Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Climate Change? Or Natural Cycles?
What bizarre things going on in the natural world right now!
We sweltered in 36 degree heat today
We think that was high - I heard on the news yesterday that somewhere in Aus, the night time temp was 37!
Freak!
At the same time, people overseas are being pretty much buried in banks of snow - in SO many countries..
Then wild fires in Aus again -
(Hmm, suddenly Aus doesn't seem like the great emigration destination that it did!)
And a terrible earthquake in Haiti; thousands thought to have been killed; the lives of 3 million devastated and roads impassible so its very difficult for aid to be sent in.
Whether we are causing this climate change or whether it is some kind of cyclical phenominon, it sure is extreme.
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8 comments:
Hi Allie! I'm not making any predictions, but in Matthew; 24:4-8 Jesus tells the diciples things to look for when they ask for signs that would preceed His coming. These could very well be the beginning of sorrows. In the last few years there has been many major disasters in the world. With everything going on in the mid east and Obama and the rest of the world trying to form a one world govt and monetary system, I think we could very well be getting close. Like I said, I'm not making any predictions but God told us to be watching for the signs of His coming and then to look up our redemption draws near.
I think it is a combination of both. Cyclical *and* man made. I hate it when people do say it's cyclical and think that that absolves them from any kind of carbon neutrality projects. Even if it IS cyclical, we still need to stop screwing up this little blue bubble we call home. Not like we can take a taxi anywhere else.
Although judging from the person before me's comment, I just saw that scripture passage in a whole new light. "Look up for our redemption." Could mean something really interesting and different.
ET phone earth?
:)
I love the theories around this kind of thing, it's fascinating, whether you prefer the traditional religious views, or something else, there's no denying that it is riveting stuff.
Hey Allie...
With respect to climate change question, I'm no expert to make a judgement call. But form what little I've read for and against the HUMAN INFLUENCE, I think I'm with Ness on this one. It's certainly cyclical, but probably exponentialy amplified by our own impact on 'mother' nature too.
As I said, I'm no expert in climate change, but I dare say the earthquake in Haiti has nothing to do with it, nor the Tsunami a few years ago, nor any other earth shaking disaster in the past few million years. These are caused - with alarming frequency across the millenia by the shifting of the earths land masses.
I find references to any apocalyptic scriptures in this regard dull and tired. The verse cited from Matthew (along with any similar ones across all 'religious' texts from the Torah to the Quaran and their other equivilents) are common to all religions and widespread across millennia.
They were all written by at best a theological scholar in a time where the understanding of geophysics and the other natural sciences, on the scale that we appreciate today, was comparatively limited. In any year, across all of recorded time there have been disasterous quakes, deluges, tsunamis, tornados monsoons, ets, etc, etc. Each of these has been followed by premonitions of the 'end-fo-days', the second coming and similar apocalyptic nonsense. And we are still here - every single time.
Is this context, is what is implied by that comment is that we should perpetually live in fear of appocalypse? If this is the case, should those believers who are 'saved', they should throw away all the vestiages of their eathly life and celebrate the looming end-of-days as the rest 'kak en kerm'?
Alas, I'm still not convinced...
hi allie
i just spent a pleasant while catching up with you on your blog. i have really missed seeing you around in cyberspace. :-(
and sharks or not, i think you may well have the best view imaginable from your balcony. thanks for sharing it with me, even if it is only on my computer screen..
@ Terry - there have been natural disasters through the ages, we know, but some experts say that there is a notable increase in frequency and intensity.
It is wise to bear in mind the words of Christ; it helps the fear factor and also to remember that noting takes God by surprise.
@ Ness - I agree. No one should yake the cyclical theory as an excuse to ignore the plight of our beautiful planet.
@ Frank - I hear you.
I do. And I realise that the biblical viewpoint is not yours.
But I plead for respect for other views stated here.
The words of Jesus in the verse quoted are spoken to encourage His followers in very scary times.
And He knows what He is talking about, trust me.
@ Jackie - so glad you're back, we have missed you.
Thanks fpr spending time on my blog - I feel like you visited ME :-)
Yep - the view is amazing.
Hi Allie... I promise I'm not trying to start an argument for arguments sake....
I try to treat discourse with respect. I try to read with care and diligence. If that means I'm going to 'have-a-go' at a commentator - then I'll re-read to be sure I have truly understood.
Terry wrote:
"I'm not making any predictions, but in Matthew; 24:4-8 Jesus tells the diciples things to look for when they ask for signs that would preceed His coming. These could very well be the beginning of sorrows. In the last few years there has been many major disasters in the world..."
I think it would be hugely disingenious to defend his / her intention as "The words of Jesus ~ quoted are spoken to encourage His followers in very scary times."
To say I have a particular angle on the biblical viewpoint is true - but it comes from extensive reading which was initiated by a study on the history of the scriptures. (I'm going to have to share that I wanted to enter the ministry myself for a significant part of my early teens aren't I?)
It's clear there's the vast difference in your presentation of the meaning of the verse and Terry's actual comment. I hope you undersatnd why I take umbrage to use of the bible out-of-context to present commentary that makes presumptions about recent suffering and disasters meaning the end-of-days. All that can do is lend itself to misunderstanding the original intent, and to the numerous mistakes us lowly humans will invariably make in judging others according to their leanings about those scriptures.
My irritation with the 'end is nigh' arguments to strike fear into the hearts of man will always make me agitated. Biblical "litteralism" is for me one of the most dangerous zeitgiests of the modern time. I don't think you'll need to look very hard to find it being abused for political gain.
It has lead us to veer off the point: "How hectic is the weather hey?" And "how deep is the suffering of our fellow man in Haiti?"
Call me pedantic, actually, call me any thing you like. I re-read my own comment and in my agitation I certaninly may have come across as disdainful. I appologise. It was never intended as such.
Much Peace, unity, love and respect.
FJ
P.S
Sorry for 'blogging' on your blog>> :(
How surprising that a fairly arb post about the weather turned out to be the forum for such passion input.
And passion is SO much better than disinterest!
No harm done, FJ.
I suppose at the end it all boils down, not to who wrote the bible, or what the correct contextual meanings are, but to:
"Who do I, and who do YOU, say Jesus is?"
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