If one truly did believe the sky was falling and that man could stop it, then it would be viewed as faithful and moral to do the things that would stop it.
The problem is that the notion that this is happening, is a blasphemy on the promises and character of God. And this blasphemy is getting traction among all segments of Christendom. Whatever the extent and cataclysmic history of this mudball before it got populated with humanity, God has promised certain things about how it shall keep up.
I have to hand something to the YEC folks, I am not sure their science is always good, but their faith has them grinning at the folly that this lack of faith has wrought.
The thing that struck me most about this nonsensical manifesto - because that’s what it is, not an encyclical - is how 1970s it was. Those were clearly his glory days.
He’s an old man now, and he’s having an old man’s Luddite fantasies about how much better things were in the good old days. (I also do think he’s a little bit gaga - some of the things he says make no sense.)
The unfortunate part is that he seems to think he’s the ultimate authority and rather than just being an old man venting in his rocker somewhere, he’s trying to impose his backwardness on the world. Don’t forget, his manifesto was directed not just at Catholics, but at “all people living on the earth.” A little bit of chutzpah, I’d say.