The Church Lady and I, Talking Climate Change

THE SKIN RASH appeared suddenly, on both forearms and both thighs, just above the knees. It wasn't spreading, but it looked angry, and it itched like hell. I scratched it, which of course only made it worse. I applied moisturing lotion, vasoline, and steroid cream, which made it better, but only temporarily. I first suspected poison ivey, then repeated perspiraing. I am an exercise junkie. Finally I dropped by to see my buddy at the pharmacy, showed it to him, and he stared at it, but didn't say much. I suggested that I keep driving, and drop in unannounced to see my doctor. He agreed. The receptionist at the doctor's office told me that doc was booked up, which I assumed he would be, but made me an appointment with his physician's assistant. Good enough. Pleased, I sat waiting in the waiting room, near a pleasnt looking older couple. A nurse summoned the gentleman, and as he stood up to follow, muttered to his wife; "I guess I'm more important than you". She looked at me, and informed me of plans to withhold his supper. I agreed, and we both laughed. Thus began a wonderful conversation. She was seventy eight, she said, and had four grown children, scattered around the country. We agreed that in her situation, cell phones and Facebook come in handy. I mentioned my ongoing experience with Sandra Bullock, told her the whoole story (see previous post on Sandra Bullock), which she seemed to find vaguely amusing. As always, the talk turned to the weather, and how hot it is. As always, I mentioned climate change. I can't seem to stop mentioning climate change during normal, pleasnt, innocuos conversations about the weather. This, because climate change to me is the most important thing to talk about, the most pressing concern for everybody, and, more so each year, it is obvious to me that the situation is dire, as I notice climate change more and more, in both my front and back yard. I espressed sincere concern for her grand children, and indeed her middle aged children. Again, quite sincere. I now believe that I'm going to live to see disastrous climate collapse. Then, amid all my apocolyptic discourse, she turned religious on me. This often happens too. Perhpas a respite and retreat from the horror I bring to the table. She said that God tells us all about the future in HIS Word. Oh boy, here comes Revelation again, which Thomas Jefferson accurately desribes as "the rantings of a lunatic". I jumped right in, as always,with my quote from Confucous, (only fool predicts the future). And Goethe (It is beyond me how anyone can believe that God speaks to us in books and stories...). The Bible, as ancient literature, but not the Word of God. And, as always, she wasn't having any of it.They, the religiously indoctrinated, never do. We parted company on cordial terms, I apologized, needlessly, if I semed "difficult",and told her, "God bless you". She seemd placated. But I am becoming increasingly alarmed,increasingly frustrated, when the religious devout turn discussions of climate change into discussions of biblical prophecy. Firstly, the two have nothing to do with each other. Secondly, and most importantly, I see them retreating from urgent scientific reality, into their comfort zone of dogmatic, superstitious, unreal religious fantasy. And that, I assert, is the worst possible pathway to take. We must all stand and look the monstrous reality of climate change straight in the eye, and figure out what to do, and take immediate action. Hiding behind the Bible simply aint gonna cut it. Far right wing evangelical Christianity, coupled with political conservatism is like pouring gas on wildfire, then hiding in the barn, beneath the hay stack. Like climate change itself, it will only consume us in flames, while we clutch our bibles to our beating breasts, and await entry into the mythical kingdom of heaven. The physician's assistant was a very nice young lady, attractive, who gave me prednizone for my skin rash, and I went home happy.