It's Official: Global Warming Alarmism is a Religion (at Least in the UK)
Via Anthony Watt, from the UK Telegraph:
An executive has won the right to sue his employer on the basis that he was unfairly dismissed for his green views after a judge ruled that environmentalism had the same weight in law as religious and philosophical beliefs.
"¦
In a landmark ruling, Mr Justice Michael Burton said that "a belief in man-made climate change "¦ is capable, if genuinely held, of being a philosophical belief for the purpose of the 2003 Religion and Belief Regulations".
The ruling could open the door for employees to sue their companies for failing to account for their green lifestyles, such as providing recycling facilities or offering low-carbon travel.
"¦
John Bowers QC, representing Grainger, had argued that adherence to climate change theory was "a scientific view rather than a philosophical one", because "philosophy deals with matters that are not capable of scientific proof."
That argument has now been dismissed by Mr Justice Burton, who last year ruled that the environmental documentary An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore was political and partisan.
The decision allows the tribunal to go ahead, but more importantly sets a precedent for how environmental beliefs are regarded in English law.
Wow! Its a religion, not a scientific position. I probably should be laughing, but I'm not.
Max Lybbert:
I find this law odd. Personally I am religious. In the US the First Amendment gives me certain protections from government meddling with my religion, and certain anti-discrimination laws give me other protections from, say, being fired or evicted because of my religious beliefs.
But this law apparently "could open the door for employees to sue their companies for failing to account for their green lifestyles, such as providing recycling facilities or offering low-carbon travel." I don't expect my employer, or the government to make it easier for me to follow my beliefs. For instance, I don't expect them to offer food that follows my religious health code.
My beliefs are my responsibility. The only legal protections I want with respect to them are those that require third parties to leave my beliefs alone. This law appears to require third parties to take actions to support philosophical and religious beliefs.
November 4, 2009, 10:39 amDrTorch:
So, can we get it out of the public schools now?
November 4, 2009, 11:03 amWiseoldbird:
DrTorch, separation of church and state as far as the ACLU is concerned only applies to Christians, and to some extend Jews.
Lots of schools put up Happy Ramadan signs and posters in Dearborn MI, yet the Michigan ACLU has not found it in its interest to sue.
November 4, 2009, 12:38 pmDaran:
Oh boy. Can you imagine the fun if it were officially declared a religion in the USA as well 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion'. Ahh, one can dream.
November 4, 2009, 1:18 pmMatt:
Sweet. As an environmentalist, my religion forbids me from using an autombile to get to work. I'll let my employer know I won't be in, and make sure my paycheck is direct deposited so they don't kill any more trees.
November 4, 2009, 3:14 pmMaddog:
Of course it's a religion. Broadly defined religion is an integrated worldview or significant portion of an integrated worldview with relies on faith (belief in a unprovable thing like a deity) or belief (irrational belief in a provable but unproven thing like homeopathy or big foot).
The science behind global warming is such a mess it amounts to a belief and as such is a religion.
Max: The Brits liked Monty Python so much they apparently decided to ensconce such absurdity into laws like the one cited above, insane but true. At least I hope it's true because if it is not they are idiots.
November 4, 2009, 4:17 pmBrad K.:
Why all the alarmist posturing? The judge did *not* hold the plaintiff's green views as a religion - he ruled them a philosophical belief.
Darwin's evolution is alternately a scientific hypothesis, or a philosophy on the origins of man. The countervailing Genesis story of creation is a religious belief. The sham "intelligent design" is a scam conspired to by five radicals intent on afflicting education and science in America; contrived deliberately with malice aforethought - that happened to get picked up by many reasonable and responsible people and organizations and incorporated into established dogma and ritual.
The concept of global warming, and especially anthropocentric (caused by human action) global warming, is alternately a scientific theory, and a philosophical view.
Religion, for the most part, is worship of divinity. And that is not what the ruling determined.
November 4, 2009, 6:04 pmCold Englishman:
Surely you all knew that Judges in England are all either eccentric or barmy. It goes with the job description.
And the juries are nearly as stupid:-
http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Kingsnorth-Six-cleared-of-damaging-power-station-newsinkent16039.aspx?news=local
"The five men and one woman admitted the damage but argued their actions had stopped the power station from polluting the environment.
The jury at Maidstone Crown Court were sent out to deliberate at 1pm yesterday with Judge David Caddick urging the jurors to examine whether the protestors had a lawful excuse for their actions.
The climate campaigners were cleared by a ten to two majority, after a nine-day trial."
November 5, 2009, 5:22 am