Nancy Pelosi says faith-based organizations could play a role in battling climate change

[dajoki]

May 29, 2007, 11:26AM
U.S. rejects EU-Asia emissions reduction

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER Associated Press Writer
© 2007 The Associated Press
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4843919.html

BERLIN — The United States rejects the European Union's all-encompassing target on reduction of carbon emissions, President Bush's environmental adviser said Tuesday.

James Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said the United States is not against setting goals but prefers to focus them on specific sectors, such as reducing dependence on gasoline and cleaner coal. "The U.S. has different sets of targets," he said.

<<snip>>

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged international cooperation in tackling climate change at a meeting Tuesday with Chancellor Angela Merkel, who plans to push President Bush at next week's Group of Eight summit for action to fight global warming.

<<snip>>

"We are trying to preserve the planet, which many in our country, including I, believe is God's creation, and we have a responsibility to preserve it," Pelosi said, speaking alongside the German leader after a meeting at the chancellery.

The California Democrat said faith-based organizations could play a role in battling climate change. The United States needed "the spirit of science to show us the way and faith-based organizations to help mobilize to preserve the planet," Pelosi said.

[liberal N proud]

1. It's official, there is no difference in the two parties

[Taverner]

3. Huh????

Pelosi is capitalizing on the recent wave among the evangelicals taking up the Global Warming issue. It's actually quite beautiful - despite the Religious Reich's leaders condemming it, Evangelical Christians have been taking up this issue and making it their own.

[MindPilot]

7. You really believe that?

Christians will co-opt anything and everything to "brand" their evangelizing. The only reason they are pretending to take this issue is to expand their base.

I'm a little disappointed that Pelosi is pandering to them.

[Taverner]

9. I think if anything this symbolizes that most Xians are sick of gay marriage and abortion issues

If this means churchgoers make Priuses their car of choice, then SO BE IT!

We need all the help we can get on this one

[dajoki]

18. I find it hard to believe...

that they are really sincere, they want the money.

[liberal N proud]

10. It's the whole term "faith based"

It bothers me anytime the government is endorsing religion and worse giving an organization that claims to be doing anything in the name of "their" religion while getting tax dollars.

[doggyboy]

4. Since when has the republicon party supported

Christian environmentalists?

No difference? Talk to Nader

[doggyboy]

5. Nancy should have

proposed a law PROHIBITING Christians from becoming environmentalists. I'm sure that would make the Seperation of Church and State Radicals happy

[More Than A Feeling]

8. The rhetoric does sound remarkably similar to Bush's when he talks about

funding for faith-based programs. It's a reasonable interpretation to make, unless you trust the Democratic leadership not to go there. Which this person does not.

[dajoki]

14. After their recent flip...

on the war, how can we trust them on anything?

[doggyboy]

15. It also sounds like the DUers who call on christian liberals

to do more to oppose the fundies.

There are lots of reasonable interpretations to make. Doesn't make them all true

[MindPilot]

16. Right. "the spirit of science", "faith-based" and "god"

She could've used that as a jumping-off point to advocate for better science education, and public scientific literacy as a path to deal with climate change. But she didn't. Instead she wandered off into Republic-land by reducing science to some sort of "spirit", invoking god, and sounding as neo-con as possible by pandering to their faith-based base.

[Adsos Letter]

13. Nancy should have proposed a law prohibiting

sectarian religious organizations from receiving government funding...

[karynnj]

17. Not true at all

Most religions, including the two I know well, have as a major tenet of faith that you have to respect the earth. In Christianity, man is suppose to be the Sheperd of the earth. In Judaism, caring for the environment is clearly part of tikkun olam , "repair of the world".

To really get change on the steps need to address climate change, we will need the active real support of as many people as positive. Senator Kerry, in speaking on this issue both on his book tour and in the Senate mentioned that there are now evangelical groups working on many environmental issues. (Climate change is only one of many drastic issues - we are poisoning the land, the water and the air. he has made the point that this is not a red or blue issue. Newt Gingrich liked his book (though he said he agreed with 60% of it).

Their are many ways to reach people. To rule one out because some people are uncomfortable about it is silly. Once you get beyond the social hot button issues, the evangelicals may have more in common with us than with the RW. Also, the Republicans did not get 100% of the evangelical vote. Consider how much they court Jews - and we vote 86% Democrat, which is higher that the Republican evangelical %.

[AZBlue]

19. Excuse me, but....WTF????

[MindPilot]

2. It's the faith-based nonsense that got us into this mess.

Nancy, you've already sold us out on the war; you do not need to continue to do so. Can you please just go away quietly?

[More Than A Feeling]

6. As long as government funding stays away from sectarian organizations

evangelical help in fighting global warming is a good thing, and I welcome it.

[Adsos Letter]

12. That is the point to me, also

Having the Evangelical (or any other) religious community step up to the plate in a positive way on environmental issues is a good thing.

But none of these sectarian religious organizations should be receiving taxpayer dollars--their financial support should come from voluntary contributions.

If this makes me a "radical church/state separationist" so be it.

[Demeter]

11. A Whiff of Triangulation--Cough, Cough

What ARE you smoking, Nancy?