CViE on climate change, circa 2007
We offer to you an updated re-print of an article from the December 2007 CViE Newsletter, whose measured tone and mature focus on the sovereignty of God stand the test of time, dealing with a serious modern issue in a responsible way.
“A DVD titled An Inconvenient Truth has been issued to secondary schools in the UK. It is a presentation by Mr Al Gore on the causes and effect of ‘global warming’. The DVD presentation is professionally done and very convincing on the dangers of climate change through ‘global warming’, but some of its technical content has been criticised.
Mr Gore alleges that the cause of global warming over recent decades is the result of man’s activity, wherein an increase in the carbon dioxide (CO2) content of the atmosphere through energy production (fossil fuel burning) and through reduction in vegetation is creating an increased ‘greenhouse’ effect (where heat from the sun’s rays, reflected back from the earth, is retained in the atmosphere). The effect is an overall increase in the temperature of the earth which brings about climate change.
The presentation does not mention that the earth’s climate and resulting weather is one of the most complex systems known. Climate is also affected by the tilt of the earth, air pressure systems, high and low altitude winds, ocean currents, to name a few. Therefore some scientists say that we cannot claim to manage climate by trying to control a small set of factors like CO2.
Mr Gore’s presentation has strong political undertones and at times plays upon the emotions, especially where it gives account of Mr Gore’s son in hospital after a serious accident. But what is most striking is that God is not referred to once. This DVD is very atheistic and evolutionary, and refers to several ‘ice ages’ over the past millions of years.
For his supporting facts, Mr Gore uses the melting of the polar ice caps as the main point of the effect of global warming. Melting is observable today, and if the whole of the Greenland ice (water based and land based) did melt, it is claimed the sea level would rise twenty feet. Major cities throughout the world would be underwater and Holland would no longer exist. Mr Gore states that the melting ice, being added to the Atlantic Ocean, would affect the Gulf Stream. The Atlantic Gulf Stream keeps the climate of Britain and Western Europe temperate. Scientists have often stated that the loss of the Gulf Stream could bring an ice age!
The truth is: God is in control – For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. [2 Peter 3:5-7].
This does not mean we should be unmindful of what is taking place around us. Job was instructed to much observe the weather for He (God) causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. [Job 37:13].
We are to be wise stewards of all that God has given to us on this earth and that means we should not be wasteful or excessive in our use of needful resources. May the Lord grant His tender fear to us, and to many more, and so cause the matter to be handled wisely and bring man to acknowledge Him as Creator.”
