Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumFL Gov DeSantis Prayed At The Western Wall That His State Be Spared Hurricanes (It Didn't Work)
Compared to his Republican predecessor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis hasnt been a total disaster when it comes to environmental issues. While hes hardly a Green New Deal type, DeSantis has addressed a few issues to stem the consequences of climate change. But hes still hoping God will take care of everything hes refusing to do.
According to the Pulitzer Prize-winning Inside Climate News, DeSantis has appointed a qualified (!) chief science officer and opposed fracking and offshore oil and gas activities
but he hasnt done much to address the pollution that contributes to global warming. Again, its
something. At least DeSantis isnt imitating now-Senator Rick Scott and denying science entirely. But during his campaign, DeSantis wouldnt even admit humans contributed to the climate crisis, and when he was in Congress, he was a typical Republican on damn near all environmental issues. Democrat Andrew Gillum wouldve done more.
Thats why its almost depressing to hear what he did during a trip to Israel in May. According to DeSantis, who told the story yesterday, he followed a Western Wall tradition by sticking a piece of paper with a prayer written on it inside the walls crevices, and his request was exactly what weve come to expect from the GOP: Gov. Ron DeSantis revealed Monday that his prayer said, Good Lord, spare us hurricanes this year. Florida Emergency Management Director Jared Mokowitz says he also inserted a prayer at the Western Wall on the same trip. He says his prayer was the same as the governors.
God isnt going to stop the hurricanes. God didnt do that in the past, despite everyones prayers, so who knows why they think God will change tactics now. If Florida wants to avoid the consequences of catastrophic natural disasters, it needs to take far more serious action on climate. The baby steps that DeSantis is taking arent good enough. When the governor is to focused on trying to mitigate the consequences of disasters, instead of addressing the root causes, he shouldnt be surprised when nothing changes or things get worse.
EDIT
https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2019/08/20/during-israel-trip-fl-gop-gov-ron-desantis-asked-god-to-spare-us-hurricanes/
Funtatlaguy
(10,856 posts)hatrack
(59,442 posts)vlyons
(10,252 posts)I don't believe in a creator God. So given that, IMHO prayer seems rather pointless. So much wishful thinking that some sky god will suspend the laws of physics, gravity, time-space, etc etc etc.