Research Paper Example on Global Warming and Religion

While a large percentage of people believe that God controls the climate, a significant number hold the opinion that human activity is responsible for global warming. A survey by Climate Change Communication, a Yale program on climatic change, reveals that a significant number of Americans consider global warming a Godly act. According to their school of thought, God is the controller of the climate and global warming is just but an act of his will. At the same time, others hold the opinion that global warming is a sign that the world is soon ending and humans need not worry about the pending doom (Renouf, Maibach, Rosenthal, & Leiserowitz 2016). On the other hand, a significant group holds the philosophy that humans are the cause of global warming through air pollution, greenhouse effects, and solar radiation among others. Various opinions by world leaders such as the US president Donald Trump affirming that global warming is a hoax confirms the varied opinions people hold about global warming (Patrick 2017). According to the article titled "Global Warming, God and the "End Times," approximately 9 percent believe that God controls the climate and that human activity cannot cause global warming. 4 percent assert that it is the beginning of the end with 10 percent arguing that it is likely to be so. The central point of the article maintains that a large percentage of people believe that God has a hand in global warming with mixed reactions on the contribution of human activities on the same.

Religion and especially people's beliefs play an important part in the story as it forms the foundation of the meaning, causes, and lens through which global warming is seen. From Evangelical teachings, saved Christians, Catholics, Atheists, among other split religious bodies, many adherents have varied opinions on the causes and meaning of global warming. For example, 26 percent of born-again Christians and evangelicals believe that the end times are near and that humans need not worry about global warming per say (Patrick 2017). However, Catholics and atheists do not share the same opinion as they believe that man is the cause of global warming and that God does not control climatic conditions. According to the Catholics, global warming is a human-caused catastrophe that raises a lot of moral and ethical challenges. According to Pope Francis, humans need to reevaluate their actions to reduce the devastating effect of global warming. Although the article has no much teaching of the various religions, it acknowledges that religion and peoples beliefs contribute significantly to the commonly held belief and causes of global warming.

Of particular interest are the values and beliefs of the Catholic church that are portrayed accurately in line with the Popes recent initiative to lead campaigns for the reduction of air pollution and other causes of global warming (Wardekker, Petersen, & van Der Sluijs, 2009). At the same time, the Evangelical belief was portrayed favorably as it reflected the true stand of the church on matters global warming and climatic conditions.

While many hold different views on global warming, it is no doubt that it has devastating effects on the environment and future lives of both animals and humans. Irrespective of the beliefs, global warming is a reality and needs urgent control mechanism such as reduction of greenhouse emissions and air pollution. However, religious beliefs and teachings hold a strong sway on peoples convictions especially on socio-economic activities ns occurrences such as global warming. Religious bodies need to profess faiths and teachings based on accurate phenomenas, a scenario that is challenging considering the big divide between religion and science.

References

Patrick, S. M. (2017). Trump and World Order: The Return of Self-Help. Foreign Aff., 96, 52.

Renouf, R.C, Maibach, E. Rosenthal S. Leiserowitz A. 2016, July, 26, Global Warming, God and the End Times, Retrieved from http://climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications/global-warming-god-end-times/

Wardekker, J. A., Petersen, A. C., & van Der Sluijs, J. P. (2009). Ethics and public perception of climate change: Exploring the Christian voices in the US public debate. Global Environmental Change, 19(4), 512-521.