"God doesn't want us to drill ANWAR" - Enlightenment from the Council of Churches

National Council of Churches ^

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NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES
ECO-JUSTICE WORKING GROUP

 

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• Featured Information
• Who We Are
• Resources & Programs for Congregations
• Other Programs
• Links
• Contact the Eco-Justice Working Group

Featured Information

ANWR Public Policy Information
Read about the proposed legislation on drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, religious perspectives on the issue, as well as how you can contact your legislators to voice your opinion.

National Council of Churches/Sierra Club ANWR Ad
The National Council of Churches and the Sierra Club have collaborated to produce this short video segment in response to proposals about drilling in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge). Click here for more information or to view the video online.

US Environmental Protection Agency Honors NCC Environmental Work
Eco-Justice Working Group Director, the Rev. Richard L. Killmer, will receive one of twenty EPA Climate Protection Awards on behalf of the Working Group. The award will be given at the Earth Technologies Dinner on March 25, 2002. Click here for press release.

"It's God's World"
A five-session study guide on global warming that interweaves information on Climate Change with relevant biblical passages. (This is a PDF file and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to view it. Download Acrobat Reader for free.)

The National Council of Churches Earthday 2002 Materials
Earth Day Sunday 2002 falls on April 21; this year's theme is "Caring for God's Creation: Making the World Safe for Children." The NCC provides a bulletin insert, worship materials, and other resources for use by congregations.

Denominational Statements on Global Climate Change
Statements and resolutions by faith groups on the issue of climate change. They reflect the beliefs and theology of the particular denomination or faith group.

Statements of Faith Groups on the Environment
This section of the Web of Creation covers more general environmental statements from faith groups.

Interfaith Climate Change Network
This electronic advocacy network is an exciting and powerful tool, created to assist the faith community increase its outreach and communication capabilities on the issues of climate change and energy. People who join the ICCN will be informed, through action alerts via e-mails, about the current public policy debates on climate change. They will also be provided with information on how an individual, a community, and a congregation can have an impact on this critical environmental issue.

Interfaith Global Climate Change Campaigns (listed by state)
Ecumenical agencies in eighteen states across the USA have formed coalitions of religious people from all faith communities to educate and advocate on the issue of global warming. These interfaith campaigns are supported by the Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, and the National Religious Partnership for the Environment (NRPE).

Video - God's Creation & Global Warming - view and order by clicking here!
This twelve-minute video describes the threats of climate change and the reasons why it is a profoundly religious issue (youth-adult).

NCC Youth Compact Florescent Lights Program
"A Bright Idea" is the name of this project for youth groups in congregations to sell compact flourescent light bulbs (CFLs). CFLs enable congregations and individuals to reduce greatly their greenhouse gas emissions..

Who We Are

Created in 1983, the Eco-Justice Working Group of the National Council of Churches provides an opportunity for the national bodies of member Protestant and Orthodox denominations to work together to protect and restore God's Creation. (Click here for a list of denominations which participate in the Eco-Justice Working Group.) 'Environmental Justice' is an holistic term that includes all ministries designed to heal and defend creation. Eco-Justice is an even broader term that includes efforts to assure justice for all of creation and the human beings who live in it. A major task of the Working Group is to provide program ideas and resources to help congregations as they engage in environmental justice. Please continue to browse our website to learn more about what we do and the programs we offer.

Resources & Programs for Congregations

• The Environmental Justice Covenant Congregation Program
  • Governing bodies of congregations are asked to make a promise that their congregation will engage or continue to engage in environmental justice.
• The Climate Change Information and Strategy Packet
  • Information for individuals and congregations on the effects of climate change, governmental policies on the issue, and strategies for action.
• The Energy Stewardship Congregations Program
  • Information on saving energy in your church as a practice of faith and the steps to make the adjustment.
• The Environmental Justice Resource Distribution Center
  P.O. Box 968
  Elkhart, IN 46515-0968
  800-762-0968
  • Environmental Justice Resources is a one-stop shopping center for environmental justice resources designed to help congregations restore and protect God's creation. These materials were produced by the Eco-Justice working group and its participating denominations/communions.
• Mailings from the Eco-Justice Working Group
  • The Eco-Justice Working Group puts out occasional mailings. Contact the Eco-Justice Working Group to be added to their mailing list.
• Environmental Justice Coordinators
  • Several denominations/communions have appointed individuals to enable their middle judicatories and their congregations to engage in environmental justice. Many coordinators are working together in their region(s) to increase their effectiveness. For the names of environmental justice coordinators in your denomination/communion from your area, contact your denomination's environmental justice office,

Other Programs

• The Black Church Environment Justice Program
  • This effort supports the seven historic black denominations which belong to the National Council of the Churches of Christ as they address environmental justice issues. Studies have shown that contaminating facilities are more likely to be located in communities where poor people and people of color live. For more information about this effort, contact the Eco-Justice Working Group.
• Environmental Ministries of the Orthodox Communions
  • Five Orthodox communions participate in the Eco-Justice Working Group, which provides special assistance for Orthodox parishes. For more information about this program, contact the Eco-Justice Working Group.

Links

The Eco-Justice Working Group is a partner in the National Religious Partnership for the Environment. The other partners are:

• US Catholic Conference of Bishops
• The Evangelical Environmental Network
• The Coalition for the Environment and Jewish Life

The Web of Creation is an ecumenical website offering eco-justice resources for faith-based communities.

Contact the NCC Eco-Justice Working Group

Eco-Justice Working Group
National Council of Churches
475 Riverside Dr. #812
New York, NY 10115
Phone 212-870-2385 or 212-870-2386
Fax 212-870-2265
E-mail ECOJUSTICE@NCCCUSA.ORG

Back to the National Council of Churches Homepage

[dead]

Ah, fooey. The links don't work.

Click on the source link to access the links and learn more about God's socialist hippy agenda.

[KarlInOhio]

"God doesn't want us to drill ANWAR" - Enlightenment from the Council of Churches

It's getting hard to keep track, is that the 234th or the 235th commandment?

[isthisnickcool]

More nonprofits sucking on the taxpayer tit.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

This is another reason we left the liberal Presbyterian Church, which is a huge supporter of the Council of Churches. Trying to reason with liberal Democrat pastors is useless. They love every idea the democrat party has, including ABORTION.

[AdA$tra]

Not to mention gay and lesbian clergy!

[dead]

This information was forwarded to me by freeper "rapsux".

I didn't realize how bad it's gotten, until I checked out their website.

[Dog Gone]

The National Council of Churches is a marxist organization masquerading as a religious one. That's a fact.

But if God didn't want us to drill ANWR, why did he hide all the oil there?

[Issaquahking]

This is blasphemy! Who do these idiots think they are? People of the liberal persuation don't think, they are the only one's who could be so morally bankrupt as to drag the name of God into a battle, and claim to know what He thinks. These fools are bound for hell and don't even know it. What ever happened to praying for guidance and hope?

[ClancyJ]

I wonder why the National Council of Churches is involved in where we drill? Why are they not involved in church matters such as saving souls, feeding the poor, helping the sick? Yet, they seem to think environmental issues are more important.

And just why would God not want us to drill in ANWR? He didn't mind that we drilled in Saudi, Texas, the other U.S. locations, Russia, and all the other countries? Could it be that these people are hiding their true agenda behind God and churches?

Could it be that the environmentalists (being controlled by the U.N.) hope to keep the oil in the ground for the day that the U.N. has control of this area? I have heard that when lands come under the control of the environmentalists it is in reality controlled by the U.N. instead of the U.S. A land grab for the U.N. in effect.

What could possibly be the reason they want the oil untouched and want control of this land? Could it be that in the future they plan to use this land AND THE OIL for their purposes? Could it be that they don't want the U.S. independent of Mid-East oil? Could it be that they want to keep the U.S. as weak as possible rather than letting it grow stronger and safer?

The environmentalists have tried Endangered Species Act to grab land, they have tried preservation of our forests by not allowing us to go into the forests, they have forced out exploration, they seek to control our manufacturing, our exploration, our drilling, our factories and our lands. Why? And, please, do not give me the "protect the environment crap" - that is a front and any that look at the facts will see that.

The fact that the democrats support such subversive agendas makes me highly suspicious of the democrats' true purpose. They are becoming more and more socialistic daily. I cannot help but feel there is a purpose behind the environmenal issues and that purpose is not controlled by the U.S. - rather works against the U.S.A.

[gramho12]

This is the same group that worked so hard to get Elian back to Cuba- yeah, really Pro-American organization (NOT!).

[Cicero]

As a matter of fact, it seems evident to me that Genesis and other biblical texts declare that men are to rule over the other animals of creation, but in the spirit of stewardship rather than exploitation. Conservatives have to get back into the conservation movement and straighten it out, not just fight against it. Before the liberals and leftist whackos took over the levers of power, most of the conservation organizations made good sense. We still need conservation, and we still need to clean up pollution. But we need to have sensible people running these organizations, and that means that conservatives need to get productively involved, if possible.

I know, nobody would want to give their dime to the Sierra Club to misuse, and a few conservative members would never be able to take it back again from the people running it now. But there must be some way to recapture these organizations or maybe start new ones, to take back the high ground from the leftists who seized it in the sixties and seventies.

[Redshift]

Surely you must joking. I seem to recall the fundie faction annointing everything from creationism to anti-abortion violence with their god's imprimatur. The National C of C story is merely another example of the comical hubris that almost always attends theistic pronouncements.

[Stand Watch Listen]

Hmmmmmmm....some unrelated articles/links/statistics/pictures ;-)

ANWAR

Taken from the February issue of Oil & Gas Investor, page 11:

EIA estimates total US production at 5.78 million barrels of oil per day (BOD).
Shell Oil's Brutus offshore platform (Gulf) is expected to peak at 100,000 BOD this year. Production from the Mars, Troika, Ursa, Dianna-Hoover and Brutus offshore Gulf fields could account for 9.7% of total lower 48 oil production by fourth quarter 2003.

Alaska will produce 17.2% of total US production (including Gulf production) in 2003 with the addition of the Colville River, Aurora, Polaris and Borealis satellite fields located on the North Slope.

LET ME BE CLEAR: with TOTAL US production at 5.78 million BOD, the addition of modest ANWR estimates of 1 million BOD, is equal to 17.3% of TOTAL US PRODUCTION

ANWR Fact Sheets http://www.anwr.org/

ANWR Oil Estimates

Myths of ANWR

Arctic Shoreline

ANWR Wilderness

Arctic Oil Technology

Native Alaskans and Development

Jobs,Jobs, Jobs

Caribou in ANWR

Which is the Real ANWR?

National Security

Oil Exports

• ANWR total area: 19,600,000 acres
• ANWR designated wilderness part: 8,000,000 acres
• ANWR coastal plain (not part of wilderness area) designated long ago by Congress for oil exploration study: 1,500,000 acres
• Coastal plain area needed for oil extraction: 2,000 acres (0.01% of the total ANWR area)

In 1998 the USGS did a study that concluded that there are between 5.7 billion to 16 Billion barrels of recoverable Oil in the "1002" Area of ANWR. That is a LOT of oil!

and it doesn’t even take into consideration the nearly 200 TRILLION cubic feet of natural gas there (over 150 years supply at the current rate of use in the U.S.)

A little perspective on the size of ANWR development:

An exploration rig on the tundra and the absence of any wildlife in this region

Beautiful Spring day in this coastal plain

Coastal Plain
      spring                                             summer                                       winter

Only 2,000 acres out of 19.5 MILLION are even under consideration for drilling. And those 19.5 million acres are but a FRACTION of the total land mass of Alaska. Also, contrary to dire predictions of the devastating impact on wildlife that would occur when the pipeline in Prudhoe bay, the caribou herd there have actually grown to record numbers.

SITE MAP (background / technology)

http://www.anwr.org/sitemap.htm

FROM http://www.anwr.org/topten.htm

TOP 10 REASONS TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT IN ANWR

1. Only 8% of ANWR Would Be Considered for Exploration Only the 1.5 million acre or 8% on the northern coast of ANWR is being considered for development. The remaining 17.5 million acres or 92% of ANWR will remain permanently closed to any kind of development. If oil is discovered, less than 2000 acres of the over 1.5 million acres of the Coastal Plain would be affected.

2. Revenues to the State and Federal Treasury Federal revenues would be enhanced by billions of dollars from bonus bids, lease rentals, royalties and taxes. Estimates in 1995 on bonus bids alone were $2.6 billion.

3. Jobs To Be Created Between 250,000 and 735,000 jobs are estimated to be created by development of the Coastal Plain.

4. Economic Impact Between 1980 and 1994, North Slope oil field development and production activity contributed over $50 billion to the nations economy, directly impacting each state in the union.

5. America's Best Chance for a Major Discovery The Coastal Plain of ANWR is America's best possibility for the discovery of another giant "Prudhoe Bay-sized" oil and gas discovery in North America. U.S. Department of Interior estimates range from 9 to 16 billion barrels of recoverable oil.

6. North Slope Production in Decline The North Slope oil fields currently provide the U.S. with nearly 25% of it's domestic production and since 1988 this production has been on the decline. Peak production was reached in 1980 of two million barrels a day, but has been declining to a current level of 1.4 million barrels a day.

7. Imported Oil too Costly The U.S. imports over 55% of the nation's needed petroleum. These oil imports cost more than $55.1 billion a year (this figure does not include the military costs of protecting that imported supply). These figures are rising and could exceed 65% by the year 2005.

8. No Negative Impact on Animals Oil and gas development and wildlife are successfully coexisting in Alaska's arctic. For example, the Central Arctic Caribou Herd (CACH) at Prudhoe Bay has grown from 3,000 to as high as 23,400 during the last 20 years of operation. In 1995, the Central Arctic Caribou Herd size was estimated to be 18,100 animals.

9. Arctic Technology Advanced technology has greatly reduced the 'footprint" of arctic oil development. If Prudhoe Bay were built today, the footprint would be 1,526 acres, 64% smaller.

10. Alaskans Support More than 75% of Alaskans favor exploration and production in ANWR. The Inupiat Eskimos who live in and near ANWR support onshore oil development on the Coastal Plain.

RELATED ARTICLES

Bush Renews Campaign For Arctic Oil
Source: AP; Puublished: February 25, 2002;
Author: AP

Fresh from Asia ~ Bush bonks Daschle head with ANWR club
Source: Reuters / Whitehouse.gov; Published: February 23, 2002

Inupiat Views Ignored in ANWR Debate
Source: ANWR; Anchorage Times Editorial;
Author: Tara MacLean Sweeney

INUPIAT LEADER ASKS SENATORS TO . . .Visit ANWR
Source: Anchorage Daily News; Published: February 17, 2002
Voice of the Times

ANWR Showdown -- Liberal Caught Playing Loose With The Facts [My Title]
Source: The Fargo Forum and the Grand Forks Herald; Published: February 14, 2002;
Author: Chris Beachy; John Bluemle

Kerry and Lieberman ignore invitation from native villagers in ANWR
Source: USNewswire; Published February 13, 2002;
Author:| Village of Kaktovik Alaska

ANWR Survey
Source: City of Kaktovik, Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), Web Page;
author: City of Kaktovik

Listening to Alaska
Source: National Driller; Published: September 27, 2001

ANWR and Oil
Source: Town Hall.com; Published April 11, 2001

Bush Is Right: Opening ANWR To Oil Exploration Would Help Consumers Without Hurting Environment
Source: The National Center for Public Policy Research; Published: January 23, 2001
Author: John Carlisle

Time To Permit Oil Drilling In the Arctic Refuge
Source: Heritage Foundation; Published: October 17, 1995
Author: John Shanahan

It has been mentioned that the caribou herd had over tripled near the pipeline!

Seems other species have flourished as well

[MarineDad]

This is another reason we left the liberal Presbyterian Church, which is a huge supporter of the Council of Churches. Trying to reason with liberal Democrat pastors is useless. They love every idea the democrat party has, including ABORTION.

I hear you loud and clear, Sir! My wife and I left the Methodists about six years ago for the same reasons. Our original pastor, although being a generally nice fellow otherwise, was nonetheless an aging Marxist looking forward to retirement. His successor was a liberal puke youngster who supported abortion, queer marriages, etc. and had a penchant for something called the Kairos prison ministry. This outfit exhorts church members to bake cookies for criminals, praying over the batter at each step of preparation, like some weird druidic ceremony. It was patently crackpot, but insidiously dangerous, too - some of the women in our church became involved with incarcerated felons; two ended up wedding some (one after she divorced her husband of 12 years!). I personally hold "Reverend Groovy" responsible for this idiocy. Fortunately, they reassigned his sorry carcass to another church some distance away, but not until the damage was done. Lord save us from liberal clergy, PLEASE!

[patriot_wes]

"God doesn't want us to drill ANWAR" - Enlightenment from the Council of Churches

Let's see God doesn't want us to use the petroleum He put in the ground for our use because it might kill a few of the animals which He put on the ground for us to eat. Got it!

[bryan1276]

you got it patriot_wes. Drill it, Refine it, and Burn it just like God intended. Dear, Council of Churches, The Lord will burn whatever we don't. Isaiah 34:9 And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch.