Dude, global warming is most UN-excellent!
Posted on 09/15/2006 7:55:12 PM PDT by pissant
A powerful alliance of Evangelical Christians and other religious groups is challenging traditional views of environmental activism by promoting a documentary about global warming in churches across America.
The group aims to convince congregations of all denominations that damage to the environment is a moral and spiritual rather than political issue that requires urgent action at every level.
The Great Warming, a Canadian production narrated by Keanu Reeves and Alanis Morissette, is being pitched in particular at the powerful conservative Christian constituency, which was credited with helping to re-elect President George W Bush in 2004.
Its release is timed to mobilise people ahead of the mid-term elections and the 2008 presidential election, and comes against a background of widespread frustration at the Bush administration's reluctance to act on the issue.
The involvement of faith groups in the film's promotion signals the growing clout of the religious green lobby, the so-called "creation care" movement that has gained significant momentum since Evangelical Christian groups began signing up a few months ago.
Some commentators believe the involvement of this traditionally Republican-voting group could succeed where countless scientists and environmentalists have failed and convince conservative sceptics who dismiss global warming as "alarmist" to change tack.
A national rollout of The Great Warming starts in American cinemas next month. It is already being screened by members of the National Council of Churches, which represents about 45 million churchgoers; Presbyterians for Restoring Creation; the National Association of Evangelicals; Jewish groups and Baptist ministries.
Themed sermons form part of the promotional campaign.
Paul de Vries, a board member of the National Association of Evangelicals and president of the New York Divinity School, described the film as "a must-see for Bible-believing people. It is not pro-Democrat or pro-Republican, but pro-life, pro-responsibility and pro-fairness".
He said many members of the evangelical community, who have long been influential on social issues such as abortion, were awakening to the environmental issue.
"If we are pro-life in terms of wanting to reduce abortion, we must be pro-life in terms of having a healthy environment for all those children we save," he said.
The Rev Joel Hunter, of Northland Church in Longwood, Florida, where 12,000 people worship, screened the film last week. He believes it is "an initiating event for evangelicals because regardless of your position on global warming, the result is the same — we all want to take care of God's creation".
He added: "In the past, the environment has traditionally been a Democratic issue that Republicans have been far more reserved on. Evangelical Christians have tended to vote Republican so some Christians are calling this a wedge issue."
Paul Gorman, the executive director of the National Religious Partnership on the Environment, said of the emerging religious green movement: "I would not want to say it's like the Reformation or the Enlightenment but to many of us it is of that scale of importance."
He believes it will wield significant political influence.
"The fact that people the President respects politically and theologically are changing their perspectives, I think he's noticing and should take some time to reconsider."
"Evangelicals are in a better position to influence the political sceptic on climate change than anyone else," said Richard Cizik, vice-president for governmental affairs of the National Association of Evangelicals. "The issue is not a green issue per se any more than it's a Red State Republican or Blue State Democrat issue. It's a moral and spiritual issue."
Methinks, however, this article is a desperate Dem talking point----its about the 100th article over the last 6 months I've seen about this
Can we take seriously an article written by someone named Cat Ellsworth?
If there is anything in this story, I hope it will turn out like Evangelicals and Harriet Miers. The initial reaction was enthusiastic, but the more they learned, the more they backed away.
I think they are using "evangelical" pretty loosely there.
I smell the stink of Soros money. Keanu Reeves?
Please give Joe Sixpack and the local church a little more credit, pissant.
I shoretened it from Catherine. I was lazy.
Riddle me this batman:
*Paul de Vries, a board member of the National Association of Evangelicals and president of the New York Divinity School, described the film as "a must-see for Bible-believing people. It is not pro-Democrat or pro-Republican, but pro-life, pro-responsibility and pro-fairness".*
The whole thing stinks to high heaven -- if you'll pardon the expression.
ALanis is kinda cute though.
If it is being pushed by the National Council of Churches, it is NOT conservative. That is the liberal wing of American Christian churches which (I am ashamed to say) my denomination belongs to.
Not the NCC, but National Association of Evangelicals
Follow the money on this one folks.
Well you know, Democrats are really trying to get in touch with religion lately. Their internal polling said it would be a good idea to keep talking about that.
Benny Hinn's fault?
The Bush administration is not being reluctant to act on the issue. They are trying to figure along with stopping global warming on earth, how to stop the apparent golbal warming on Mars...
Rumor has it they are in contact with Algore with this one.
Well the media is fanasizing about it .
I'd spank her.
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