Ivory Dome

As I sit at my computer watching the gently falling snow (which is expected to reach about a foot here in Amarillo), the debate about the causes of global warming (aka climate change) has been heating up yet again. 

James Spann, meteorologist with ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, Alabama, has gotten into with Heidi Cullen from the Weather Channel on the topic of whether global warming is cyclical or driven by human behavior.  Mr. Spann, one of the first meteorologists to be certified by the American Meteorological Society as a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist, takes the position that global warming is cyclical in nature.  Ms. Cullen blames it on human activity.

Apparently not satisfied to argue this topic on the merits of the evidence, Ms. Cullen has suggested that if an AMS certified meteorologist does not take the party line on global warming, perhaps the AMS ought to  consider withdrawing that meteorologist’s certification.  Mr. Spann has taken the debate to his blog at http://www.jamesspann.com/wordpress/?p=650

Such calls for the defrocking of the scientific clergy for heresy is often heard in the evolution-intelligent design debate, but with a very big difference.  Global warming is not a science vs. religion issue; I know of no biblical argument that global warming is cyclical rather than human caused. 

Mr. Spann makes a very important point that the livelihood of many in the scientific community is dependent on continuted funding (both private and public) of research into how we can slow down or reverse global warming.  If the phenomenon of global warming is cyclical rather than human caused, we have little or no control over it and all such research is moot.  Put in theological terms, this is the equivalent of Martin Luther proving that salvation is based on grace through faith, rather than the selling of indulgences to fill the coffers of the clergy.

As a non-scientist, I can’t claim to have the definitive answer on global warming.  But as a reasonably logical person and student of human nature, I wouldn’t place my bets on the side that wants to cut off debate.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 20th, 2007 at 9:17 am and is filed under Global Warming. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.