Saturday 5 April 2008

"Doing nothing is better than doing something stupid"

... is the best line in a cracking article on 'MMGW' by Nigel Lawson*.

The only bit where he lets himself down is this ...
"... Europe ... has become the most secular society in the world, where the traditional religions have the weakest hold. Yet people still feel the need for the comfort and higher values that religion can provide; and it is the quasi-religion of green alarmism, of which the global warming issue is the most striking example, which has filled the vacuum, with reasoned questioning of its mantras regarded as little short of sacrilege".

Sure, his logic stacks up, but it's a tad unfair to distinguish between 'religion' and 'quasi-religion'. Either he is brave enough to deride Christianity, Islam etc as 'quasi-religions' or he is brave enough to call 'MMGW' a religion.

* No, I do not read The Daily Mail - Her Indoors picked up a free copy at the Ideal Homes Exhibition.

3 comments:

Longrider said...

I think it is a reasonable differentiation; Islam, Christianity, et al are formalised religions, with specific deities, clergy and holy scriptures. Environmentalism is not.... yet... So, referring to it as a quasi-religion makes perfect sense to me.

Anonymous said...

Gaia.

Anonymous said...

Agreed, Longrider. Besides it isn't brave to call Christianity or Islam quasi-religions, it's misinformed. What is a religion if they don't meet the criteria?

Besides, his point as quoted seems to assume that those that believe in MMGW are subscribing to a religion. I believe in it but in a very qualified way. As the evidence mounts against it, I will change my views. That is not religious, that is rational.

As evidence, I actually agree with you (a non-believer - gasp!) on more topics related to climate change than I do with the eco-cultists.