ABC News: Evangelicals 'Evolving' On Global Warming and Adoption

Photo of Ken Shepherd.
By Ken Shepherd | May 4, 2007 - 16:24 ET

I'm really blessed as an evangelical Christian to have Bill Redeker at ABCNews.com to tell me that my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are "evolving."

The evangelical movement has long been considered a powerful political entity. An estimated 65 million Americans consider themselves conservative Christians. Their anti-gay, anti-abortion views are well known as is their support for mostly Republican political candidates.

But times are changing.

Now there are evangelicals speaking out on global warming and supporting adoption. Neither would have been endorsed only a few years ago.

Really? I must have missed the sermons all those years about how adoption is not Christ-like, despite the Bible using the adoption analogy to describe Christ's relationship with His Church.

And what about global warming? That's not really a concern germane to biblical ethics, although , yes, many evangelicals that happen to be conservative and Republican are likely to be skeptical of the theory of anthropocentric global warming.

Evangelical blogger Ted Olsen put it succinctly in a Christianity Today Liveblog post today (emphasis mine):

Whatever your stance on global warming and what the government should do about it, or really whatever your politics is, I think we can agree that "evolving" is incredibly loaded in this context. Yes, I get the intended humor and irony: Those crazy evangelicals that don't believe in evolution are evolving politically. Ha ha. But precisely because evolution suggests a change from a lower form to a higher form, the word in this context means "evangelicals are finally recognizing that they've been wrong in disagreeing with me."

CT readers will know that it's questionable to assert that evangelicals are changing their political beliefs, attitudes, and voting behavior. But even if that's your argument, say "change." That won't suggest that Republican evangelicals who oppose homosexual sex and don't make global warming a priority are a bunch of monkeys.

—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters

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More MSM lies based on misinf

More MSM lies based on misinformation motivated by a Leftist agenda.

What they call "evangelicals" were never a monolithic voting bloc. The National Council of Churches consists mainly of groups the MSM would call "evangelical," yet they are far from conservative! The whole premise of ABC's report is wrong! (again)

Well, you know how I pretty m

Well, you know how I pretty much blame Rick Warren for everything.  :rolleyes:

But in this case I can be easily verified when I say that the Evangelical/Global Warming link is all Rick Warren's fault.  He was the first EC church rep to get onboard with this thing.

Not like I have it out for Rick Warren or anything.  As a matter of fact, I do, but regardless of that. . .

-PJ

The Bible has plenty to say a

The Bible has PLENTY to say about "global" warming ...

1 Timothy 6:20-21

(20) O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and OPPOSITIONS OF SCIENCE FALSELY SO CALLED:

(21) WHICH SOME PROFESSING HAVE ERRED CONCERNING THE FAITH. Grace be with thee. Amen.

Ephesians 4:14

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and CARRIED ABOUT WITH EVERY WIND OF DOCTRINE, BY THE SLEIGHT OF MEN, and cunning craftiness, WHEREBY THEY LIE IN WAIT TO DECEIVE;

Matthew 15:9

But in vain they do worship me, TEACHING FOR DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.

Colossians 2:20-22

(20) Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments [false standards] of the world, WHY, as though living in the world, ARE YE SUBJECT TO ORDINANCES [mischief framed in unjust laws],

(21) (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

(22) Which all are to perish with the using;) AFTER THE COMMANDMENTS AND DOCTRINES OF MEN?

Mark 7:7-9

(7) Howbeit in vain do they worship me, TEACHING FOR DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.

(8) For laying aside the commandment of God, YE HOLD THE TRADITION OF MEN, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

(9) And he said unto them, "FULL WELL YE REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, THAT YE MAY KEEP YOUR OWN TRADITION."

Titus 1:14

NOT GIVING HEED TO Jewish fables, and COMMANDMENTS OF MEN, THAT TURN FROM THE TRUTH.

Psalms 94:20

Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, WHICH FRAMETH MISCHIEF BY A LAW?

Genesis 8:22

WHILE THE EARTH REMAINETH, seedtime and harvest, and COLD AND HEAT, and summer and winter, and day and night SHALL NOT CEASE.

Evangelicals "coming around" to adoption?

It steams me to read that Bill Redeker thinks evangelicals' support of adoption is a recent phenomenon.  A major portion of the pro-life movement, of which evangelicals are a large segment, has been the effort to encourage women to reject abortion and choose adoption.  But then, the conventional wisdom (that is, the commonly circulated lie) is that pro-lifers tell women not to have abortions and then do nothing to help them.  That too is demonstrably false.  Christian organizations are even bringing back homes for unwed mothers, like Ruth Harbor in Des Moines, Iowa.  Young women move in and receive help either preparing for adoption or preparing for single motherhood, including training in parenting and life skills.  Ruth Harbor is not unique.

I knew that off the top of my head.  Imagine what an experienced network journalist could have learned with a little research.

When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.

nkviking: This is one of thos

nkviking: This is one of those issues that makes me mad too. It's ridiculous for the pro-choice defenders to suggest that pro-life Christians have done nothing to support pregnant women with "problem" pregnancies. Or that pro-lifers aren't interested in adoption as an alternative.

How about some media coverage of the crisis pregnancy organizations that are supported by pro-life Christians and have been for many years since Roe v. Wade? It would be a nice change from the focus on the few nutjobs who threaten abortion clinics.