Global Warming

[Oscarthecat]

You seem to be arguing that only when something is irrevocably proven can a moral stance be taken or imposed.

This is an impossible standard to meet.

No, not impossible at all.
We have 10 commandments from the OT which meet this standard. We have 2 commandments from the NT which meet this standard.

These are what I would call “Objective Moral Truths.”
These are the basis of a well formed conscience.

Where things get tricky is in the determination of how we ought to live out those particular moral values.
This is what I would call “Subjective Moral Judgments.”
This is the practical application of a well formed conscience.

There is no absolute prohibition against taking a life.

Prohibition? Hmm.

I think your premise is flawed.

What you may be referring to is that our culpability for taking a life varies according to the conditions that lead to that event.

What you might have been trying to express is that there is no absolute consequence which results from the taking of a human life.

Does that mean there is no moral component or action to be taken in situations where a life hangs in the balance?

That doesn’t make any sense.
Doctors face this issue all the time.
At best, there can only be reasonable certainty that an intervention will produce a positive result. In this case, the choice to act primarily belongs to the individual at risk.

But that’s pretty basic stuff, so maybe I’m missing your point?

Finally, I did not suggest that my moral beliefs be imposed on others. Others are free to act immorally.

 

[Valke2]

The value of a human life is substantially different from time to time and from place to place. The commandment against murder doesn’t excatly address all, or even most, of the situations in which life hangs in the balance. What is the moral way to address what is happening in Gaza? If there is an objective morality regarding taking life, we should be able to agree on the moral component of the war.

 

[Oscarthecat]

The value of a human life is substantially different from time to time and from place to place. The commandment against murder doesn’t excatly address all, or even most, of the situations in which life hangs in the balance. What is the moral way to address what is happening in Gaza? If there is an objective morality regarding taking life, we should be able to agree on the moral component of the war.

Catholic Moral Teaching rejects the notion that the intrinsic value of an objective moral good changes based circumstantial conditions.

What you’re talking about falls under the umbrella of “Consequentialism.”

Consequentialism teaches nothing has an objective moral character, but rather the moral character of any thing or act is to be judged according to the outcome or influence of the act or thing. Utilitarianism, for example, falls under Consequentialism.

Catholic Moral Teaching is rooted in the responsibility of each individual to act in accordance with objective moral principles which do not change, regardless of the outcome.

 

[Psychotheosophy]

Wow, you really did just restate your question with a new set of random line breaks.

What is
The deal with your random
Line
Breaks?

For clarity (figure that).

but anyway…
good news!!!

I think I have identified your fundamental misunderstanding-

You don’t seem to know the proper definition of “MORAL IMPERATIVE.”

**It makes no logical sense to say “GLOBAL WARMING” is a moral imperative, any more than “DROUGHT,” “CANCER,” or “SUNLIGHT” are moral imperatives. **

GLOBAL WARMING IS NOT "a thing that must be done because it is right, regardless of opposition or difficulty."

You’re right, it makes no logical sense.

…a moral imperative must have sufficient certainty as to warrant a particular, decisive action.

There is not sufficient certainty of cause, response, or outcome in the case of Global Warming to declare with any certainty if it exists, what is causing it, if and how we ought to respond, and if the result of our intervention will produce positive, predictable results.

So,

The Catholic Church can not “accept” and “respond” as morally imperative actions (to global warming that is)?

I think we would have to consider Magisterial infallibility.

 

[mpi]

The Vatican has not called for governments to enact policies to slow climate change for the same reason I will not be riding a unicorn to work on Monday.

 

[Ender]

If God has commanded us to be stewards of this planet – to tend the garden – then to engage in behavior that is opposed to this has an inherent moral component.

We have been given the ends toward which to strive but we are free to choose the means we believe most likely to achieve those ends. No one disputes the ends - that we are the stewards of the planet - the dispute is over the means. You may believe in AGW but many of us don’t and there is no moral obligation for us to accept it. The Church is no more likely to state that belief in AGW is a moral necessity than she is to say we must believe that raising the minimum wage is a moral obligation.

Ender

 

[Psychotheosophy]

So, the gates of hell
Shall not prevail
Against the Catholic Church.

 

[rpp]

Seems to me that the OP is not really participating in the discussion, but is just trying to provoke people.

Good riddance to this really stupid thread.

 

[Appleby]

It’s -11 here today with a -29 wind chill. It will be even colder tomorrow.

Global what?

 

[Valke2]

Comprehensive global warming legislation will be sent to the House floor by Memorial Day, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) announced Thursday.

“Our committee will be acting quickly and decisively to reduce global warming and end our dependence on foreign oil,” Waxman said. thehill.com/leading-the-news/waxman-to-push-global-warming-bill-2009-01-15.html

 

[vz71]

Comprehensive global warming legislation will be sent to the House floor by Memorial Day, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) announced Thursday.

“Our committee will be acting quickly and decisively to reduce global warming and end our dependence on foreign oil,” Waxman said. thehill.com/leading-the-news/waxman-to-push-global-warming-bill-2009-01-15.html

I would like to see his weather controlling device.

 

[Appleby]

I would like to see his weather controlling device.

He is going to bankrupt the country. Once all the factories are closed and the offices shut their doors, there will be no global warming. We will just all lie down and die…

 

[vz71]

He is going to bankrupt the country. Once all the factories are closed and the offices shut their doors, there will be no global warming. We will just all lie down and die…

You need a little faith in the shallowness of career politicians.
He will talk the talk, but when it comes right down to it, he will do what he can to insure votes for the next election (not just for himself, but for those that helped him get where he is).

Far from bankrupting the country, he will find a way to sneak out of the verbage.

 

[Ender]

The temperature for inauguration day is predicted to reach a high of 31 (normal is 42) with 12 mph winds. It will be interesting to read about the global warming debates in Congress, especially the comments of representatives from the northern tier states. Perhaps they ought to wait until the weather cooperates.

Ender

 

[Valke2]

I am not aware of any climate scientist who believes that global warming means it will not be cold in winter.

 

[Valke2]

An epidemic of the viral disease nephropathia epidemica (NE) has been linked to increases in the vole population caused by hotter summers, milder winters and increased seedcrop production by broadleaf trees. Research published in BioMed Central’s open access International Journal of Health Geographics links outbreaks of this rodent-borne disease to known effects of global warming.
medicalnewstoday.com/articles/135750.php

 

[Ender]

An epidemic of the viral disease nephropathia epidemica (NE) has been linked to increases in the vole population caused by hotter summers, milder winters and increased seedcrop production by broadleaf trees. Research published in BioMed Central’s open access International Journal of Health Geographics links outbreaks of this rodent-borne disease to known effects of global warming.
medicalnewstoday.com/articles/135750.php

This factoid would be mildly interesting if it had anything to do with identifying the cause of the warming. The battle is not being fought over whether the earth has warmed but whether man is responsible because of increased CO2 output. It is not the effects but the cause that is at issue.

Ender

 

[mpi]

This factoid would be mildly interesting if it had anything to do with identifying the cause of the warming. The battle is not being fought over whether the earth has warmed but whether man is responsible because of increased CO2 output. It is not the effects but the cause that is at issue.

Ender

Actually, the notion that warming is happening at all is also at issue.

I am a denier. My only religion is Catholicism. I do not put blind faith in Al Gore and other self-serving people professing to be objective scientists.

 

[Valke2]

If you are a denier you are simply putting “blind faith” in the other side. And since the Vatican has come out and stated that climate change and abuse of envoirnment is against God’s will, what’s the point of being a catholic and a denier?

 

[Valke2]

Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, head of the Pontifical Council of Justice and Peace, said: “For environment … read Creation. The mastery of man over Creation must not be despotic or senseless. Man must cultivate and safeguard God’s Creation.”
…
In the past year Benedict has spoken strongly on the need to preserve rainforests. In the next few weeks he visits Brazil.

…“There is no longer a schism. The new interest in climate change and the environment is not surprising really. Benedict comes out of 1960s Germany, where environment and disarmament were major issues. It’s conceivable that his ministry could even culminate in a papal encyclical on the environment,” said one analyst. This would be the most powerful signal to the world’s Catholics about the need for environmental awareness at every level.

guardian.co.uk/world/2007/apr/27/catholicism.religion