old growth forests to allow trees to grow. Replanting it with the same type of trees that were harvested. There's a lumber company here that replants hardwood forests with cussed loplolly pines.
2. Hunting, especially in areas where main predators have been driven off or hunted out, is key. Legalized gunownership staves off starvation for a host of species. Fishing is as well.
3. By Encouraging camping, the Park service brings nature to people, and brings it to a level they understand.

[McCarthywasright]

Actually, God made us Stewards of the earth. That means he allows hunting and timbering and mining, but we have a duty as mandated in the book of Genesis to protect what's been put in our charge. Besides, if we don't protect the environment a little at least, where are MY kids going to learn to hunt?

Now you're getting it.

And I'll give you another good reason the subject of Global Warming should be more securely addressed by the Right:

The Christian Base is already down front and center on this one. Even Pat Robertson is leading the charge against Global Warming.

Right now things aren't so cozy between the Christians we've been counting on to support our GOP causes. You get a few more rear ends of the big shots caught up in the fryer of "Foleygate" and these loyal GOP Christians could move on to greener pastures.

We don't want that.