"Saving the planet" is NOT about rescuing Mother Gaia from the evils of capitalist industrialization. We serve the greater dignity of the human person by being good stewards of creation. Those of us who refuse to be bullied by the Panic Industry of Climate Alarmism are not anti-environment. It is entirely possible to be fervently against pollution, waste, etc. without following the Alarmist Lemmings off the cap and tax cliff.
Excerpts from Pope Benedict XVI's World Peace Day message:
Hence I readily encourage efforts to promote a greater sense of ecological responsibility which, as I indicated in my Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, would safeguard an authentic “human ecology” and thus forcefully reaffirm the inviolability of human life at every stage and in every condition, the dignity of the person and the unique mission of the family, where one is trained in love of neighbour and respect for nature. There is a need to safeguard the human patrimony of society. This patrimony of values originates in and is part of the natural moral law, which is the foundation of respect for the human person and creation.
[. . .]
If the Church’s magisterium expresses grave misgivings about notions of the environment inspired by ecocentrism and biocentrism, it is because such notions eliminate the difference of identity and worth between the human person and other living things. In the name of a supposedly egalitarian vision of the “dignity” of all living creatures, such notions end up abolishing the distinctiveness and superior role of human beings. They also open the way to a new pantheism tinged with neo-paganism, which would see the source of man’s salvation in nature alone, understood in purely naturalistic terms. The Church, for her part, is concerned that the question be approached in a balanced way, with respect for the “grammar” which the Creator has inscribed in his handiwork by giving man the role of a steward and administrator with responsibility over creation, a role which man must certainly not abuse, but also one which he may not abdicate. In the same way, the opposite position, which would absolutize technology and human power, results in a grave assault not only on nature, but also on human dignity itself.
see i read XVI's comments and i didnt like how he talked about Climate change as a fact. he sounded like an IPCC member.
ReplyDeletealso, he suggested that some international organization making new rules for regulations but did not say who or what or how.
i feel like maybe there were to o many speechwriters in this speech and not enough BXVI
Daniel
Daniel, yea, the scientific/policy elements of the message are very weak. But we do not look to the Pope for those...his theology is solid (of course!) and that all that matters.
ReplyDeletei feel like maybe there were too many speechwriters in this speech and not enough BXVI
ReplyDeleteOr maybe BXVI thinks climate change is a fact.