From Creationism To Anti-Environmentalism - The Extreme Right's Attack On Science Expands

[hatrack]

It can no longer be a surprise to anyone that a very vocal and well-funded minority of Christian extremists continue to attack evolutionary theory in the name of their narrow brand of religion. In addition to their attempt to distort the scientific record, these people work hard to fool the media and the general public into believing that they are something other than a fringe group.

In fact, their science is completely at odds with that being promoted by the world's leading scientific societies, and their religious perspective is very far removed from those of the vast majority of the world's religious denominations. This same collection of religious extremists has now decided to broaden its fight on modern science in the name of religion. Under the auspices of the Cornwall Alliance, a group espousing a "Biblical view" of environmental stewardship, which largely means that anthropogenic global warming is an anti-Biblical myth, environmentalism is now under attack.

Apparently, environmentalism is "deadly to the gospel of Jesus Christ." E. Calvin Beisner, founder of the Cornwall Alliance, outlines his position as clearly as anyone could wish: "The environmental movement has actually become what I call the cult of the green dragon. And we need to be prepared as Christians to rescue people from that cult."

The Cornwall Alliance has produced a 12-part DVD entitled Resisting The Green Dragon to promote their anti-science, narrowly religious position. The DVD is filled with stellar figures from the radical right with organizations such as Focus on the Family, Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, and WallBuilders represented.

EDIT

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-zimmerman/from-creationism-to-antie_b_801783.html?ir=Green

[AC_Mem]

1. Wouldn't this be a perfect time

for UFO's to finally land and communicate with us on how we are destroying the planet we were given stewardship over?

Annette

[HereSince1628]

2. File under: When you have useful idiots at your disposal

you feel the need to exploit them.

The puppet masters who manipulate the fringe-right are vested in their selfishness they are opportunists who should not be considered stupid. That designation remains accurately applied to the useful idiots.

[ladjf]

4. They aren't doing it for the fun of it. It's big business, conning large

masses of potential voters. nt

[HereSince1628]

6. Exactly n/t

[ladjf]

8. There are professional and unscrupulous vs

busy, tired and uninformed American voters. That's a slam dunk for the pros.

[MineralMan]

3. The Christian Right's Influence is Fading.

They're still making a lot of noise, but fewer are listening.

[ladjf]

5. I wish you were right but fear that you aren't. nt

[MineralMan]

7. Actually, given the news of the financial difficulties that organization

like the AFA have had in the past year seems a good indication that they're beginning to falter in a serious way. I'm not saying they're almost gone, but I think they're dwindling in resources and power steadily.

[ladjf]

9. I'm rooting for your theory. nt

[Alfa Mouille]

10. Think About Print Journalism

The demise of institutions like the AFA should not be attributed to a decline in demand for their product, but rather the rise of ways of getting the same thing cheaper elsewhere. True, blogs can't commission studies, but that kind of 'proof' seems to be given less and less of a premium by the Right, Christian or otherwise.

You can point to some studies that younger evangelicals are more tolerant of homosexuality than their parents' generation, not that that would take much. The Christian Right is not gay bashing, not at its core. It is a theology of power and an ideology of history. Before you can say that the Christian Right is in decline you'd need to demonstrate 1) a decrease in the belief that the United States was founded as a Christian nation, 2) a decline in the notion that adherence to evangelical Christianity is the only sure foundation for ethical behavior, and 3) the end to the belief that laws must have a partially supra-human origin to be valid. The homeschool movement is increasing. Look at the Pew Forum's US Religious Knowledge Survey (http://pewforum.org/Other-Beliefs-and-Practices/U-S-Religious-Knowledge-Survey.aspx) Look at this survey of Republicans: http://www.alternet.org/story/145569?page=entire The Christian Right no longer needs institutions like the AFA because they can get the same thing cheaper online and because they've merged with the Republican party.