Scientists turn to Pope Francis and world’s religions to save the planet

[LAGC]

Forget past arguments over Darwin or Galileo – scientists set sights on unlikely alliance with the world’s religious leaders to combat climate change

It has been one of the most fraught relationships of recent centuries, at least in the popular imagination.

But a group of scientists are pinning their hopes for the salvation of the planet, in the face of climate change and habitat destruction - on religion.

Their case, set out in an essay in the journal Science, is being described a “watershed moment” for scientists and faith leaders alike.

It argues that engaging religious leaders, rather than relying on politicians, could hold the key to mobilising billions of people around the world to change aspects of their lifestyles to help prevent catastrophic climate change.

The article singles out Pope Francis and the Roman Catholic Church, with its 1.2 billion-strong network of followers, as the key but calls for religious leaders of every stripe to be recruited.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/env...he-planet.html

I must say, as suspicious as I am of the Catholic Church's motives, I welcome their alliance with forwarding the causes of science.

Who could have imagined, 500 years ago, with all the inquisitions and burning heretic scientists at the stake, that the Church would not only come to tolerate science, but even embrace it? With their own research initiatives and institutes and everything?

We live in very strange times, indeed.

[l921428x]

or fighting islam. I thought there was no god so why care?

[LAGC]

or fighting islam. I thought there was no god so why care?

Because there's plenty of people who believe in a god, and many take what their religious leaders say seriously.

[l921428x]

like isis and hamas?

if I cut your head off I guess I am saving the planet from co2.
now I believe in global warming!!

[LAGC]

Hey, beggars can't be choosers.

If it takes a fatwa to get some serious action on climate change, so be it.

[l921428x]

308 the muzzies are going to save us. just ask em.

[LAGC]

Title of the article is: "Scientists turn to Pope Francis and world’s religions to save the planet"....NOT "Church turns to science"
But you already knew that.

You haven't heard of the Church's recent dabblings into the sciences?

It wasn't mentioned in that article, but I just assumed that was common knowledge by now.

See: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/11/world/...tican-science/

As that article points out, Pope Francis himself was a trained scientist in his earlier life, a chemical technician before moving on to study philosophy, psychology, and eventually theology.

I think its a rather positive development myself. Religion and science don't necessarily have to be at odds with each other.

[LAGC]

I could care less what the organized church of rome has to say about anything.

Fair enough.

But with 1.2 billion followers world-wide -- that's an awful lot of influence a single religious leader can potentially tap into, so its understandable why some scientists would like to extend an olive branch in that direction.

[LAGC]

Can't control the sheep on their own, so they bow to "religion" in an effort to control someone else's "flock"....it's about control, and you are buying into it.

Well, I'll admit it is kind of a "low-ball" tactic resorting to pandering to faith to help promote one's cause, but I think some scientists are starting to realize that the confrontational approach of New Atheists like Dawkins/Harris/Hitchens in pitting science forever at odds with faith wasn't exactly winning over many hearts and minds.

One of those "if ya can't beat them, then join them" situations, I guess.

[Krupski]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/env...he-planet.html

I must say, as suspicious as I am of the Catholic Church's motives, I welcome their alliance with forwarding the causes of science.

Who could have imagined, 500 years ago, with all the inquisitions and burning heretic scientists at the stake, that the Church would not only come to tolerate science, but even embrace it? With their own research initiatives and institutes and everything?

We live in very strange times, indeed.

Sorry, even the Pope cannot control the sun. Only God can do that, and it seems He is happy with our little star just as it is, so get used to "global warming" (um I mean "climate change").

[Krupski]

You haven't heard of the Church's recent dabblings into the sciences?

It wasn't mentioned in that article, but I just assumed that was common knowledge by now.

See: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/11/world/...tican-science/

As that article points out, Pope Francis himself was a trained scientist in his earlier life, a chemical technician before moving on to study philosophy, psychology, and eventually theology.

I think its a rather positive development myself. Religion and science don't necessarily have to be at odds with each other.

The whole idea of "science" being "at odds" with "religion" and "creationists" being "at odds" with "evolutionists" is absurd.

Things are as they are. Science studies and attempts to understand the way things are. If God created everything and science attempts to understand it (and sometimes succeeds), how is that "at odds" with anything?

As far as creation and evolution, you need BOTH. One cannot exist without the other.

Creation without evolution would be stagnant and die off due to entropy.

Evolution without creation would be nothing, since there would be nothing TO evolve.

If God "invented" hydrogen and the rest of the universe arose from it, and if the first clumps of atoms finally became a simple life form, and if that life evolved into what exists today, and science studies it all, how can ANY "side" be "at odds" with any other "side"?

Lastly, for those who read but don't comprehend, I am talking about pure creation and pure evolution, NOT any particular religion.

ALL religion is man made and therefore has no more "authority" than man's imagination. I'm talking about GOD, not RELIGION.

[LAGC]

Sorry, even the Pope cannot control the sun. Only God can do that, and it seems He is happy with our little star just as it is, so get used to "global warming" (um I mean "climate change").

I'm still waiting to hear an explanation of how, if it's really "just the sun", why the troposphere is warming yet the stratosphere is not? If it was "just the sun," shouldn't they both be warming?

Every time I ask this, all I hear back is crickets.

[LAGC]

If God "invented" hydrogen and the rest of the universe arose from it, and if the first clumps of atoms finally became a simple life form, and if that life evolved into what exists today, and science studies it all, how can ANY "side" be "at odds" with any other "side"?

Very good point. I think more scientists are coming to this realization as well.

[Full Otto]

Because there's plenty of people who believe in a god, and many take what their religious leaders say seriously.

They have some good cards in their hand to
I'll bet a dollar to a hen's turd they use em too

Luke 21:25-33King James Version (KJV)
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Revelation 16:8-9New International Version (NIV)
8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.

[Krupski]

I'm still waiting to hear an explanation of how, if it's really "just the sun", why the troposphere is warming yet the stratosphere is not? If it was "just the sun," shouldn't they both be warming?

Every time I ask this, all I hear back is crickets.

I've said it 100 times... the other planets in our solar system are also warming. Since obviously man's industrial activities cannot affect other planets, please explain why those planets are warming.

While we're at it, can you explain to me why the earth has had both "warmer than today" cycles as well as ice ages (all WITHOUT any input from industrial carbon usage)?

Crickets?

[Krupski]

I'm still waiting to hear an explanation of how, if it's really "just the sun", why the troposphere is warming yet the stratosphere is not? If it was "just the sun," shouldn't they both be warming?

Every time I ask this, all I hear back is crickets.

To answer the question, why do you think various layers of the atmosphere should be of a certain temperature?



Besides, "temperature" is a relative thing. What is truly important (which you should know being the double-naught scientist that you claim to be) is the amount of HEAT.

For example, the filament of a light bulb is around 5000 degrees F, yet the barn the lamp is in could be filled with snow.

How is this possible with such a high temperature? Answer: The total amount of HEAT in the barn is very small. There is only a very small hot spot, but averaged out over the area of the whole barn the heat density is almost the same as if the bulb was off.

That's why a cylinder of gas gets hot when you compress it... the amount of HEAT in the gas is the same, it's forced into a smaller AREA, therefore it's TEMPERATURE has to rise (of course neglecting the small amount of additional heat put into the system in the form of work when compressing it).

As you (should) know, the density of the earth's atmosphere varies with altitude, as does the wavelength(s) of sunlight that it absorbs (causing it to warm).

This, plus the earth's rotation, atmospheric "slippage" and various wind speeds at different altitudes means that the TEMPERATURE of any given "layer" usually has nothing to do with it's altitude, density or solar heat input (as the graph above illustrates).

For you to think that changes in solar output should linearly affect the temperature of each atmospheric layer tells me you haven't learned much in your "science" classes.

[l921428x]

There is no convincing a true believer. I doubt our young friend is going to say....oh shit that makes total sense now.

isn't that religion?

[imanaknut]

The beauty of this whole planet is that no matter what man does to it, only mankind and some animals will be initially affected. In the long run there is nothing we can do to this planet that would hurt it. We only hurt it based on our egotistical measuring stick. The planet itself will be here long after we are gone, as it was here long before the first man stood on two legs.

[sevlex]

isn't that religion?

Isn't that the point of LAGC's post? A fake climate cult posing as a new-age religion turning to an established religion for support?

[l921428x]

I don't know. I really never him say anything that is not a talking point.
but if you do not want a belief forced on you, do not try to force yours on me.
just sayin.