Question: What is the worlds biggest challenge in the coming decade?
Richard Cizik: I don’t say it’s the single most; but I say it’s as pressing an issue as protecting the unborn, or protecting traditional family. It’s … it’s surely as equal in our attention and our … our concern, and our action as those issues. So I’m not saying it’s the most single important issue. I’m saying amongst the variety of issues that we face today, it’s equal in importance at least. And I let people make their own minds up which is the most important. Because frankly, if you are a Christian living in North Africa impacted by desertification that comes from climate change, there – a Christian in North Africa – you might well say that I believe climate change is more important to me than, for example, the abortion issue. And that’s what millions upon hundreds of millions of evangelicals Christians around the globe do everyday. And you have to choose. And sometimes the threats that come from the environment are greater than the threats that come from, say, an abortionist. And Christians understand that overseas. I think it’s our American myopia that confines our attention to what occurs here in the continental United States at the expense of what (38:17) occurs around the world. And frankly what our people need … what evangelicals really need is a Christian world and life view that says what happens in Africa is important not just to African Muslims in Darfur who are victims of genocide; but what happens, for example, in Southeast Asia to those of Hindu faith in Bangladesh for example . . . Potentially a human catastrophe unlike has been visited upon this globe in human history if climate change were, for example, to drive ten and hundreds of millions of Bangladeshis either south of India or north of China. Where would they go if climate change raises the ocean levels? What are we to say to them? Are we to say, “Well those things don’t matter because they don’t impact me”? No, no, no, no. This . . . this is a denial of Christianity to say that these things don’t matter, or that they don’t matter to God. That’s a denial of the faith that we proclaim. That’s how serious this is.
Recorded on: 6/25/07
Discuss
Craig Murray on January 16, 2008, 10:02 PM
American myopia? More like Christian myopia!
He plays the abortion card in the first 20 seconds… Yet I'm sure he's pro-death penalty. More evangelical hypocrisy.
Craig Murray on January 17, 2008, 3:02 AM
American myopia? More like Christian myopia!
He plays the abortion card in the first 20 seconds… Yet I’m sure he’s pro-death penalty. More evangelical hypocrisy.
Wilson Reniers III on January 17, 2008, 4:53 AM
Much of the desertification in Africa is the result of short-sighted pastoral practices reinforced by aid packages and wells that allow the population to swell beyond capacity.
Matthew Creamer on January 17, 2008, 7:52 AM
Whether or not he is pro-death I think is quite irrelevant. Its not that I want to put a mark on Craig, but lets focus on what he's saying because he is bringing up an extremely important subject. As citizens in a powerful country it is important to realize the effects we are having on other countries. He is absolutely right to suggest that we have this myopia. If that wasn't true we would not be focusing on such issues as abortion. When we are faced with huge problems such as climate change and yet continue to treat abortion as a top issue, it's rediculous. Recognizing that our actions here have an effect on everyone else and that we have a responsibility to minimize or fix these effects (I am absolutely not talking about occupation anywhere) is a huge step that as a country the we need to take
Wilson Reniers III on January 17, 2008, 9:53 AM
Much of the desertification in Africa is the result of short-sighted pastoral practices reinforced by aid packages and wells that allow the population to swell beyond capacity.
Matthew Creamer on January 17, 2008, 12:52 PM
Whether or not he is pro-death I think is quite irrelevant. Its not that I want to put a mark on Craig, but lets focus on what he’s saying because he is bringing up an extremely important subject. As citizens in a powerful country it is important to realize the effects we are having on other countries. He is absolutely right to suggest that we have this myopia. If that wasn’t true we would not be focusing on such issues as abortion. When we are faced with huge problems such as climate change and yet continue to treat abortion as a top issue, it’s rediculous. Recognizing that our actions here have an effect on everyone else and that we have a responsibility to minimize or fix these effects (I am absolutely not talking about occupation anywhere) is a huge step that as a country the we need to take
Tom Orr on March 3, 2008, 5:17 AM
Listen, he just misread the question (as I did initially) and answered in terms of the challenges humans face. We humans are the biggest challenge the world faces and the world will find a solution.
Tom Orr on March 3, 2008, 10:17 AM
Listen, he just misread the question (as I did initially) and answered in terms of the challenges humans face. We humans are the biggest challenge the world faces and the world will find a solution.
Vicki Nikolaidis on November 4, 2008, 10:16 AM
I appreciate his candor. Yes, he holds some of the expected evangelical values but he also he appreciates the extreme danger of ignoring the earth. There are three things that all people could and should have in this world: Fresh air to breathe Clean water to drink and Healthy soil for growing their own food. These are all doable but we need to do it fast before more people starve regardless of climate change/global warming. It is the Christian way.
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