The Pope is Green

[aslan]

Over the past few years, in a variety of settings and before various audiences, including youth, seminarians, scientists and world leaders, Pope Benedict XVI has spoken clearly and forcefully of Catholic social teaching on stewardship of all God’s creation. The distinguished journalist and best-selling author Woodene Koenig-Bricker has diligently assembled the pope’s messages and writings on environmental issues in Ten Commandments for the Environment: Pope Benedict XVI Speaks Out for Creation and Justice (Ave Maria Press, $15 paperback). Our “green Pope” preaches that we have a moral responsibility to live an eco-friendly lifestyle.

And the pope practices what he preaches. Unknown to many people is the fact that in 2007 “the Vatican became the world’s first carbon-neutral country,” and plans for other “green” projects are underway for Vatican City and Castel Gandolfo. Koenig-Bricker provides the narrative context and historical background to the papal writings contained herein. Many of the book’s unsettling facts prompt an immediate response. Just a few: a quarter of the world’s mammals and one out of every eight plants face extinction; there will be no glaciers in Glacier National Park by 2030. “In the face of such frightening prospects,” the author notes, “Benedict is telling us…Christian and non-Christian alike, that we were created to be caregivers, stewards, champions of God’s Creation—not despotic rulers.”

And what are the Ten Commandments? By now they ought to be familiar. Here’s just a sampling: in dealing with environmental problems, ethics and human dignity should come before technology (No. 4); ending global poverty is related to the environmental question, remembering that all the goods of the earth must be shared equitably (No. 7). Each is developed fully in a separate chapter.

Although not inscribed on stone tablets, these 21st-century commandments, Benedict would agree, are to be internalized and practiced by Catholics and all people of good faith. Our world, he would add, demands nothing less.
Book Briefs is written by Patricia A. Kossmann, literary editor of America.

[zengrifter]

"Carbon Neutral" - just proves that the Vatican is a card-carrying member of the NWO front team.

CO2 is not a poison or a pollutant - CO2 is a building block of life. zg

[Katweezel]

Originally Posted by aslan

Over the past few years, in a variety of settings and before various audiences, including youth, seminarians, scientists and world leaders, Pope Benedict XVI has spoken clearly and forcefully of Catholic social teaching on stewardship of all God’s creation. The distinguished journalist and best-selling author Woodene Koenig-Bricker has diligently assembled the pope’s messages and writings on environmental issues in Ten Commandments for the Environment: Pope Benedict XVI Speaks Out for Creation and Justice (Ave Maria Press, $15 paperback). Our “green Pope” preaches that we have a moral responsibility to live an eco-friendly lifestyle.

And the pope practices what he preaches. Unknown to many people is the fact that in 2007 “the Vatican became the world’s first carbon-neutral country,” and plans for other “green” projects are underway for Vatican City and Castel Gandolfo. Koenig-Bricker provides the narrative context and historical background to the papal writings contained herein. Many of the book’s unsettling facts prompt an immediate response. Just a few: a quarter of the world’s mammals and one out of every eight plants face extinction; there will be no glaciers in Glacier National Park by 2030. “In the face of such frightening prospects,” the author notes, “Benedict is telling us…Christian and non-Christian alike, that we were created to be caregivers, stewards, champions of God’s Creation—not despotic rulers.”

And what are the Ten Commandments? By now they ought to be familiar. Here’s just a sampling: in dealing with environmental problems, ethics and human dignity should come before technology (No. 4); ending global poverty is related to the environmental question, remembering that all the goods of the earth must be shared equitably (No. 7). Each is developed fully in a separate chapter.

Although not inscribed on stone tablets, these 21st-century commandments, Benedict would agree, are to be internalized and practiced by Catholics and all people of good faith. Our world, he would add, demands nothing less.
Book Briefs is written by Patricia A. Kossmann, literary editor of America.

How nice, the colors bordering this page are green and now the pope is green as well, (even while he wears a red hat.) As for the second bold-type above, strange how god neglected to put anything about the environment in the rules in the first instance. Wouldn't you have thought HE might have given some inspired forward-planning, instead of waiting for some future pope to 'agree' with a mere mortal's written ideas about the environment? Is this not the same HE on record as saying we humans have dominion over everything, to do as we wish, with no 'stewardship' originally mentioned?

Brother Aslan, it could be a little presumptuous of you assuming what Benedict would agree with; as this is much like you pretending to know what god wants. This is the kind of nutty question that inspires
many religious zealots of all questionable beliefs in their daily er, devotions.

[aslan]

Originally Posted by Katweezel

How nice, the colors bordering this page are green and now the pope is green as well, (even while he wears a red hat.) As for the second bold-type above, strange how god neglected to put anything about the environment in the rules in the first instance. Wouldn't you have thought HE might have given some inspired forward-planning, instead of waiting for some future pope to 'agree' with a mere mortal's written ideas about the environment? Is this not the same HE on record as saying we humans have dominion over everything, to do as we wish, with no 'stewardship' originally mentioned?

Brother Aslan, it could be a little presumptuous of you assuming what Benedict would agree with; as this is much like you pretending to know what god wants. This is the kind of nutty question that inspires
many religious zealots of all questionable beliefs in their daily er, devotions.

What he is saying is perfectly consistent with Christian teaching from the beginning. Polluting the environment is "stealing" from present and future inhabitants of the earth. It also goes against the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. It is also against life (thou shalt not kill) in that it compromises a healthy environment in which living things, including human beings, can flourish.

Stewardship in implicit in dominion, for the only dominion that is of God is the dominion of love.

And BTW, it was not I, but Patricia A. Kossmann who said what she thought the Pope would agree with. If you will note the bottom of the article, it attributes the entire brief to Ms. Kossmann. None of it comes from, alas, Aslan.

But thank you for your comments anyway. Leaders, like the Pope, or President, or other world leaders exercise a strong influence over their followers, so it is good to see them speak out in such favorable ways.

[aslan]

Originally Posted by zengrifter

"Carbon Neutral" - just proves that the Vatican is a card-carrying member of the NWO front team.

CO2 is not a poison or a pollutant - CO2 is a building block of life. zg

Sometimes you are a trip, zg. From Wikipedia:

Being carbon neutral, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset.The carbon neutral concept may be extended to include other greenhouse gases (GHG) measured in terms of their carbon dioxide equivalence -- the impact a GHG has on the atmosphere expressed in the equivalent amount of CO2 . The term climate neutral is used to reflect the fact that it is not just carbon dioxide (CO2), that is driving climate change, even if it is the most abundant, but also encompasses other greenhouse gases regulated by the Kyoto Protocol, namely: methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). Both terms are used interchangeably throughout this article.
Best practice for organizations and individuals seeking carbon neutral status entails reducing and/or avoiding carbon emissions first so that only unavoidable emissions are offset. The term has two common uses:

• It can refer to the practice of balancing carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels, with renewable energy that creates a similar amount of useful energy, so that the carbon emissions are compensated, or alternatively using only renewable energies that don't produce any carbon dioxide (this last is called a post-carbon economy).[1]

• It is also used to describe the practice, criticized by some,[2] of carbon offsetting, by paying others to remove or sequester 100% of the carbon dioxide emitted from the atmosphere[3] – for example by planting trees – or by funding 'carbon projects' that should lead to the prevention of future greenhouse gas emissions, or by buying carbon credits to remove (or 'retire') them through carbon trading. These practices are often used in parallel, together with energy conservation measures to minimize energy use.

**************
Being carbon neutral is increasingly seen as good corporate or state social responsibility and a growing list of corporations, cities and states are announcing dates for when they intend to become fully neutral.

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[zengrifter]

Originally Posted by aslan

What he is saying is perfectly consistent with Christian teaching from the beginning. Polluting the environment is "stealing" from present and future inhabitants of the earth.

Co2 is NOT a pollutant. Carbon trading, greenhouse gas reduction, and austerities that support the man-made climate change theory are based on greed and power and steal from (and kill) the earth's inhabitants - especially those poorest and least able to protect themselves (ie, those who make up the Catholic majority). zg

[zengrifter]

Originally Posted by aslan

Sometimes you are a trip, zg. From Wikipedia:

Being carbon neutral, or having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to achieving net zero carbon emissions by balancing a measured amount of carbon released with an equivalent amount sequestered or offset.The carbon neutral concept may be extended to include other greenhouse gases (GHG) measured in terms of their carbon dioxide equivalence -- the impact a GHG has on the atmosphere expressed in the equivalent amount of CO2 . The term climate neutral is used to reflect the fact that it is not just carbon dioxide (CO2), that is driving climate change, even if it is the most abundant, but also encompasses other greenhouse gases regulated by the Kyoto Protocol, namely: methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). Both terms are used interchangeably throughout this article.
Best practice for organizations and individuals seeking carbon neutral status entails reducing and/or avoiding carbon emissions first so that only unavoidable emissions are offset. The term has two common uses:

• It can refer to the practice of balancing carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels, with renewable energy that creates a similar amount of useful energy, so that the carbon emissions are compensated, or alternatively using only renewable energies that don't produce any carbon dioxide (this last is called a post-carbon economy).[1]

• It is also used to describe the practice, criticized by some,[2] of carbon offsetting, by paying others to remove or sequester 100% of the carbon dioxide emitted from the atmosphere[3] – for example by planting trees – or by funding 'carbon projects' that should lead to the prevention of future greenhouse gas emissions, or by buying carbon credits to remove (or 'retire') them through carbon trading. These practices are often used in parallel, together with energy conservation measures to minimize energy use.

**************
Being carbon neutral is increasingly seen as good corporate or state social responsibility and a growing list of corporations, cities and states are announcing dates for when they intend to become fully neutral.

*******************

Its the biggest deadliest scam ever. zg

[aslan]

Originally Posted by zengrifter

Co2 is NOT a pollutant. Carbon trading, greenhouse gas reduction, and austerities that support the man-made climate change theory are based on greed and power and steal from (and kill) the earth's inhabitants - especially those poorest and least able to protect themselves (ie, those who make up the Catholic majority). zg

I do not believe the Pope is addressing the man-made climate change theory. On the other hand, taking action not to pollute the environment stands on its own, climate change or not.

Water is also a mainstay of human existence, but if you over hydrate, it can lead to death.

So I think what everyone is talking about is maintaining a favorable balance of CO2 and other components of the atmosphere. Too much CO2 like too much water is not a good thing.

[Pelerus]

Destroy them which destroy the earth.
Revelation 11:18

[aslan]

Originally Posted by Pelerus

Destroy them which destroy the earth.
Revelation 11:18

The problem is in defining what does and what does not constitute destroying the earth. Is it a scam to reap billions of dollars in needless government initiatives? Does it put the earth over the human race that inhabits it? If so, it the priorities are upside down. There is no doubt that we can do a lot more to protect the earth, and to clean up damage already done. To that we should be dedicated. But as for "scientific" guesses that this or that bad thing will result from driving SUVs due to climate change, I have nothing but contempt. Even if you could prove it, and you can't, I'd rather put filters on all the cows's asses on earth, so that their farts could be captured and rendered harmless, since they do more harm than all the SUVs in the world.