Environmentalism Is the New Religion - Ian Plimer

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2008/08/19/Would_We_Be_Better_Off_Without_Religion

Australian geologist Ian Plimer argues that, for many agnostics and atheists, the cause of environmentalism has replaced organized religion as a matter of personal faith.

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While the world's religions have inspired stunning acts of creation, they also have been implicated in some of the darkest deeds in human history.

If God cannot be blamed for such moments of evil, His priests and prophets at least have a case to answer.

So what might they say? That religion is unfairly blamed -- and that we should look to other factors? Admit that there are problems but argue that on balance the good outweighs the bad? That there is no alternative; that people need religion like they need air? - Intelligence Squared

Ian Plimer is Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne and Professor of mining geology at the University of Adelaide. He is a prominent critic of creationism, and is famous for a debate with creationist Duane Gish in which he asked his opponent to hold live electrical cables to prove that electromagnetism was 'only a theory'. He has published over 120 academic papers and six popular books. He is also a prominent member of the Australian Skeptics. In 2004 he was awarded the Calrk Medal by the Rioyal Society of NSW. In the late 1990s, Plimer was involved in legal proceedings concerning the location of Noah's Ark, in which Plimer was ultimately unsuccessful. His most recent book, Telling Lies For God, has a forward by Archbishop Peter Hollingsworth. Professor Plimer argues that religion is important for the fabric of society.

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[1StoryImageFigure1]

This video is great.

[beamla]

I'm sceptical of this guy, I don't agree with the characterization of us having a new religion. It may well be religious for some people, but I like science, I like the enlightenment. According to his analysis, then democracy and other widespread ideas can be labelled religions too. Is evolution a religion? I think not.

[beamla]

@Rik81ful Also nothing is believed to be 100% correct. It's just that when you get to 80% and 90% probability, I'm going to follow that probability.

[beamla]

@Rik81ful There is no strict definition of religion. Academics argue about what is a religion and what is not. However, Pilmer is calling environmentalism a religion to imply that it is a) not scientific b) emotional c) based on faith. If you look at recent history and environmental calls like CFCs and acid rain- it was correct and it was based on science.

I could argue that climate change denial is a political-religion based on fear of regulation.

[Rik81ful]

@beamla Lots of things you cannot prove beyond a shadow of a doubt 100 percent could be pigeon holed into being called a religion. You'd just about have to have as much faith to completely believe in evolution 100 percent as you would have to have to believe in a deity that you cannot see. Just my thoughts on the matter. Not trying to start a debate...

[technatezin]

@MultiKing911 He's not cynical, he's just as religious as the Christians he professes to oppose. What is it that support his arguments? All I've heard from him is environmentalism = bad, environmentalism = religion, environmentalism = christian ideology. What is of actual substance and evidence that supports his claims?

[The47890]

climate change:/watch?v=SPVJ-daUxlc

[atimor]

@FAITHandLOGIC evolution is a process... whatchyou talking bout?

[FAITHandLOGIC]

Evolution is also a religion ... for the same arguments by Ian Plimer.

[co2isgoodal]

AGW is a scam!

More than 1,000 dissenting scientists (updates previous 700 scientist report) from around the globe have now challenged man-made global warming claims made by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and former Vice President Al Gore. This new 2010 321-page Climate Depot Special Report -- updated from the 2007 groundbreaking U.S. Senate Report of over 400 scientists who voiced skepticism about the so-called global warming “consensus”

[JulianusFlavius1]

I agree. This is a dogmatic religion, and it's taking over the west. We need to do something about it before it starts to impact our standard of living!