In the most hype crossover this side of the Avengers, Pope Francis, Archbishop Justin Welby of the Anglican Communion, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I recently teamed up to take on what they view as one of the most pressing issues facing the planet today.
No, not Thanos. Rather, the Pope, Archbishop, and Patriarch Avengers assembled to issue a dire warning against a different threat: climate change.
The Sin of Climate Change
“The extreme weather and natural disasters of recent months reveal afresh to us with great force and at great human cost that climate change is not only a future challenge, but an immediate and urgent matter of survival,” read their statement to the delegates of an upcoming U.N. climate change summit. “We must decide what kind of world we want to leave to future generations… listen to the cry of the Earth.”
The three global leaders of Orthodox Christianity cited the immense urgency of the problem when making the statement, arguing that corporations must “make short-term sacrifices to safeguard all our futures” and a need for “global cooperation,” lest the earth cease to exist as we know it in another generation or two.
The urgent need to address climate change was also framed by the three holy men as an injustice committed by the rich upon the poor. “The people bearing the most catastrophic consequences of these abuses,” they said, “are the poorest on the planet and have been the least responsible for causing them.”
As if to underscore this message, a series of recent environmental disasters have killed innocent people and caused millions of dollars of damage around the globe. From Hurricane Ida's path of destruction across the United States, to brutal heat waves in Italy, the pope's message appeared to coincide with a planet showing signs of turmoil.
Papal Pleas Ring Out
This isn’t the pope’s first time taking a more active role in global issues he sees as particularly pressing. Since it’s been available, Pope Francis has routinely encouraged people to take the COVID-19 vaccine, calling taking the shot “an act of love” towards your fellow human beings.
Addressing the threat of climate change is similarly an issue close to the pontiff’s heart. Pope Francis is expected to attend the climate change summit in November, and he’s issued increasingly dire warnings on the need for urgent action now to address climate change. On Earth Day earlier this year, he stated that “we are at the edge" and that action is required now to secure "a just, equitable, environmentally safe planet” for future generations.
What do you think? Can climate change be understood as a sin committed by the powerful upon the weak? Are faith leaders right to speak out on issues like this?
57 comments
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I know it's hard to believe, butI almost never have anything better to do than minister to y'all many times a day (and night) on this blog. Talk about a true spiritual calling. And it's obvious to me that I'm helping most of y'all become better ministers. Halle-fukin'-luia!!!
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
In my fantasies Ehrman, I am the greatest lover of all time, and none of my exes (who incidentally, all live in Texas), never say a word in opposition. As a matter of fact, they never say a word in my fantasies, at all. Therefore, I have no one to compare myself with, so I never have such things to become vain or bitter about. It looks like I've dispelled another one of your antecdotes.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
No Ehrman, I don't get vain and bitter by comparing myself with others, but just say thanks for the memories, while I take it in hand.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
At my age and shape Ehrman, I'll never get laid through silence.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Ehrman, many fools strive for high ideals, but blunder anyway.
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Reverend Gary
The climate has been changing for tens of millions of years, we are at the terminal end of an ice age. Of course it is changing, haven't you noticed that in the past 10 million years? You will think this millennium was paradise in another 10 or 20 million years when we are deep into another ice age. And this is again, all trivial, when you remember . . .
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Lionheart
Obviously God is not aware of the climate change, or isn't bothered about it. Doesn't it strike anyone as odd that people are asked to speak to someone that obviously isn't there to do something about it? And then they are surprised nothing is done about it. Go figure 🤷🏻♂️
It's a false report anyway as noted by the UAH, RSS, GISS and HadCRUT global temperature monthly anomaly measurement systems. You can read about it here:
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/09/15/all-5-global-temperature-measurement-systems-reject-noaas-july-2021-hottest-month-ever-alarmist-hype/
🦁♥️
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John Casillo
SOMETIMES I THINK GOD HAS A WIFE AND EARTH WAS JUST A MISCARRIAGE OR EVEN POSSIBLY AN ABORTION.....I DO NOT BELIEVE JESUS (IF HE COULD) WOULD EVER RETURN TO THIS CESSPOOL....IN THE MEAN TIME...DO NOT WORRY ABOUT OTHERS...JUST DO THE BEST YOU CAN....LEADERS ONLY HAVE SHEEP TO FOLLOW THEM....AND THE POOR SHEEP I GUESS ARE STUPID....YOUR INNER STRENGTH IS ONES ONLY SALVATION...DIM OR BRIGHT....LET IT SHINE.....PASTOR JOHN
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David Arthur Lewis
Please stop shouting. It's very rude.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
It sounds like you're having audio hallucinations, David. Do you always hear the things you read? Talk to a psychiatrist about it. There's medication that can stop that.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Shout, shout, let it all out. These are the things I can do without. Come on, I'm talking to you, come on!
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Writing with all capital letters only shows illiteracy. And I for one, won't read the babblings of illiterate fools. I think you'll find that sentiment is shared universally on this blog. We're also not into the seekers of negative attention.
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Richard Lee Cornell
Adding another 100 million people (each year) to the current 8 billion humans is not going to reduce the carbon foot print. Praying to a God will not slow the CO2 added. Nor will reading tea leaves, chicken bones, waving your hands toward Heaven. By the end of this century the oceans will go up another 3 feet, storms will dump more rain fall everywhere and those parts of the world that are dry will dry up and blow away. We have screw ourselves and unless you want to worsen the conditions figure out a way of not increasing the human population.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Too many people in the world might even make the ground collapse, and we could end up falling all the way to middle Earth, and end up in The Shire, begging Gandolf to save us from falling deeper, into Shadow.
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Minister Jeannine of the Church of the Free Spirit
Another conspiracy theory of your kind?
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Daniel Jay Olsen
I don't buy this one bit! Spiritually, and in faith we are a community of living breathing vessels of the Soul God gave to every one of us. We were given the freedom by God to be the steward our given soul. And through faith and caring for our fellow humans we are magnified in the Eye and heart of God. I see no where in physical life where this resides on the side of being "communistic." Communism is a form of Government just as much as it is a mindset of mortals who seek some form of control over others - Vanity, and greed drive this as well as the loos of God from their hearts. All we are required to do is deal fairly with one another, love one another, and follow the laws of God which are really not so elusive nor unobtainable for us humans, God's children.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Regardless of all that mumbo jumbo Daniel, I'll still only love the pretty ones.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Watchou talkin' 'bout, Willis?
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Colleen Ann Prusha
The pope has published this idea of "corporations must “make short-term sacrifices to safeguard all our futures”" for a few years now. I believe he is using the climate issue to bring back the veneration of Sunday, the day with which the Catholic church replaced the biblical Sabbath. From 'A Doctrinal Catechism', p. 174, 3rd edition by Rev Stephen Kenan: "Had she (Catholic church) not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her; she could not have substituted the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority." This is echoed by James Cardinal Gibbons in Faith of our Fathers, p. 89.
From 'The Catholic Mirror', Sept 23, 1893, "The Catholic Church for over one thousand years before the existence of a Protestant, by virtue of her divine mission, changed the day from Saturday to Sunday". I am inclined to believe in the cyclical climate change as mentioned above and in the "crisis" of climate change as an ulterior motive. FYI, I was a born, bred and educated Catholic.
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Daniel F Maida
Fortunately we are recognizing the ongoing and pending disasters associated with climate change. Humanity is our responsibility and unfortunately the climate change issues have become a political soccer ball being kicked around with no goal in sight other than rhetoric to garner votes for the world politicians. Let’s stop the games and set goals to help all of humanity as we are all God’s children and he has entrusted us to care for everyone. Even in the wealthiest of countries, there’s minimal results and maximum rhetoric. Doing something is our duty to humanity.
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Robert J Giammarco
For me, this story is incredible! I do NOT believe anything the Pope states., let alone those other religious leaders. He is leading his church towards socialism and communism.These leaders believe that climate change is the culprit? With ALL that the world is facing today, this is pressing to them? Where is THEIR FAITH? We should place our FAITH in GOD, which ever you want to TRUST in of your religious beliefs, the LORD will see us all through these trying times. He always has. Climate change is not affecting us, IMHO, as the many other pressing issues i.e. pedophiles, child and sex trafficking, which many churchs are harboring, drugs, suicides, killing of innocent children weekly in Chicago, need I go on? and the Pope and religious leaders feel we need to worry about CC? These issues have been going on since the dawn of time, and will continue. Seems to me these guys should be leading us toward saving our souls....worrying will only lead to being CONTROLED. That is the ISSUE today. Releasing our FREEDOMS and RIGHTS to the controlling elitest to start a NWO........IMHO.
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Ilmenheru Terikson
You really must be mentally ill or you would know by talking about conspiracy Qnuttery like the NWO tells everyone that you are in fact very mentally ill and a danger to society adn civilization.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
You could be right about Giammarco, Ilmenheru, but I seriously doubt that anyone of significant consequence pays any attention to anything any of us ever state on this blog.
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Peggyann Johnson-Hansen
God created all living things not just humanity. God entrusted humanity to care for all living things on this earth. The plants of this earth are living organisms, all that creates the oceans both plants and species, and even our polar ice caps contain living organisms. God created humanity with the mental ability to protect and preserve all other living things on earth. Kill only for food and not in excess. The greens of the land are there to interact with the human needs for proper air in exchange for the gases we expel for the survival of the plants and trees. Water is vital on many levels for all the inhabitants of earth. The holy texts worldwide explain the importance of the co-existence of humanity and the world. What went wrong? Greed? Domination? Wealth? Did humanity develop a belief that it could create its own balance outside of God's rules of co-habitation with the planet Earth. It is sad to say that some spiritual groups consider the end of the earth's survival as a fast track to the end times as interpreted in the Book of Revelation. Meaning they will head to heaven sooner rather than later. However, this mindset is based on human interpretation of this one spiritual text. The context of the Book of Revelation remains full of symbolism that opens its interpretation outside of our human responsibility as God dictated in the Garden of Eden to care for all living things on Earth. (Genesis Book One); (Numbers 35:33). Our lack of caring for the gift of the world on all levels may instead become our punishment. We may in fact have to live in a world that no longer co-habits with humanity for all its resources are in ruin. How will humanity survive without the exchanges of the Earth’s resources when humanity has destroyed all or a majority. We as present adults may not live this existence, however, our grandchildren and the generations to follow will endure such a world. This issue is beyond a government input for the governments of the world have proved many times over their inability to consider all humanity in the process of protecting the living world. It is a spiritual component of each individual human and his or her spiritual communities. Even nonbelief in God is a belief system. Are we too late to save the destruction of this world? Are we as humans willing to make changes to extend the life of this planet Earth? Only time will tell. Just remember all living organism on this planet will suffer together and endure the same fate.
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Nicholas J Page
World leaders have been denying climate change for many years.Is it now true only God is the judge on that score
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Bishop William Dusenberry, DD
We ULC bishops (who also have Doctor of Divinity degrees) know that nature and God are one and the same thing.
And because nature is God, the Native Americans knew all along that the best way to influence our climate, is to hold a dance in order to try to influence nature (aka, God) to do it our way.
And capitalism wants to have its cake and eat it too.
In other words, we’re all fornicated.
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Master Wolf KSC
It’s good that the leaders of the organized religions have come together to argue that human-created climate change is real. Better late than never.
Bishop Halton
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Fundamentalists Christians are the ones who strongly do not believe in climate change. This is just another reason young people are not interested in becoming Christians these days.
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Mary E. Holt
Boloney.
You don't know what you're talking about. Maybe you've never talked with a Christian. I don't know.
The entire Christian Church is about to come to grips with all of the Church's who's pastors teach from a personal prospective rather then the Bible. These pastors who teach with personal, political, points of view are not real Christians. Satan's having a good laugh at them and the ginny pigs that don't get up and walk out.
If he's not teaching/preaching from the Bible he's phony.
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Lumina
He worships Satan. He is not christian. He believes in the New World Order which is all communist and satanic
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Mary E. Holt Hard to believe the entire Christian Church, all 50,000 of them would ever come together. Just 2000 years ago there was only one Christian Church.
Could it be I do know what I am talking about and it's just not reflect where you live?
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Daniel Gray
Um sorry child, even the UN clearly says that the Christian faith still is the largest religion in the world with over 2.2 BILLION people, and the next closest group is Muslum at 1.6 billion so its clear you have absolutely NO idea what the heck you are talking about
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Thom
Climate change has happened every moment of every day. If the temp goes up, climate change. If the temp goes down, if it rains and then clears up, snows, rains, etc. it is all climate change. If they think it was bad now, what about during the industrial revolution during the 1800's? With all the pollution why were there not problems.
I believe the founder of the weather channel said it all:
https://video.foxnews.com/v/3861866259001#sp=show-clips
Basically, climate change is not what they make it out to be.
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Minister Jeannine of the Church of the Free Spirit
You clearly do not understand science or care not to educate yourself more than what you think you already want to know.
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Thom
I hear the truth and not the predictions:
https://www.cato.org/commentary/global-warming-apocalypses-didnt-happen
https://cei.org/blog/wrong-again-50-years-of-failed-eco-pocalyptic-predictions/
https://www.foxnews.com/science/10-times-experts-predicted-the-world-would-end-by-now
I am sure you believe in Snopes.com so here is an article they approve of: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/warm-welcome/
Here is a site with all of the predictions listed and they seem to match all of the predictions which never came true from the past. https://710wor.iheart.com/featured/mark-simone/content/2019-10-08-the-list-of-120-years-of-climate-scares-by-scientists/
I guess you may not think I am educated but, those predictions have not come true. So, who is right and who is wrong? Plus, why are all of those folks who shout the fear of global warming enjoy buying homes on ocean front property?
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Minister Jeannine of the Church of the Free Spirit
You clearly do not understand science or care not to educate yourself more than what you think you already want to know.
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William Diaz
If someone only had the faith of a mustard seed or asked in Jesus name it would be given to glorify the Father.
William
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David Arthur Lewis
Wait, what??? Are you saying that the Pope of Rome, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Patriarch of Constantinople don't have the faith of a mustard seed? The three most revered Christian Priests in the world don't "ask in the name of Jesus"?
These three men are the spiritual advisers of the largest bloc of Christians in the world. Perhaps you should read their statement before laying judgement. I believe you'll find that your criticism is misplaced, because everything these men do is "In Jesus' Holy Name, Amen". And before you jump on me, no I am not a Christian. I'm a Quaker.
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William Diaz
There is no doubt that early Quakers saw themselves as Christian—in fact, they saw themselves as the only real Christians. If what you say is true. Why not ask God to solve all of the worlds problems in Jesus name. That's my point. It won't happen. It's an empty promise.
William
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David Arthur Lewis
You obviously know nothing about Quakerism. The creator takes no interest in the affairs of mere mortals.
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William Diaz
That quote comes from a Quacker historian.
"You obviously know nothing about Quakerism. The creator takes no interest in the affairs of mere mortals.".
Why give them commandments?
William
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
If the name of Jesus won't work William why don't you try asking in other names, while talking in tongues of jibberish, while holding ✋ at a charismatic prayer meeting? It could work. Everything's possible, isn't it? And, there's a first time for everything.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Those Quakers sure are good at picking oats, and making granola.
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John Condron
Ummm... wouldn't YOU be "someone," William?
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William Diaz
I don't believe it! It's an empty promise.
William
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Lumina
God has said my people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.
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William Diaz
The word God appears nowhere in the Hebrew scriptures'. Although names that the Jews called the Eternal One do. It is the Prophet speaking and he has a specific audience and a specific message.
There is a context to that verse.
William
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
I'll give you a whole handful of mustard seeds that you can give to your father, William.
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Daniel Gray
They have to prove it first. According to NASA and NOAA, you have the snowball earth validation, which proves that the earths climate grows cold and hot in a cyclical manner
https://astronomy.com/news/2019/04/the-story-of-snowball-earth
https://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/features/201508_slushball/
https://www.bbcearth.com/
https://www.livescience.com/64692-snowball-earth.html
https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.281.5381.1342
https://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/snowball.htm
https://www.space.com/22501-snowball-earth-ice-ages-history.html
And what about the mid century cooling that happened during the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s? Or the year 1813 that is called the Year Without Summer and where it actually SNOWED in Brownsville Texas to a height of 3 feet. If you dont know where Brownsville Texas is located, it sits on the Border with Mexico and the Rio Grand river runs right next to it as it makes its way to the Gulf of Mexico.
Sorry but there is no such thing as Climate Change, natural or man made. This is cyclical and there isnt a thing we can do about it.
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Minister Jeannine of the Church of the Free Spirit
Are you serious? Have they proved God exists? Yet your on a monastery site so you must believe? You have left a plethora of data from NASA and NOAA of your post seemingly on purpose to mislead, and done a great disservice to those scientists and others who have worked diligently for many decades to discover and "prove"! Yes the climate warming and cooling does occur in cycles! But there is millions of years of data from within the Earth itself and in the atmosphere that prove that the global climate is warming on a scale not seen since before the industrial revolution, and as a result of the human produced greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, water, air, and soil pollution, environmentally damaging industrial and agricultural practices to name a few!!! The evidence and proof is everywhere if you care to see! Especially within the sites of NOAA and NASA to name a few!!!!
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Daniel Gray
Are YOU serious?! You have not proved that God does not exist. No I posted a plethora of sources to prove that people like you dont know as much as you think you do and the fact is simple (the same question that you refused to answer in your rant) the earth has frozen solid six times in its history and then came back. So how the heck did it come back? Usually when it freezes then thats it as shown by the moons of Jupiter. And how do you explain the "Year without Summer" when it freaking snowed in Brownsville Texas and Columbia had an average temp in the day of 32 degrees!
And if you are talking about the so called group of scientists, you had better read the list as Mickey Mouse and Popeye and Scooby Doo and Superman are just a few of the fictions names on that list. You are just upset because you cant prove a darn thing you are claiming. Heck even NOAA and NASA have confirmed that there is more ice at the South Pole then ever before and the claim that the polar bears are vanishing is utter BS as well because according to the Canadians who counted them, there are well over 25% more then there were before. So your "evidence is there to see" is utter hogwash. I mean good GOD even NASA is saying that the planets are warming and since there are not any humans on any other planet except this one that we know of, then explain why they are warming. You cant, just like you cant claim that this is all mans fault no matter how hard you try as you are lacking the one thing that wold help you...its called proof!
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Minister Jeannine of the Church of the Free Spirit
"The current warming trend is of particular significance because it is unequivocally the result of human activity since the mid-20th century and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented over millennia.1 It is undeniable that human activities have warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land and that widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and biosphere have occurred." (https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence.amp)
How about taking some real legit science classes on climate change, it's free so you have no reason not too... unless you just wish to stay ignorant...here is a great place to start your education and I would encourage you to check out the climate change science data and information on the NASA.gov and NOAA.gov sights!!! Read all of it don't cherry pick! The evidence and proof abounds and grows stronger with each passing day!!!! https://www.coursera.org/learn/global-warming
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Minister Jeannine of the Church of the Free Spirit
https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/
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Susan Marie LaLonde
I'm glad the Religious Leaders recognize a problem with Climate Change, but how do we convince Our Own Government Leaders there is a problem? Hopefully, Our Religious Leaders will pray for ALL the ignorant Government Officials.
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Carl Bernard Elfstrom
Susan, I guess our government leaders think that if they tell the truth every once in a while we'll start believing their many lies.
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Minister Jeannine of the Church of the Free Spirit
We can start by not voting for uneducated idiots with a fossil fuel agenda and instead vote smart and vote for those who understand science and reality!
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There is hope to the problem with COVID-19 as it slowly helps with warming of the planet. It is killing off those who make the planet warmer. Even dead body is one less body who wants hot meals, a warm bed or drives a car. I myself is doing my part. I go without my mask spreading my germs to all who like myself do not believe in wearing a mask. Except that my germs inhale by them should if God wills it tear into their lungs tissue giving them pain as they grasp for breath. Remember it is the Will of God to cleans the world of those who are stupid. Join with me in the quest of helping God put the Wrath of God upon them. Do not mask or social distance.