A Few Thoughts on the Coming Climate Change Encyclical

Look, I agree I'm not exactly giddy to see the day this thing is promulgated.  When the news patrols began their freakout coverage a week or so back I was looking for cover (Which reminds me of this:)

But with some time to breath, I am beginning to wonder if we are overreaching slightly.

For instance, I don't have an issue with the prospect of climate change whether it is natural or even man made.  There is plenty of precedence for climate change in the Earths history, most recently there was what some call a "little ice-age" from the 1700's to the 1800's (an era lacking the influence of industrial interference). Yet could there be a real effect of spewing chemicals in the air in large amounts over a short time?  I think its possible, though considering that the atmosphere is so immensely large I am not as concerned as others, plus God created the atmosphere knowing our craziness so... But even having said that I think we can because quite protestant in thinking that God will save us regardless of our actions (including pollution). 

I do hope that the encyclical will touch on the above, but primarily I hope the Holy Father will take the time to address how our actions (as in sin) effect our world.  Terry over at Abby-Roads reminded me of La Sallette and how Our Lady made it clear to the children that the famine was a result of sin.  So too it wouldn't surprise me if crazy whether is a result mostly of our sins.  Consider how St. John Vianny, during his time at Ars, experienced no great weather events outside of basic, needed weather required for any land.  Yet when he died the weather went back to violent, but relatively normal events.

Our sin effects all things, a quick read of Genesis tells us this.

Having said this, I would also ask people to be calm.  We often hear the idea that such and such a person cant remember such a bad weather time in their life, yet all they had to do was step a few years back and BOOM! They were saying the same thing.  Our memory is bad, and everything is a a moment of disaster.  So too our recording of temperatures and events is very limited.

BUT MORE TO THE POINT!!!

I am seeing a real issue developing whereby people are pitting Cardinal Burke against the Holy Father.  Stop this!! Cardinal Burke is his own man, and he can speak for himself and he is.  Let us not turn this situation into one likened unto Pope Alexander VI and Pope Julius II.  It is of great sadness to me that in order to hoist himself up as important, Julius had to slander Alexander so much that today ignorant Catholic apologists speak ill of Alexander without any knowledge of his life and reign.

Cardinal Burke does seem to enjoy having the freedom outside the curia at this point to speak his mind when called upon. He is making waves with his interviews and making people in the irreligious sphere awkward and afraid so they feel like they need to shield themselves and so they distort the Holy Father as needed.

RELAX, as Aaron Rodgers would say.

Dear Mr. Beck...

This is an open letter to the Talk show host and founder of the new's source, "The Blaze"

Dear Mr. Beck,

I have been listening to your radio program and watching your TV show on and off for about five years now and have gladly supported your Blaze company over the last few years.  I want to make it clear that I enjoy your work and want to continue supporting your company.

However, again and again you engage in black legends that have been shown to be exaggerations fabricated by protestants and other non Christians for their personal ends.  Some of these include:

Inquisition: Again and again you reference the Spanish Inquisition and the treatment of the Jews as being a great injustice done against a noble and innocent people by the big, bad Romanist Church.  Now granted you use a vague term so as to no directly offend Catholic sensibilities, I guess I should be grateful.  However, again and again you want to attack modern problems by bringing up black legends, which is completely inconsistent with your character of being a lover of history and engaged in pursuing the truth.  Why is it that you never mention why the Jews were exiled in mass in its context, and instead engage in black legend mass killing conspiracies?  Why not acknolwdge the much miligned Pope Alexander VI (the Borgia Pope) was activly inviting the Jew's to take up residence in Rome when hearing about the exile?  So was it really the Church's fault that bad things happened (on a small scale nowhere near the size the legends the protestants brought about)?

Knights Templars: Again another issue of context.  We dont claim the Pontiff is impeccable for Christ did not grant such abilities even to the original Pontiff himself St. Peter.  The knights were accused of grievous things by the state, they were tortured and confessed under that context.  They later recanted the confession seeking Gods forgiveness for such weakness.  Power corrupts, and here was an opportunity for the crown to show authoritie over heros that might pose a threat to power.

Flat Earther Accusations: Yesterday you made a statement that the Spanish, and other dark-age or mid-evil people believed the Earth was flat, and that they believed this to be so because they were coerced into the matter by the state and the Church.  The only problem is that they did not believe the Earth was flat at this time.  You mentioned the story about the Egyptians knowing this, so did the Greeks and Romans.  This knowledge was safeguarded and expanded upon by the Church and her lay people.  You claimed in 1492 they believed you would fall off the face of the Earth if you ventured too far.  This is a false accusation.  They knew the Earth was curved becasue as ships would venture farther and farther from shore it would seem to sink, proving a curvature (or drinking too much). There was no agenda in people thinking that the curvature may end, they didnt have a picture from outerspace to know where the Earth starts and where it ends.  Even the Welsh monks that ventured and might have found America way before the Vikings knew that the Earth was a large mass.

My Point is dont use black legends to justify your anger with the Church.  You, Mr. Beck, are called to come back home.  We await your return to Christ's one true fold and pray for your return daily!

+JMJ+