Throughout history, mankind has been plagued by the assumption that we are in charge. This arrogant assumption has caused all sorts of misconceptions and problems. Think, for example, of the "scientific" model of the universe that prevailed for thousands of years: the Earth was the center of the universe and the sun and the heavens revolved around it. It was an obvious conclusion since we were on the Earth, and we were obviously the center of the universe. The truth, however, is that we are not in charge; we have no control over most of what happens. Indeed, we have no impact on much of what happens. The concept of our control of our surroundings is more an arrogant delusion than anything approaching reality.
Just recently there have been a series of events that reinforce this basic truth. First, we witnessed the mudslide in Washington. People who were at home were suddenly buried by a wall of dirt, debris and water. There was no warning. There was no chance to escape. It happened, and now we have to deal with the consequences. In response to this catastrophe, there is the search and rescue and recovery effort, but there is also talk in Washington about who is at fault for this disaster and how we are going to take steps to avoid a recurrence. It may help those affected by the mudslide to think that there is something that can be done now to prevent a similar event in the future, but the rest of us should know better. The mudslide in Washington was as unexpected and unpredictable as the earthquake that struck off the coast of Chile last night. We may understand why it happened, but it had nothing to do with humanity.
Second, we have spent decades debating man-caused global warming. Remember, there are two major issues that form the basis for the argument. The question is not just if the world has been warming. It is also whether or not that warming is caused by human activity. Sadly, the global warming proponents have been reduced to an argument that (1) the world is warmer now than it was 100 years ago, (2) there has been a great deal of human activity which theoretically could have caused warming, and (3) since we are in control, that human activity caused the warming. The third part of the argument is rarely stated aloud, but it remains very much an essential part of the argument. There is no proof to show that the human activity caused warming; indeed, the actual proof that exists tends to prove that warming results from causes wholly unrelated to human activity like solar cycles. Today's global warming enthusiasts, however, like the medieval Catholic theologians, cannot accept the idea that mankind is not the center of the universe, that there are things happening here which we do not control.
Just recently there have been a series of events that reinforce this basic truth. First, we witnessed the mudslide in Washington. People who were at home were suddenly buried by a wall of dirt, debris and water. There was no warning. There was no chance to escape. It happened, and now we have to deal with the consequences. In response to this catastrophe, there is the search and rescue and recovery effort, but there is also talk in Washington about who is at fault for this disaster and how we are going to take steps to avoid a recurrence. It may help those affected by the mudslide to think that there is something that can be done now to prevent a similar event in the future, but the rest of us should know better. The mudslide in Washington was as unexpected and unpredictable as the earthquake that struck off the coast of Chile last night. We may understand why it happened, but it had nothing to do with humanity.
Second, we have spent decades debating man-caused global warming. Remember, there are two major issues that form the basis for the argument. The question is not just if the world has been warming. It is also whether or not that warming is caused by human activity. Sadly, the global warming proponents have been reduced to an argument that (1) the world is warmer now than it was 100 years ago, (2) there has been a great deal of human activity which theoretically could have caused warming, and (3) since we are in control, that human activity caused the warming. The third part of the argument is rarely stated aloud, but it remains very much an essential part of the argument. There is no proof to show that the human activity caused warming; indeed, the actual proof that exists tends to prove that warming results from causes wholly unrelated to human activity like solar cycles. Today's global warming enthusiasts, however, like the medieval Catholic theologians, cannot accept the idea that mankind is not the center of the universe, that there are things happening here which we do not control.
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