Polar Bear Update and Alaska’s Concerns
If you have been following the global warming Debate, I have previously reflected my skepticism of the extreme positions of radical environmentalists (for my posts, click here, here, here, here, here and here). In keeping with my cynicism on this subject, I read with great interest "In Alaska, It’s Polar Bears vs. Oil Wells": "ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The polar bear can be found in just one place in United States — Alaska — and is perhaps as much a symbol of the state as alligators are of Florida. So you might think Alaska’s politicians would be pounding on doors in Washington to protect it."
In contrast to what one might think, the Alaskan politicians are correctly not concerned about placing the polar bear on the endangered species list. As the article continues Governor Sarah Palin and Alaska’s Republican congressional delegation are opposed to the United States government placing Alaskan polar bears on the Endangered Species List because, for at least one reason, they "reject climate models that predict a complete summer meltdown of the polar ice cap by 2030 or sooner. They also dispute a U.S. Geological Survey study that predicts polar bears in Alaska could be wiped out by 2050." As I have previously pointed out there is good scientific reason to reject this global warming hypothesis ("Sun, Not Man, Main Cause of Climate Change, New Study Says" and "A 2000-Year Global Temperature Reconstruction Based on Non-Treering Proxies").
Alaska’s elected politicians are not only opposed to placing polar bears on the Endangered Species List but are also supportive of opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drill for oil. Unfortunately for Alaska, both issues are still before Congress with strong opposition coming from politicians in the continental United States and environmentalists. If you are a Christian, you should not get caught up in the excesses of radical environmentalism. Global warming will not destroy the world. However, God in his own timing will intervene into the space and time continuum to destroy both heavens and earth with fire, as 2 Peter 3:7 states: "By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." However, this should not be a fear for the godly because they will not be part of this judgment. Further, believers have a divine promise that God gave to Noah in Genesis 8:22: "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." As long as God lets me live on earth, I expect life to continue just as he promised Noah. Thank God for his promises. God has everything under control.
February 25th, 2008 at 1:16 am
I agree that Christians “should not get caught up in the excesses of radical environmentalism.” But I fear American Christianity can overreact to this radical position. Don’t we, as worshipers of the true Creator, have a responsibility to care for the earth he has given us?
February 25th, 2008 at 7:26 am
I agree with your take, Jeremy. I am referring to radical environmentalists, as you seem to note. I agree that God expects us to be good stewards of that slice of the earth that we are placed in. There are a few things about radical environmentalists that concern me and let me name two.
First, the issues about global warming are more complex that what radical environmentalists have represented. I have provided links in my various posts about global warming to reflect that there is evidence that cogently works against their position. The issue of the declining polar bear population is distorted in the msnbc.com article. For an alternative, see the “Polar Bear Controversy.”
Second, the opposition to drilling for oil in Alaska, as supported by radical environmentalists and liberal politicians, continues the US’s dependence on importing more oil from the Muslim world and this weakens Homeland Security’s efforts in fighting global terrorism. When we are hit with our next terrorist attack after George W. Bush is out of office, will it be any consolation to know that we have saved the supposedly “helpless polar bears”?
Because of my understanding of the dominion mandate, I do feel we have some level of responsibility in caring for earth but the path of radical environmentalism is out of line with a biblical ethic. Thank God for Genesis 8:22 since it should help us balance out some of the environmental extremist.
June 6th, 2010 at 5:39 am
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