Global Warming—A Clever Inoculation?
By Gary C. Lawrence

True Cause Of Global Warming Not Getting Credit

I think the author made a good point. Perhaps there are people who are so busy blaming global warming and working to publicize it, that the true cause of many signs we are seeing is not getting the credit. I have often wondered why global warming would also include such cold temperatures. Wouldn't all temperatures continue to increase? I think that, while a bit more dramatic, the author has illustrated something that I have wondered for years. Thanks for the article.

-Amberlyn
Virginia

The Disasters Are Just Prophecy Coming True

This article has cracked me up.  I have never bought into the idea of Global warming. I believe the earth goes through its seasons like God intended. The disasters that are happening?  As stated in the article, they are just prophecy coming true.   

- Wendy Tonga
Mesa, Arizona

The Book of Mormon Can Help Us Prepare

I really appreciate Gary C. Lawrence's article. When a person takes time to research this subject, they will find there are many reputable scientists, meteorologists, etc., who repudiate the argument that man causes global warming. The alarmists have become so entrenched in their belief to the extent that our government now labels carbon dioxide as a pollution that has to be controlled. The common sense understanding that carbon dioxide is a natural by-product of breathing has seemed to escape importance to them. Also, such alarmists must be overlooking the fact that carbon dioxide is the product of all plant respiration and is essential for plant life and photosynthesis,  which in turn provides a natural balance in nature as designed by the Lord. But as you point out, this frantic pursuit of assigning blame of the "global warming" phenomenon has allowed people to overlook the fact that the God of nature (and man) is in charge of His earth.

Before my son left on his mission, he asked me to watch something on Discovery channel that showed how solar storms are one cause of such global warming, which occurs in a natural cycle. I have felt so frustrated to watch how some politicians have been trying to use this subject to create fear, so that laws might be passed that would tax citizens more and would force them to be controlled by more federal mandates. I hope and pray that we as members of the church (and any others who wish to study facts and learn the truth) will be wise in evaluating this situation for what it really is.

The Lord has given us prophesies through our prophets regarding the signs of the last days, and I appreciate your pointing this out. We have been given the Book of Mormon to help us prepare for the Savior's second coming, and as we study the conditions before our Savior visited the American continent the first time, we will gain great understanding regarding what is occurring in our day, before His return. In Matthew 24, the Savior's disciples asked him what would be the sign of his coming and the end of the world. He then listed many signs to be aware of and then said: " Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."  

- Nikki Slaven
Arkansas City, Kansas

Take Heed Of LDS Prophets, Leaders

Gary Lawrence states "global warming and climate change–are convenient excuses to ignore God's intended messages.” No. Global warming and how we are destroying the earth is a wakeup call to take heed of God's intended message to protect it. If we do not, the earth will not sustain us thus causing an apocalypse. Not protecting the earth is a global social sin and misinterpretation of prophetic warnings.  As stated by John The Revelator: "The nations raged, but your [God] wrath has come, and the time for judging the dead, for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints and all who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) 

 How we treat the earth has eternal consequences.  Take heed the warnings of an earlier LDS prophet.

"This earth is the home he has prepared for us, and we are to prepare ourselves and our habitations for the celestial glory in store for the faithful.  You are here commencing anew. The soil, the air, the water are all pure and healthy. Do not suffer them to become polluted with wickedness. Strive to preserve the elements from being contaminated by the filthy, wicked conduct and sayings of those who pervert the intelligence God has bestowed upon the human family. Not one particle of all that comprises this vast creation of God is our own. Everything we have has been bestowed upon us for our action, to see what we would do with it—whether we would use it for eternal life and exaltation or for eternal death and degradation." (Brigham Young)

To say humankind may be the cause of increase of global warming are the follies humankind misconstrue, thus putting the earth  in jeopardy. Indeed because of the way we treat the planet, there can be global, disastrous consequences which may also help induce quickly the second coming.  Perhaps our LDS leaders were trying to tell us something when they turned off the Salt Lake City temple lights in solidarity of global warming awareness.   

Note: All Brigham Young quotes above were taken from Hugh Nibley's essay "Brigham Young on the Environment."

-Bart Tippetts

Why Are We Angry When Others Tell Us To Do Better?

Brother Lawrence's article on global warming is interesting, but I find the speculation deficient on various counts.

The issue of climate change has become one of faction. It is not easy to get a big-picture view of complex global phenomena, thus so few of us have done any primary research on it that our conclusions tend to arise more from what "team" we belong to than from anywhere else. Many of our global warming arguments appear to be based on "the non-thought of received ideas" (to borrow a phrase from Reinhold Niebuhr).

"Even to the great Judge of the universe," wrote Adam Smith,   "[those distracted by party and faction] impute all their own prejudices, and often view that divine Being as animated by all their own vindictive and implacable passions. " And, I might add, they see the devil in the competition.

The devil is never more dangerous than when he is telling the truth. Perhaps this is because truth appears tainted by its association with the one who delivers it.

Whether human-caused climate change is "true” or not, I don't know. The biggest picture I have personally ever seen of mankind's mark on the world was only from 35,000 feet above a landscape drowning in a soup of pollution, as far as the eye could see. I confess that I wondered how any creature could seem so content living in its own waste, as we do; and how some could be so dismissive of the effect that such a tremendous blight might possibly have at a larger scale.

Why are we so resentful to hear alarmist posturing from people who tell us that if we don't change how we treat our Earth, we may perish?

We resent them because they might ruin our economy and steal the prosperity that we claim was authored by God. Yes, it was God who taught us the ways of industrialization; to send away our fathers out of the home and to warehouse our children and aged -- making our communities into ghost towns by day and dormitories by night. It was the Lord who schooled us in supply and demand, teaching us ever more efficient ways to innovate and manufacture more than we could possibly use for ourselves and our families (all this to maximize profit). It was the Lord who showed us that success no longer means merely making ends meet, but that we are blessed in our surfeit. 

We further suspect that global warming advocates have deviant ulterior motives to gain power and prestige. We find their morals distasteful. We begin to think of them as the very mouthpiece of the devil, distracting us from right and just living by telling us to do better than we have done.

I know we believe that we should take care of the earth. I do not think, however, that we can make a convincing case demonstrating that we have been doing so ever since events of the mid nineteenth century redefined the meaning of economy. But if we believe that God gave us stewardship over the earth, to use it wisely rather than to plunder it, why are we angry when others tell us we ought to do better? Does it matter if their premise is wrong, or their evidence is contrived, or their hearts are impure?

Finally, I am rather surprised by the fallacy of physical phenomena. If a doctor gives me a bad prognosis, predicting my imminent death, this does not mean that my lifelong bad habits did not contribute overwhelmingly to that tragic end. I have only myself to blame. So, when the Lord tells us that there will be physical phenomena in the last days, there is no reason to suppose this isn't a consequence of our own actions. Isn't it always our own fault? Why would it be God's doing? There will be physical catastrophes in the last days because of the wickedness of the people, this we know; and it doesn't matter much to the wicked how the earth is treated, does it?

While the unbelievers may blame their misfortunes on mere cause and effect, the faithful believer may just as well say that God has punished he who suffers the natural consequences of his actions. That all of the physical calamities described in the scriptures should come upon us by virtue of our own mistreatment of an earth that we were given stewardship over, seems the more ironic and just.

Hasn't it occurred to anyone that, often times when the Lord warns of the punishments for unrighteous living, he is merely describing for us the natural consequences brought about by breaking laws?

Perhaps we should ignore the pointless arguments of climate change, but rather become the good stewards we ought be and give the alarmists no reason to complain.

-Peter McCombs

Don't Believe What Is Put Out By The Media

What a great article.  We need to see more of this down-to-earth writing. Too many LDS believe what is put out by the media and the science people in the pay of corporations who can make gain out of it. It's amazing how many are ardent-LDS on Sunday, and then consider themselves to be very intelligent when they believe the spin on TV Monday.  Thanks.