denying Republicans can no longer take refuge in religion. Those who
eschew the virtues of science have been morally defrocked by the
Pope’s recent rejection. In the process of calling for bold
environmental action, the Pope has admonished conservative critics in
the U.S. and elsewhere.
The
Pope squarely addressed Republican climate deniers when he said, “It
must be said that some committed and prayerful Christians, with the
excuse of realism and pragmatism, tend to ridicule expressions of
concern for the environment.”
Pope’s encyclical refutes of the GOP’s position on the environment,
pollution and climate change. The papal document even goes after a
key tenant of right wing philosophy with the words, “the
conservative ideal of individualism is undermining the common good.”
His use of the term common good is deliberately interwoven
with planetary health.
Pope’s position on the environment is attracting vociferous
resistance from Catholic climate skeptics. This includes men like
John Boehner, the Republican leader of the House of Representatives
and Rick Santorum, a Republican presidential candidate.
from American conservatives have prompted a response from the Pope’s
closest adviser, Cardinal
Oscar Rodríguez Maradiaga. He singled out profit focused
capitalist motivations from “movements in the United States.”
this year, Stephen
Moore, a Catholic economist, called the Pope a “complete
disaster”, saying he was part of “a radical green movement that
is at its core anti-Christian, anti-people and anti-progress”. Greg
Gutfeld from Fox News referred to the Pope as the “most
dangerous man in the world.”
to the Papal Encyclical is being organized by the fossil fuel funded
Heartland Institute. During the Vatican’s recent climate
summit, the Institute staged a parallel event featuring speakers
that challenged the science of climate-change.
Holy Father is being misled by ‘experts’ at the United Nations
who have proven unworthy of his trust,” said Heartland Institute
President Joseph
Bast. “Humans are not causing a climate crisis on God’s Green
Earth – in fact, they are fulfilling their Biblical duty to protect
and use it for the benefit of humanity. Though Pope Francis’s heart
is surely in the right place, he would do his flock and the world a
disservice by putting his moral authority behind the United Nations’
unscientific agenda on the climate.”
at this event was Oklahoma Republican James Inhofe, the chair of the
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. He agreed with those
conservatives who warned the Pope to stay away from climate change.
It is no coincidence that Inhofe, who calls global warming a “myth”,
has received more than $2 million from the oil industry.
GOP is fighting a losing battle. While Pope Francis is one of the
most trusted and popular people on Earth, Republicans are
increasingly being perceived as some of the most unscrupulous and
politically opportunistic climate deniers on the planet.
Related
Pope Francis and COP21
Science Adds Weight to the Pope’s Environmental Encyclical
The Pope’s Encyclical Opposes Fossil Fuels and Supports Renewables
Pope Francis’ Moral Call to Environmental Action
The Pope’s Encyclical is an Indictment of Capitalism
The Encyclical of Pope Francis Calls for Revolution
Implications of Pope Francis’ Environmental Encyclical and Attacks from Republicans (Videos)
Pope’s Environmental Encyclical Supports the Poor While Demanding Change from the Rich
Leaked Papal Encyclical Lauds the Climate Movement and Derides Deniers
Spoof of Pope Francis’ Environmental Encyclical (Video)
Faith Based Environmental Leadership
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