General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGroup Representing Half A Billion Christians Says It Will No Longer Support Fossil Fuels
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/11/3459111/wcc-christians-divests/The World Council of Churches, a global coalition of 345 churches, made the decision to no longer fund oil, gas, or coal at its central committee meeting in Geneva, and recommended that its members do the same. The committee discussed the ethical investment criteria, and considered that the list of sectors in which the WCC does not invest should be extended to include fossil fuels, read the finance policy committee report.
The WCCs member churches which include the 25 million-member Church or England and the 48 million-member Ethiopian Orthadox Tewahedo Church, among others will not be forced to divest themselves, but advocates say the announcement represents broad support among Christians for action to fight climate change.
The World Council of Churches reminds us that morality demands thinking as much about the future as about ourselves and that theres no threat to the future greater than the unchecked burning of fossil fuels, Bill McKibben, the founder of 350.org, said in a statement. This is a remarkable moment for the 590 million Christians in its member denominations: a huge percentage of humanity says today this far and no further.
MindMover
(5,016 posts)""
Tikki
(14,560 posts)Tikki
roguevalley
(40,656 posts)ismnotwasm
(42,022 posts)Start taking that "stewards of the earth" seriously!
I never understood how especially American fundies could justify backing off on the stewardship of our resources
stillwaiting
(3,795 posts)When an authoritarian figure that they respect tells them to start treating the Earth better they will begin to do so, and it will be Godly to do so.
To date, many have not been inspired by Jesus to do so.
When they do have the awakening, if they do, they will do it to protect the precious resource that God provided us with. It's tragic that they need an authoritarian figure to get them to wake up to what should be obvious, but they do.
pleinair
(171 posts)observing fundie members of my extended family, what you say rings true--they really DO need to be told what to do. That grid of control on their behavior is somehow a comfort to them.
packman
(16,296 posts)littlemissmartypants
(22,840 posts)betterdemsonly
(1,967 posts)matter of self preservation. The big oil-fracking people are big bankrollers of extremist religious groups both Christian and Muslim.
johnnyreb
(915 posts)And thanks.
WillyT
(72,631 posts)Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Hekate
(90,919 posts)... and I thank them. Profoundly.
Treant
(1,968 posts)Call me when they back it up with action. As I'd say about any blanket group deciding fossil fuels are bad, but not even requesting they divest their funds, change their lifestyles, or alter their places of business.
obxhead
(8,434 posts)nuclear power.
A step in the right direction? Possibly. Let us see where that pulled investment flows before we celebrate though.
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
calimary
(81,555 posts)JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)like California.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_Orthodox_Tewahedo_Church
mountain grammy
(26,661 posts)well, don't we?
By their acts we will know they are Christians
Jack Rabbit
(45,984 posts). . . who preach the Gospel According to David Koch.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)The RCC holds one of the world's largest investment portfolios. Lots of 'energy investments'. Lots.
Oilwellian
(12,647 posts)K&R
Raster
(20,998 posts)rpannier
(24,345 posts)I want to know what he invested that gold in.
He got gold, frankincense and myrrh from those kings
What really happened to it?
My theory has always been he took it to Monte Carlo and (between the ages of 18-31) gambled it all away, found God and returned to spread the 'good news'
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)Well done, World Council of Churches!
cbayer
(146,218 posts)stands like this.
Esse Quam Videri
(685 posts)Half a billion is not small potatoes.
skepticscott
(13,029 posts)Does that mean that they will stop using them, and urge all of their members to do the same? Somehow, I don't think their "ethics" extend nearly that far. Only far enough to generate a self-congratulatory press release.
dembotoz
(16,864 posts)i am actually pleased they did not join the climate deniers cause there are a bunch of those clown on the evangelical right
skepticscott
(13,029 posts)But it's a bit late for small steps to do any real, practical good. And we're also way past the point where simply NOT being a climate change denier earns you any points. Only complete idiots or the owned are any more.
TransitJohn
(6,932 posts)I hate that.
toby jo
(1,269 posts)You figure the jews were an underclass, enslaved, always on the lookout for tribal power. So, hey, go forth and propagate made sense.
But now?
How bout go forth and have sex in a manner that reflects balance in the world? ( Birth Control! )
Uncle Joe
(58,480 posts)Thanks for the thread, Scuba.