Nicely put by Michael Barone:
...A similar but more peaceable fate is
befalling believers in what I think can be called the religion of
the global warming alarmists.
They have an unshakeable faith that
manmade carbon emissions will produce a hotter climate, causing
multiple natural disasters. Their insistence that we can be
absolutely certain this will come to pass is based not on science
-- which is never fully settled, witness the recent experiments
that may undermine Albert Einstein's theory of relativity -- but on
something very much like religious faith.
All the trappings of religion are
there. Original sin: Mankind is responsible for these prophesied
disasters, especially those slobs who live on suburban cul-de-sacs
and drive their SUVs to strip malls and tacky chain
restaurants.
The need for atonement and repentance:
We must impose a carbon tax or cap-and-trade system, which will
increase the cost of everything and stunt economic
growth.
Ritual, from the annual Earth Day to
weekly recycling.
Indulgences, like those Martin Luther
railed against: private jet-fliers like Al Gore and sitcom heiress
Laurie David can buy carbon offsets to compensate for their
carbon-emitting sins.
Corporate elitists, like General
Electric's Jeff Immelt, profess to share this faith, just as
cynical Venetian merchants and prim Victorian bankers gave lip
service to the religious enthusiasms of their days. Bad for
business not to. And if you're clever, you can figure out how to
make money off it.
