The Religion of Climate Change
By Jo Lorenz
Policy and change for 200 points please, Alex!
I am not a religious person. Well, to be more factual, I do not believe in organised religion. I believe the earth was formed around 4.54 billion years ago and in the General Theory of Evolution.
I do not believe a man called Jesus died for our sins and I do not believe a man called Moses parted the Red Sea. I do not believe a prophet called Muhammad was sent to confirm the monotheistic teachings, and I do not believe Zeus was the God of the sky and thunder.
I do, however, acknowledge that there are billions of people that do believe in these things and I respect their right to worship. I am not condemning their beliefs, their culture and their upbringing — regardless of how these beliefs. However, I am appealing to their sense of right and wrong, fact and fiction, when it comes to climate change.
Combating climatic change is officially on the agenda of the Catholic Church and has been for years. In 2015, Pope Francis called upon the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics to join the fight against climate change when he declared that the Vatican views it as a moral issue that must be addressed in order to protect the Earth and everyone on it. Consequently, surely climate change should be a priority for all Catholics, across the entire globe?
Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and Supreme Governor of the Church of England, openly acknowledges and fights against climate change — and the top decision-making body of the Church of England, the national General Synod, strongly backs long-term climate action — then ought not each Anglican be doing the same?
Islamic leaders called upon the world's 1.6 billion Muslims to play an active role in combatting climate change at the 2015 International Islamic Climate Change Symposium held in Istanbul, Turkey. Islam’s teachings emphasise the duty of humans as stewards of the Earth and the teacher’s role as an appointed guide to correct behaviour. Unquestionably then, shouldn’t these points provide guidance for Muslims to take the right action on climate change?
God or no god, there is currently only one habitable planet for mankind — and we are rapidly killing her. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns we have 11 years to limit climate change catastrophe — and religious leaders across the globe are collectively championing protection of our natural world, siding with science and common sense.
I respect a person’s right to worship, their right to prayer and their right for religious assembly. In return, ought not all religious folks respect my liberties to fight for a planet fit for my children to live in, love in and — should they wish to — worship in?
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