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Generational climate change


By Alexander Carpenter
From the Jamaica Gleaner:
Early on in the
broadcast, Paulsen turned briefly to the camera for remarks meant
largely to amend some of the church’s older generations’ opinions of
young people.
“I’m more
preaching – and I am preaching – to those who are watching. You need to
make sure that you trust those who are young with responsibility. It is
an indisputable fact that if you do not engage those who are young,
they will walk away from the church.”
Following
a question on civil engagement, Paulsen said Christians should not
only ask what they can contribute to the church, but also what they can
contribute to the communities where they live. One way to impact
society is to hold political office.

Or at least vote along the words of Jesus — blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Ah, it’s great to see people listening and caring about the future for the next generation. Despite the dwindling number of global warming deniers TV-watching and Google-ing themselves into an opinion, the climate really is changing among the next generation of citizens.
From the Politico:
Rep. Bob Inglis (R-S.C.), once a skeptic of global warming, got a
hint that the political winds might be shifting when a longtime
supporter warned that he might vote against Inglis if he “didn’t clean
up his act on the environment.”
The warning came from Inglis’ eldest son, Robert Jr., now 22.
His daughter was no less blunt about the congressman’s refusal to
embrace the view that global warming was being caused by human actions
and that a serious response is needed. “I have three more kids coming
up — and they seem to share the same view,” Inglis said.
Family pressure worked. Inglis traveled to Antarctica and, most
recently, to Greenland to witness the effects of rising CO2 levels and
temperatures. He now believes the science behind global warming. And he
believes the politics are equally conclusive: Republicans will “get
hammered” if they do not reckon with the issue soon.

So will Christian morality. I’m proud that despite a know-nothing attitude among some, back in 1995, the Seventh-day Adventist Church ADCOM noted the human connection to climate change. And voted on it.
Unfortunately, that statement is outdated and should be debated, strengthened, and reissued publicly so that we can continue our prophetic witness on the need to care for creation. And with Jan Paulsen encouraging Adventist young people to “talk” and get involved in their community at the decision-making level, it would be great if the General Conference leadership turned talk to action and gave the next generation a say in shaping its future climate today. 

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