Whatever Works?

An interesting article in the NYT today. With some interesting editorial commentary inserted... Here's an exerpt with a few comments in italics :)

When Cleaner Air Is a Biblical Obligation
By MICHAEL JANOFSKY, November 7, 2005

...With increasing vigor, evangelical groups that are part of the base of conservative support for leading Republicans are campaigning for laws that would reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which scientists have linked with global warming.

...Environmentalists rely on empirical evidence as their rationale for Congressional action, and many evangelicals further believe that protecting the planet from human activities that cause global warming is a values issue that fulfills Biblical teachings asking humans to be good stewards of the earth.

("Genesis 2:15," ...:"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.")

...A major obstacle to any measure that would address global warming is Senator James M. Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican who is chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and an evangelical himself, but a skeptic of climate change caused by human activities.

..."You can always find in Scriptures a passage to misquote for almost anything," Mr. Inhofe said in an interview, dismissing the position of Mr. Cizik's association as "something very strange."
Mr. Inhofe said the vast majority of the nation's evangelical groups would oppose global warming legislation as inconsistent with a conservative agenda that also includes opposition to abortion rights and gay rights. He said the National Evangelical Association had been "led down a liberal path" by environmentalists and others who have convinced the group that issues like poverty and the environment are worth their efforts. Is that truly the man's opinions? Sounds like a little NYT commentary here, slamming Inhofe.

...While he was reluctant to predict its potential political impact, (National Association of Evangelicals vice president for governmental affairs) said, "I don't think there's a Republican running for the White House in 2008 who will not have to deal with the emergence of evangelicals on creation care." Ah, jargon. This means taking care of our environment, because of God's will.