Pope Says Denial of God is Reason for Climate Crisis
The Copenhagen summit and the debate on climate change is something all of us have read about a lot in recent months. Countries like India and China were against proposals set forth by countries like Denmark that mandated cuts in CO2 emissions that were legally binding. Even if there was a legally binding agreement it still would not be
possible to implement it because some of the most important signatories like the United States will not be able to pass laws domestically in order to comply.
But the vast differences on this issue did not prevent the Vatican and the Pope from throwing their hat into the ring. The Pope presented his views on the issue in an address to members of the Vatican’s diplomatic corps. He said “the denial of God distorts the freedom of the human person, yet it also devastates creation. It follows that the protection of creation is not principally a response to an aesthetic need, but much more to a moral need, in as much as nature expresses a plan of love and truth which is prior to us and which comes from God”. Religious leaders often make broad and sweeping statements that make us feel good but are not practical or true.
One of the things that make us successful as a species is the fact that we more than anybody else are capable of manipulating our surroundings including nature (creation) in order to survive. We understand the weather and are capable of planting crops and then get more out of these plants by adding fertilizers, we mine for coal and produce energy that is vital for our survival and we have vaccines to protect us from deadly diseases found in nature. All the above are examples of human beings interfering with nature.
Unless we want to go back to the cave man lifestyle we have to keep on interfering with nature and in the process endangering it or completely destroying it. The question before us is not how we can stop doing this (because we cannot) but how to do it in a way that it does not endanger our safety and security on Earth.
Commonsense tells us that the vast majority of people on earth are religious. So where we are today is to a great extent a direct result of decisions made by and with the consent of religious people from all over the world. So if the Pope thinks that there is a grave environmental issue facing the world today then who should take most of the blame? Should it be the small percentage of skeptics and atheists or the religious people who should know better than destroying nature or god’s creation as they call it?
The Pope also added that “self-centered and materialistic” way of thinking is endangering creation. I agree with the Pope on this point. There is a lot of consumption and spending in the world that is not necessary or cannot be justified considering the vast amounts of poverty that exists in the world today. This is particularly interesting considering that most of these spenders live in regions like North America and Western Europe where individuals and governments are facing deep financial crisis. People who live in these countries also consume a disproportionate amount of energy and have a bigger impact on the environment than those who live in poorer regions.
Towards the middle of his speech the Pope then added the following: “Twenty years ago, after the fall of the Berlin wall and the collapse of the materialistic and atheistic regimes which had for several decades dominated a part of this continent, was it not easy to assess the great harm which an economic system lacking any reference to the truth about man had done not only to the dignity and freedom of individuals and peoples, but to nature itself, by polluting soil, water and air”. By making these statements the Pope has opened himself to possible criticism.
The Pope is equating the Eastern Block (which was mostly communist and/or socialist) with pollution of soil, water and air. Just because the Eastern block was communist or socialist does not mean that the people were not religious. It is like saying that the majority of Chinese, North Koreans and Cubans today are atheists. It is far from the truth.
The top ten polluters per capita include the following countries: United States, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Norway, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, Japan and South Africa. Saudi Arabia is on the list because it is one of the biggest oil producers in the world but has a small population.
What do all other countries have in common? They are all liberal democracies that offer tremendous rights to their citizens and have powerful judicial systems. The list is also stunning when you consider that outside of Saudi Arabia and Russia all other countries do not produce or refine a lot of oil which results in a lot of pollution.
It can also be argued that the reason why CO2 emissions is increasing now is because countries like India and China which were following socialistic models have embraced capitalistic economic models which is increasing consumption and spending. So the data is pointing to the fact that capitalism, free market economy and freedom should take a lion’s share of the blame for the destruction of nature. Let us stop pointing fingers at communism or lack of individual freedom for this debacle.
The Pope’s comments also seem to indicate that climate change and destruction of nature is a recent issue. But is it true? Were cities like Rome (Vatican), London, Paris, Jerusalem or Ayodhya always exist or did the ancients cut down large amount of trees and leveled mountains and hills to build these great cities? Human beings impact on nature has existed for thousands of years. It existed even during times when you could be executed for saying that you do not believe in god (Let us not forget that Galileo was executed by the Roman Catholic Church in 1633 for suggesting that the Earth revolved around the Sun and not the other way around).
I appeal to all religious leaders to not make this a moral issue. They should also stop indicating that you can be moral only if you are religious or believe in god. This is a serious issue that potentially threatens the survival of the species and there is no place for petty religious politics. Everyone including the Pope should ask the question “what can I do to help”? The Pope should set an example and lead a simple life and not live in an extravagant palace built for Kings. He should live with the people like his predecessor Saint Peter did (the Prime Minister of India lives with his parents in a small house. Now that is setting a good example).
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Category: Culture & Religion