Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Think about it. The idea of end times is present in many different cultures and religions, under different names. Atheism doesn't have an organized prophetic mindset, so they believe mainly in what they see. So if they have explanation for the beginning, is this a way of seeing the end of things?
I think some form of apocalypse is an innate human fear, simply the fear of personal extinction writ large. So there's a prurient interest in events / speculation leading in that direction. How else does one explain the preoccupation of popular entertainments with the zombie apocalypse; people like to fantasize about it as a way to tell themselves things could be far worse than they are.
People tend to forget that society is a complex system, and complex systems tend to be remarkably self-healing over the long run. Which isn't to say that's good news for specific groups and individuals, just for the long term survival of the species.
That doesn't mean that a particular existential threat is invalid. That's a function of whatever facts and arguments are in evidence to support it.
Think about it. The idea of end times is present in many different cultures and religions, under different names. Atheism doesn't have an organized prophetic mindset, so they believe mainly in what they see. So if they have explanation for the beginning, is this a way of seeing the end of things?
Thoughts?
Climate change is a bit different from an end times apocalypse because, first of all, humanity is going to continue on existing unless we really drop the ball, and second while it's going to cause enormous amounts of property damage from rising sea levels (these aren't theoretical, the sea level has gone up) and huge ecological damage (the rising CO2 levels have already decreased the pH of the ocean, massive sections of our coral reefs were bleached this year alone because of this nonsense), it isn't "fated" to be a biblical catastrophe, human civilization has the power to determine our own fate and turn the ship into a less damaging direction. Last, it's not a biblical catastrophe because, well, it's a pretty banal level everyday threat. A real scientific end times would be the sun exploding or a meteor hitting the earth, not New York getting soggy but Edmonton being just fine.
There is nothing in the books saying that an extinction level event has to be purely metaphysical. Even the Bible's Apocalypse has several climate events.
Rivers turning to blood. Water bacteria maybe? Pollution?
We've been dropping the ball for the last 100 years. Too much oil, coal, and other emissions. So? Assuming things get worse, what would a climate change apocalypse look like?
I am not sure what you're getting at here. Your OP was about whether climate change is an example of a secular apocalypse being manifested, not whether it's a valid concern or what a climate change "apocalypse" would look like.
There is nothing in the books saying that an extinction level event has to be purely metaphysical. Even the Bible's Apocalypse has several climate events.
Rivers turning to blood. Water bacteria maybe? Pollution?
We've been dropping the ball for the last 100 years. Too much oil, coal, and other emissions. So? Assuming things get worse, what would a climate change apocalypse look like?
Shortage of water in some places due to melt of the glaciers, lost land and cities due to sea level rise and more droughts are some of the negatives. Better precipitation and or warmer climate in other areas could be benefits in other areas. It will not be end times for humans but for many other species that do not have the abilities to evolve or relocate quick enough, but despite hardships to many and perhaps wars over water it will not be end times or a period of apolalyce for most humans. Just a much more difficult time and a loss of diversity os species that in itself could lead to famines or other problems. Not the end times or the end of civilization but a poorer earth and more hardships left to our future generations.
It was prediction over 150 years ago before science was considered anymore anti religion then was grammar or math.
Shortage of water in some places due to melt of the glaciers, lost land and cities due to sea level rise and more droughts are some of the negatives. Better precipitation and or warmer climate in other areas could be benefits in other areas. It will not be end times for humans but for many other species that do not have the abilities to evolve or relocate quick enough, but despite hardships to many and perhaps wars over water it will not be end times or a period of apolalyce for most humans. Just a much more difficult time and a loss of diversity os species that in itself could lead to famines or other problems. Not the end times or the end of civilization but a poorer earth and more hardships left to our future generations.
It was prediction over 150 years ago before science was considered anymore anti religion then was grammar or math.
Throughout the northeastern US this season's rainfall has been about half normal. I was in Vermont last week and a local there who has a small maple syrup operation says he and his fellow syrup producers are very concerned about what will happen next spring as the sap run is governed by how much water the tree roots absorb this season. Many communities have declared water emergencies because their drinking water is sourced from ponds or streams that are drying up.
I would foresee a lot of such effects which will require considerable adaptation and bearing of increased food production costs, perhaps loss of choice / diversity in diet in some areas, and just a generally reduced quality of life. But I agree it will take a lot to push this to anything like a widespread human extinction event. It will be quite possibly a widespread loss of quality of life and ease though, and there WILL be some human death from localized famines and natural disasters and increased stress, and there WILL be increasing abandonment of coastal communities to the rising sea levels. I think this is pretty much a foregone conclusion at this point.
Throughout the northeastern US this season's rainfall has been about half normal. I was in Vermont last week and a local there who has a small maple syrup operation says he and his fellow syrup producers are very concerned about what will happen next spring as the sap run is governed by how much water the tree roots absorb this season. Many communities have declared water emergencies because their drinking water is sourced from ponds or streams that are drying up.
I would foresee a lot of such effects which will require considerable adaptation and bearing of increased food production costs, perhaps loss of choice / diversity in diet in some areas, and just a generally reduced quality of life. But I agree it will take a lot to push this to anything like a widespread human extinction event. It will be quite possibly a widespread loss of quality of life and ease though, and there WILL be some human death from localized famines and natural disasters and increased stress, and there WILL be increasing abandonment of coastal communities to the rising sea levels. I think this is pretty much a foregone conclusion at this point.
Yes I have been reading about it since the early 80s in the literature and accept the science behind it. We had a large El Nino effect last winter with almost zero snow and above normal temperatures, this year we are predicted to have near normal temp and snow which is still mild and dry for Alberta. Many places the seasons are moving, for example in parts of Scotland the spring is cold and wet but the summer goes on further into the fall and winter according to local crofters I spoke with. And the birds are migrating differently and the plants are blooming earlier they used to but I do not see it turning into a Mad Max type of world. In the long run people are too smart to let it happen that bad.
With secular there is only hopelessness , as the government are not even trying to stop carbon gas from being burnt and is just sitting there with hands out saying give me your money totally helpless , as to advance Government will have to initiate and start business of helping business and home owners make their own electricity which will be more economical for every one .............With God who sees climate change as only temporary as the drought away comes at a time of apostasy to believing in God , and sees more windmill turbines , and solar panel farms as the end of the industrial revolution , , and the fear of all this shows faithless in God ........... Still the predictions from Al Gore 10 years ago said that America would see more hurricanes these last ten years , were there was only one hurricane to land on America in ten years, as this is Matthew landed as a Category 1 hurricane , all the other hurricanes are downgraded before coming ashore in the last ten years , so the prediction on Al Gore are intrigues
people mix up climate change with economics.
It shows the level of processing power involved.
I don't believe secular = hopeless. I do believe that forcing a belief in omni dude or lack of belief in anything on others as the logical solution as stupid.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
