General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHalf of Americans Think Climate Change Is a Sign of the Apocalypse
Snowmageddon, snowpocalypse, snowzilla, just snow. Superstorm Sandy, receding shorelines, and more. Hurricanes Isaac, Ivan, and Irene, with cousins Rammasun, Bopha, and Haiyan.
The parade of geological changes and extreme weather events around the world since 2011 has been stunning. Perhaps that's part of why, as the Public Religion Research Institute reported on Friday, "The number of Americans who believe
that natural disasters are evidence of the apocalypse has increased somewhat over the past couple years."
As of 2014, it's estimated that nearly half of Americans49 percentsay natural disasters are a sign of "the end times," as described in the Bible. That's up from an estimated 44 percent in 2011.
This belief is more prevalent in some religious communities than others. White evangelical Protestants, for example, are more likely than any other group to believe that natural disasters are a sign of the end times, and they're least likely to assign some of the blame to climate change (participants were allowed to select both options if they wanted). Black Protestants were close behind white evangelicals in terms of apprehending the apocalypse, but they were also the group most likely to believe in climate change, too. Predictably, the religiously unaffiliated were the least likely to believe superstorms are apocalypticbut even so, a third of that group said they see signs of the end times in the weather.
more
http://m.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/11/half-of-americans-think-climate-change-is-a-sign-of-the-apocalypse/383029/
I guess that makes Koch Bro's and other polluters agents of Satan. I can go with that.
hatrack
(59,613 posts)Let's throw Pro-Wrestling Jesus into the mix, along with Ceiling Cat, Basement Cat and Pat Robertson as emcee.
Then we can start addressing the problem!
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)That's a finalist for today's Winner of the Internets.
riversedge
(70,589 posts)Not surprised!
jwirr
(39,215 posts)not literalists.
riversedge
(70,589 posts)them all together and I think the initial post did not either. In solidarity
jwirr
(39,215 posts)walls.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)it will be the end times- at least for humans
pscot
(21,024 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)bring about the end like the evangelicals do. We actually want to see if we can do something to stop it. There is a big difference.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)just having a little fun. The world as we know it may come to an end, but it will be because of our stupidity, not through some mystical being.
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)RKP5637
(67,112 posts)Metro135
(359 posts)assholes but same difference.
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)RKP5637
(67,112 posts)effective corrective action to mitigate what is going on. They are total wastes. Total cop outs.
lunasun
(21,646 posts)No need to do anything but pray. Oh and do not give a thought to any actions the induhvishul may make that adds to climate change - that's not Gods way it is not in their control read the bible
Perhaps the devil makes them do it would be a better slant
Then at least they would acknowledge mans hand in climate change even if it was due to evil influence
I can't write or think anymore of the sick & silly . It hurts my brain to even try to think like that
Moostache
(9,897 posts)They are consumers only, morons with no self-awareness beyond what they are told to think and reactionaries to a fault.
Devoid of thought or reason.
Empty-headed buyers of things that they do not need but are convinced they MUST have.
Sheep, herded by evil opportunists who think nothing of the harm they do exploiting these resource wastes.
They are so much more harmful to the world than the current Islamic boogeymen that it makes my head hurt.
MineralMan
(146,364 posts)So, what do you think should be done to help deal with this?
Moostache
(9,897 posts)That would end the nonsense of having politicians extend their abuse of the sheep beyond the abuse of the priests, pastors and rabbis in the pews and churches and synagogues. The mindless exploitation of people's gullibility is supported by the silent ascent of those who know better but believe its impolite to tell people when their "beliefs" are patently absurd and actually harmful.
Next I would implement a mandatory vote - failure to vote, even if you only show up and select "none of the above" would result in a fine.
I would also implement mandatory public financing of elections and harsh penalties for those attempting to abuse the system with money, which is not speech.
I would further implement laws that make explicitly clear either corporations are NOT people or corporate board are criminally liable for the results of the corporate behavior.
The last step of beginning the process of cleaning up this mess would be mandatory term limits of no more than 3 presidential terms, 2 Senatorial terms or 6 terms in the House. 12 years maximum. Followed by a prohibition on lobbying for the subsequent 12 years. The end of crony capitalism and crony governance, period.
It wouldn't solve everything, but it would be a good start.
Now, with 50% of the idiots in this country still holding onto child like beliefs in sky daddies, fairies and magic that kind of an agenda is dead in the water. Too many people are going to exploit these morons and until we have a massive die off, the sad truth is NOTHING is going to change, period.
And YOUR solution? Aside from snark on forum replies....
MineralMan
(146,364 posts)implement your ideas. I suspect you will be neither. Clearly, you have not thought through your suggestions. For example, mandatory voting would bring that 50% you think are mindless dolts to the polls. They'd almost certainly end your dictatorship immediately.
I'm an atheist, and have been since 1965, but I have no illusions that religious belief can be eliminated in any sort of free society.
Some of the things you would do would be good, but they are universally impossible to implement in this country under its current constitution. So, they are not going to happen.
My solution? Education. Educate your mindless doltish 50% so they will vote intelligently. Do that by buying media outlets currently owned by the right. Broadcast information that will help to end the woeful lack of information out there. How? By forming organizations and raising the money required.
That could be done within our current system, if people really wanted to do it. It would require no "benevolent" dictator like the one you envision in your list.
valerief
(53,235 posts)The humans' parasites are the PTB's mouthpieces, religion and politics, both delivered mainly via the media.
http://news.distractify.com/beth-buczynski/zombies-of-the-animal-kingdom/
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)Ruled by wolves
Owned by pigs.
valerief
(53,235 posts)HoosierCowboy
(561 posts)...that white people could this stupid until you come to 'Merica.
White Trailer Trash Stupid makes Black Ghetto Stupid look like he just got his PHD
...but in a way,
Climate Change is the Apocalypse without the Rapture.
BeanMusical
(4,389 posts)I'm surprised that nobody alerted on your post.
Zorra
(27,670 posts)Lex
(34,108 posts)Pangolino
(32 posts)hifiguy
(33,688 posts)Skidmore
(37,364 posts)the Likud politicians and leaders of the fundamentalist dispensationalist Christian zealots around disrupting any political solutions to the mess in the ME, then you create a self-fulfilling prophecy. These people don't care what happens to the planet or to people who aren't a part of their groups. Period.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)SheilaT
(23,156 posts)(and scientist at Los Alamos National Labs) and in the Q&A at the end, someone in the audience asked if the fact there are more earthquakes than ever wasn't a clear sign of the End Times as predicted in the Bible.
Now, the scientist had shown a chart that indicated earthquakes occur somewhat cyclically, and no, there aren't more earthquakes than before, so Biblical predictions were not being filled by earthquake incidence.
Most of the audience was clearly flabbergasted by the question.
LiberalArkie
(15,747 posts)Apocalypse can be forced to arrive then "The Rapture" will take place and Jesus will return. The evangelicals really and truly believe that they can force the apocalypse to happen. Part of that thinking is rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. Part of it doing what they can do to help fulfill the prophecies of the storms and wars and famine and food costing to much to buy.
If they can force it to happen then they get to skip out and go to heaven and enjoy looking down and watch all the suffering taking place with all the "unfaithful" people being "left behind"
Koch bros, wall street, K street - Anti Christs yea. They are all opposed to what Jesus taught - they are opposed to Jesus or Anti-Christ.
That dawned on me when I was involved with the fundamentalist evangelicals. I don't believe much of the old testament, but I think the writers of some of the new testament knew enough about human nature to get a lot of of correct.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)they are supposed to fulfill the Biblical prophecies themselves is pretty much and anti-Christ. Evangelicals most of all.
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)verse that tells them not to sit around and just wait for the end.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)k2qb3
(374 posts)has to be the most dangerous idea mankind has ever had.
The notion that the future is written and everything happens for a reason and as it should is the context for a lot of human stupidity.
This is precisely what people mean when they say it's "arrogant" to believe humans can have a negative effect on climate, or anything else.
It relieves us of all responsibility.
This postulated death drive allegedly compels humans to engage in risky and self-destructive acts that could lead to their own death. Behaviors such as thrill seeking and aggression are viewed as actions which stem from this Thanatos instinct.
Unfortunately, Einstein and quantum mechanics beg to differ with that imbecile world view and have the science and math on their side.
glowing
(12,233 posts)Helen Borg
(3,963 posts)LiberalLovinLug
(14,187 posts)I grew up in such a home so I can speak on the mindset.
On one hand most right wing fundamentalist evangelicals are the biggest deniers of man-made climate change. (Jim Inhofe)
On the other they believe that it is man's fault that the world is going to hell in a handbasket and that the Bible predicts all kinds of major storms and bad weather in the "end times".
To me it seems like they actually AGREE with the idea of man made climate change, but stubbornly refuse to go along with it because it is scientists and the "educated liberal elite" that are raising the issue and like the petulant children they are, they simply cannot agree with them.
Purrfessor
(1,188 posts)Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)SomethingFishy
(4,876 posts)There has never been a more plain truth spoken.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)to result in the end of the human species, I agree with them.
How can it simultaneously not exist and yet be a sign of the apocalypse?
Schrodinger's cat I guess, thought they probably don't believe in physics
(quantum or otherwise) either.
P.S.
Alpaca-lypse. The four Alpaca riders of the Alpaca-lypse, bringing you
the cuddliest end of days!
MisterP
(23,730 posts)Iggo
(47,625 posts)Right?
Right?
JonLP24
(29,322 posts)This makes sense. Climate change could spell the end for humans.
Vice did a report on the largest pro Israel lobby in the US which isn't AIPAC but evangelical Christians. The reporter closed with the statement (paraphrasing "adding doomsday ready Americans to the table is like pouring gasoline on a fire".
Orsino
(37,428 posts)...behind pseudoreligious babble to make pollsters go away?
Orsino
(37,428 posts)hifiguy
(33,688 posts)"Boy, you're dumb, America."
Some stupid cannot be fixed and it may wipe out a good part of our species.
Unfortunately, as Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson so eloquently put it, science is true whether you believe it or not.
whistler162
(11,155 posts)is printed!
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