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Archbishop of Canterbury warns greed could wreck the Earth (Environmental Christmas Sermon)
AFP ^ | December 25, 2007

Posted on 12/25/2007 6:24:47 AM PST by Zakeet

The leader of the world's Anglicans slammed "human greed" in his Christmas sermon, saying it threatened the Earth's fragile environmental balance.

Doctor Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, told worshippers at Canterbury Cathedral in south-east England, that humanity needed to protect the world created by God.

People should treat each other and nature with "reverence", the Church of England leader said.

"More and more (is) clearly required of us as we grow in awareness of how fragile is the balance of species and environments in the world and just how our greed distorts it.

"When we threaten the balance of things, we don't just put our material survival at risk; more profoundly we put our spiritual sensitivity at risk -- the possibility of being opened up to endless wonder by the world around us."

The archbishop also stressed the need to respect others and praised "brave and loving people" in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

"The delight and reverence we should have towards the things of creation is intensified many times where human relationships are concerned," he said.

"And if peace is to be more than a pause in open conflict, it must be grounded in this passionate amazed reverence for others.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: anglican; christmas; ecology; environmental; europeanchristians; globalwarming; greens; religiousleft; rowanwilliams
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To: joeclarke

What an idiot. He has no business even being a priest, let alone a bishop, let alone the Archbishop of Canterbury.


41 posted on 12/25/2007 9:38:02 AM PST by BlessedBeGod
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To: Morgan in Denver

Uh, you do realize that the Pope said something not so different, right?

“What would he say if he could see the state of the world today, through the abuse of energy and its selfish and reckless exploitation?”

Look, I realize that there are plenty of envirowackos who take things way too far in the other direction, but it seems like some people around here demonstrate an active hostility towards the environment, and I’m not sure I get it.....


42 posted on 12/25/2007 9:49:14 AM PST by Conscience of a Conservative
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To: Zakeet
All those families in China and India who want to give their kids a better life are evil and greedy people, right?

What kind of religion is this?

:-(
43 posted on 12/25/2007 9:53:35 AM PST by cgbg ("2009-2017: Gnarled and ugly,loud and preachy, fiscally and morally depraved.")
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To: Conscience of a Conservative
I can only speak as a former Episcopalian. My wife and I voted on the changes in the church with our feet. From the change to the Green Book to women priests, hugging in the pews and then homosexual encouragement from the pulpit. I’m sorry, the Episcopalian church is not what it used to be. For what it’s worth, the Catholic Churches around the country are holding services for disgruntled Episcopalians and the new Anglican Church is spreading throughout the US. I don't' have figures but I would bet the attendance has tanked across the country

The Church of England is smaller than the Catholics now in the UK and the Episcopalian Church in the USA is following suit.

As for the environment, the church should stay out of this discussion. One because it's still junk science, so far, and two, because the church should be working on souls and helping people, and staying out of politics. I'm not saying to trash the environment nor abuse nature. I AM saying it requires a lot of gall to think we have the ability to ultimately change something like this and only a radical leftist would blame mankind and the USA in particular for environmental problems. What amazes me is how some people will buy into these wacko theories without the least bit of skepticism.

44 posted on 12/25/2007 10:42:17 AM PST by Morgan in Denver
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To: bboop

Did you read the information on FR earlier today, talking about how a woman was chastized for using the word Christmas? The punch line being, she was working at “The Christmas Tree” store.

Merry Christmas.


45 posted on 12/25/2007 10:44:09 AM PST by Morgan in Denver
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To: Zakeet
The old C of E is off the rails. I can’t even recognize it as Christian any longer. It’s some kind of pagan “new age” nonsense with a lot of trendy far-left Labour Party dogma thrown in.
46 posted on 12/25/2007 10:49:51 AM PST by mojito
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To: aruanan

“The shepherds attended the birth of Jesus. The wise men came after Jesus was already a toddler and living in a different city.”

Neither nativity tradition in the Gospels (and they are both seperate and not particularly complimetary with each other) says this.

Luke has shepherds attending the birth which occurs in Bethlehem, the couple having journeyed from Nazareth and staying in a stable. They then leave and return directly to Nazareth. No wise men or Egypt detour.

Matthew has the couple living in a house in Bethlehem (no stable or shepherds), then the Wise Men come to Bethlehem as directed. After they leave the family flee to Egypt and then later move to Nazareth.


47 posted on 12/25/2007 10:54:09 AM PST by UKTory
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To: Don Corleone

“No wonder Tony switched!”

I don’t think this is the reason, this sermon sounds like something he’d completely agree with.


48 posted on 12/25/2007 10:55:06 AM PST by UKTory
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To: Morgan in Denver

“As for the environment, the church should stay out of this discussion. One because it’s still junk science, so far, and two, because the church should be working on souls and helping people, and staying out of politics. I’m not saying to trash the environment nor abuse nature. I AM saying it requires a lot of gall to think we have the ability to ultimately change something like this and only a radical leftist would blame mankind and the USA in particular for environmental problems. What amazes me is how some people will buy into these wacko theories without the least bit of skepticism.”

You are confusing “global warming/climate change” with “the environment.” Much of the research on global warming is, indeed, junk science. Only a radical leftist would blame mankind and the USA in particular for global warming (if it even exists).

There has been, however, plenty of legitimate, real-science work done on the environment. And, historically, there has been tremendous damage to the environment (in the form of groundwater pollution, etc) caused by mankind, inside and outside of the US. That is, quite simply, indisputable.

And, about the church’s role - correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that the Bible says that man is given dominion over the world. That, I believe, does not mean that we can do what we want with it, but rather that we have a theological/spiritual obligation to use the world’s resources responsibly. It is, then, arguably the church’s role to encourage us to do so.


49 posted on 12/25/2007 11:01:14 AM PST by Conscience of a Conservative
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To: mojito

I don’t know enough about the Church of England to dispute your argument, but how is this statement - essentially saying that we should consider the environmental implications of our actions - non-Christian?


50 posted on 12/25/2007 11:02:40 AM PST by Conscience of a Conservative
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To: Zakeet

And Anglicanism continues its death spiral downward...


51 posted on 12/25/2007 11:05:34 AM PST by DesScorp
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To: Morgan in Denver

hahah, she was working at the Christmas store? hahah. The great thing — our son is 21, at Univ of Colorado/Boulder. He said his cohorts think PC is ridiculous. That gives me great hope.


52 posted on 12/25/2007 11:08:25 AM PST by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
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To: Conscience of a Conservative

Sorry, this is just not worth an arguement.

Merry Christmas.


53 posted on 12/25/2007 11:19:55 AM PST by Morgan in Denver
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To: Morgan in Denver

Merry Christmas!


54 posted on 12/25/2007 11:21:34 AM PST by Conscience of a Conservative
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To: bboop

Boulder remains a strange place. Congratulations on your son withstanding the pressures there. If nothing else, your son can see first hand what the left has in store for the rest of us, as well as the character of the individuals he hears it from.

There IS an active chapter of Young Republicans on that campus. I hope he checks it out if he’s inclined to get involved.

If he’s there today, he is probably off skiing someplace.


55 posted on 12/25/2007 11:24:12 AM PST by Morgan in Denver
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To: bboop

Here’s the link if you want a good chuckle today.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1943960/posts


56 posted on 12/25/2007 12:44:02 PM PST by Morgan in Denver
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To: Morgan in Denver

I’ll mention Young Republicans. He’s not particularly activist at this time, holed up with computer science. And snowboarding. However, he is in Los Angeles this week, warming up and decompressing.

He has brought home some liberal blather, but there is a lot of common sense here and not much tolerance for that sort of thing. My husband challenges just about every out-there statement he makes, in a solid and thoughtful way. Doing our part to de-program him.

He had announced himself to be a “Libertarian who votes Republican,” and I don’t think anything will root that out. This is one strong-minded (homeschooled) kid.


57 posted on 12/25/2007 12:59:19 PM PST by bboop (Stealth Tutor)
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To: bboop

You might ask him to consider using his talents with computers to help them, if he has the time or inclination. I’ve met some of these kids and they are really nice. Active, yes.


58 posted on 12/25/2007 1:08:41 PM PST by Morgan in Denver
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To: miele man

I am a fairly tolerant person but I think my tolerance level has been reached.

I have not been to mass (except for last night) for months. I wouldn’t have gone last night except that it would have disappointed my son, but I really did not enjoy it.

It’s hard to give up on your religion of 40 years, but realistically, I think it’s given up on common sense.


59 posted on 12/25/2007 8:06:56 PM PST by wayoverthehill
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To: Conscience of a Conservative
A Christmas service with no Christ? Why? Christian redemption and the birth of the Savior just aren’t trendy enough. Rather, the Archbishop offers a recycled algoreish sermon on human greed and the environment, and the evil of America. I would have rather thought that Christmas would have brought out the sermon on the joys of gay sex, but perhaps the Archbishop will save that one for Easter.

Just this past week, the Archbishop said that accounts of Christ’s birth, as related in the Gospels, were untrue. Thus, we have an Archbishop who believes the gospel of algore, but not Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Perhaps I’m too narrow-minded and old-fashioned, but if these are your beliefs, you are not a Christian.

60 posted on 12/25/2007 9:09:38 PM PST by mojito
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