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Is climate change the new faith?
Guardian ^ | 6 February 2010 | Simon Hoggart

Posted on 02/06/2010 8:07:11 AM PST by ricks_place

Fanatics must stop playing fast and loose with global warming data

As a climate change agnostic–and I suspect most of us are, especially now, and more especially after the Guardian series this week–I've been bothered by two aspects of the argument. The first is the religious overtone. Humankind has always wanted to blame its own behaviour for natural events, whether Noah's flood, plagues of frogs, or volcanos which demonstrate that the gods are angry.

Three years ago a British bishop announced that gay marriage had caused our floods. I've often wondered whether global warming is another example of this, an irrational belief designed for a rationalist world.

And there is an element of religious faith in the true believers. Those who disagree are "deniers", with its echo of fanatics who don't believe in the Holocaust. Years ago I saw a sceptic howled down at a British Association meeting; scientists shouldn't behave like that. If people disagree with you they might not be morally wrong, or agents of Satan. (Or big oil, as the believers often claim.) This ties in with my second worry. Clearly many believers have played fast and loose with the data: since what they believe is true beyond doubt, they have a right – no, a moral duty – to suppress any evidence that might contradict them.

Years ago I cowrote a book, Bizarre Beliefs, about various crazy things people believe in, such as astrology, the Bermuda Triangle and spiritualism. Most of them generated vast amounts of data from which believers simply cherry-picked whatever suited their case. The world's climate produces millions upon millions of facts and figures, and it's very easy to select the ones that suit you and ignore all the rest.

Of course I don't know who's right. But I'm not surprised to see the true believers struggling.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: globalwarming

1 posted on 02/06/2010 8:07:11 AM PST by ricks_place
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To: ricks_place

Here’s a great article/interview that totally busts the “rising sea level” bs;
http://www.climatechangefacts.info/ClimateChangeDocuments/NilsAxelMornerinterview.pdf


2 posted on 02/06/2010 8:14:09 AM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ( Ya can't pick up a turd by the clean end!)
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To: ricks_place

btt


3 posted on 02/06/2010 8:14:33 AM PST by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
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To: ricks_place; All

It is interesting how a major event can be used for opposing arguments. For example the monster mid Atlantic snow storm. I have seen numerous ah ha comments snarling “take that global warming”. On the other hand it is reported that, yes, this is actually because of global warming. The rationale there is that since the Pacific Ocean was 2 degrees above normal last summer we are having an extremely strong El Nino which has been putting lots of water across the Northern Hemisphere, including these record snows and floods in California.

Now whether this is part of a normal El Nino, La Nino oscillation, or actually global warming is up for debate. It could just be normal fluctuation, especially after the longer than usual quiet sun period. However, it is pretty well established that a warm Pacific does lead to strong El Ninos.

Aside from the pro or con of the argument, it does make sense for us to conserve our finite resources, and develop all that we can, especially those that can be made in the USA, and stop paying for oil to unfriendly nations.

Here is a link on the current major mid Atlantic storm:

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/huge-snowstorm-wallops-dc-mid-atlantic-region/19347460?ncid=webmaildl1


4 posted on 02/06/2010 8:17:32 AM PST by gleeaikin
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To: ricks_place
We're years into this "man made global warming" and it's not only being disputed by multitudes of scientists and "common sense" and the evidence is compromised.

You have to remember that this was a paid for "political project".

They had a little bit on from one of our local schools about conserving energy. The kids had a list...

No. 1 on the List: "turn out the lights when you leave a room" No.2 "Turn off the computer"

These were 4th graders. Big whooppee...Their parents hev been telling them this all along. This is education??

5 posted on 02/06/2010 8:33:50 AM PST by Sacajaweau (What)
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To: gleeaikin
It is interesting how a major event can be used for opposing arguments.

The other side (the manmade global warming believers) does it all the time in order to rationalize why the factual data may differ from their beliefs. It is no longer global warming but climate change, which can cover anything and everything.

The believers have a hard time explaining why their climate change models aren't working, i.e., there has been no global warming since 1998. If manmade global warming is the result of build ups of CO2, then why the current cooling? It reminds me of Obama's claiming all of the jobs he has saved despite the continuing loss of jobs. The response: It would have been far worse without Obama's intervention.

I want the other side to explain Climategate and the falsification of data to substantiate their theories. The science is far from settled. In fact, the greatest scientific hoax ever perpetuated on mankind is manmade global warming.

6 posted on 02/06/2010 8:39:26 AM PST by kabar
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To: ricks_place

There are four pillars upon which rests present day “thought”: i.e. Hysteria, Histrionics, Decadence and Degeneration.


7 posted on 02/06/2010 8:48:03 AM PST by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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To: ricks_place
Is climate change the new faith?

Must be.
In spite of overwhelming evidence of manipulation and fraud, the parade of lemmings and retards moves on...

CO2, carbon credits, and the other vodoo crap.

8 posted on 02/06/2010 9:00:35 AM PST by Publius6961 (He is not America; he is an employee seemingly unable to rise to minimal expectations.)
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To: ricks_place
Years ago I cowrote a book, Bizarre Beliefs, about various crazy things people believe in, such as astrology, the Bermuda Triangle and spiritualism. Most of them generated vast amounts of data from which believers simply cherry-picked whatever suited their case.

So what are you doing here?

You can go frolic among the fruitcakes on this thread...

They're back...!

9 posted on 02/06/2010 9:07:38 AM PST by Publius6961 (He is not America; he is an employee seemingly unable to rise to minimal expectations.)
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To: ricks_place; meyer; WL-law; Para-Ord.45; Desdemona; Little Bill; IrishCatholic; mmanager; ...
 

Global Warming as Religion:


Ecotard kooks from the following denomination of the Church of the Warming Globe want you to become "very happy" by sending them a donation (I'm not making this reality-reflecting-parody up):

 




The Regeneration Project
and the Interfaith Power and Light campaign
"A religious response to global warming"
Donate and feel "very happy" about your life.

________________________________________

Global Warming as Religion links:



10 posted on 02/06/2010 9:09:39 AM PST by steelyourfaith (FReepers were opposed to Obama even before it was cool to be against Obama.)
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To: ricks_place

the environmental movement is a religious movement, and needs to be banned from the classrooms


11 posted on 02/06/2010 9:20:24 AM PST by TexasFreeper2009 (November is coming.)
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To: gleeaikin

Which finite resources?


12 posted on 02/06/2010 10:35:26 AM PST by abclily
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