What Would Jesus Drive?—a Hummer

Since neither State of Fear nor our class examined the role of religious ideology in shaping the global warming controversy, I chose a website that presented the topic as a religious argument. The article is “Christians and Climate Change” by James Sherk. (http://www.evangelsociety.org/sherk/wwjd.html.) The author is a member of The Evangel Society of Thought, which is associated with Hillsdale College—an Illinois-based school that promotes free-market economics.

Sherk argues that temperature records and human CO₂ emissions data do not support the global warming theory. Like Michael Crichton, the author cherry picks data and references that seem to validate that conclusion. For example, Sherk states that Mann’s (1998) “hockey stick” graph, which shows little temperature change from 1400 to 1900 and a marked temperature increase during the 20^th century, was based on “poor data and erroneous calculations.” He then presents a “corrected version” that shows higher temperatures prior to the 1500s (see enclosed graph) and, therefore, puts into question that warming is a result of recent human activities. However, Sherk cites no credible evidence that the so-called corrected version is based on good data and correct calculations. In addition, many of the references cited by Sherk are from free-market, conservative organizations such as the Cato Institute and Heartland Institute—hardly organizations known for unbiased policies. Sherk also states that the 1992 Heidelberg Appeal, which was signed by 4000 scientists including 70 Nobel Prize laureates, lends strong support to the proposition that science “provides no reason to limit the emission of CO₂ into the atmosphere.” In fact, the Heidelberg Appeal only advocates against pseudo-scientific arguments and use of false or irrelevant data. The document makes no reference to global warming or climate change. (For the complete Heidelberg Appeal text, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg_Appeal.)

Sherk reassures his readers that Christians have no reason to worry about how their selection of transportation will effect the climate. They can drive whatever they wish. And the author boldly answers the pretentious question: “What would Jesus drive?” Sherk’s answer: “Whatever he chose, the exaggerated hype surrounding the global warming theory would not concern him.”