Readers of the Telegraph will be aware of Christopher Booker’s repeated expose of the fake science behind Global Warming theories.  Here’s a great article to read: “2008 was the year man-made global warming was disproved.” (As an aside, his articles also frequently reveal how useless wind turbines are, a conclusion I came to over 10 years ago while doing a project on them).

Another link: “Warming, or Hot Air” contains some good scientific points:

As regards global warming, my view is essentially the same as yours: Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) is a scam, with no basis in science.

A few comments on my own particular view of global warming:

(1) I am particularly annoyed by the claims that the “the debate is over,” because this was exactly the claim originally made against the Copernican theory of the Solar System. Copernicus’ opponents said the idea that the Earth was the third planet from the Sun was advanced by Aristrachus in 300 B.C. (true), and had been definitely refuted by 100 A.D. The debate is over! Sorry, it wasn’t: the Earth IS the third planet.

(2) It is obvious that anthropogenic global warming is not science at all, because a scientific theory makes non-obvious predictions which are then compared with observations that the average person can check for himself. As we both know from our own observations, AGW theory has spectacularly failed to do this. The theory has predicted steadily increasing global temperatures, and this has been refuted by experience. NOW the global warmers claim that the Earth will enter a cooling period. In other words, whether the ice caps melt, or expand — whatever happens — the AGW theorists claim it confirms their theory. A perfect example of a pseudo-science like astrology.

(3) In contrast, the alternative theory, that the increase and decrease of the Earth’s average temperature in the near term follows the sunspot number, agrees (roughly) with observation. And the observations were predicted before they occurred. This is good science.

(4) I emphasized in point (2) that the average person has to be able to check the observations. I emphasize this because I no longer trust “scientists” to report observations correctly. I think the data is adjusted to confirm, as far as possible, AGW. We’ve seen many recent cases where the data was cooked in climate studies. In one case, Hanson and company claimed that October 2008 was the warmest October on record. Watts looked at the data, and discovered that Hanson and company had used September’s temperatures for Russia rather than October’s. I’m not surprised to learn that September is hotter than October in the Northern hemisphere.

Read it all.

President Barack Obama

After a seemingly endless campaign, Barack Obama has been elected to be the 44th President of the United States of America.  Our newspapers and televisions have been full of images of queuing voters and cheering crowds, as well as endless speculation about what this will mean for America and the rest of the world.

I don’t think anyone can doubt that this was a highly significant election.  People loved the message of change – and that voice must be heard.  We must give thanks also that this marks a significant step forward in race relations in the US.

However, I am very concerned that Christians in the UK have not seen the full picture.  Many Christians in the US were deeply opposed to an Obama win, but the mainline media has simply ignored the issues that led to such concerns.

The primary issue is that of abortion.  No doubt there will be a variety of opinion on this matter among magazine readers.  And of course the first thing to say is that Christianity is not about imposing a moral code on others, but about forgiveness and new life in Christ.  However, Christianity insists on the sanctity of human life.  Humans are created in the image of God.  Some abortions take place in terrible circumstances (e.g. rape or to save the mother’s life).  But the vast majority are for social reasons: a pregnancy and child would be “inconvenient” so the unborn baby is murdered.  This is a tragedy on a colossal scale.  And here’s the problem: Barack Obama views on abortion are extremely bad.

“Extreme” is the right word to use:

“Barack Obama is the most extreme pro-abortion candidate ever to seek the office of President of the United States. He is the most extreme pro-abortion member of the United States Senate. Indeed, he is the most extreme pro-abortion legislator ever to serve in either house of the United States Congress.”

This is the carefully considered opinion of Robert P George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University (simply one of an impressive list of posts he has held).  Obama has promised that “the first thing I’d do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act”.  This would make abortion a federally guaranteed right through all nine months of pregnancy for any reason.  He opposes the ban on the horrific practice of partial-birth abortion, in which a baby is partially-born (feet first, with the head remaining in the birth canal) before the brain is suctioned out causing the skull to collapse.  Obama wants to strip federal funding from pro-life crisis pregnancy centers that provide alternatives to abortion.  He has opposed legislation to protect children who are born alive following an unsuccessful abortion, instead of leaving them to die (something that happens in this country too).

There are other reasons why many Christians opposed Obama, some ethical, some economic, some political.  It is a shame that these reasons have not been made apparent in our own press.

We must pray for Obama and the tough choices he will make.  American Christians need to repent where they have overlooked the Republican Party’s failure to reduce abortion levels significantly.  The solution is not politics, although there are battles still to be fought and won.  No, the solution is to trust Jesus and live in his strength, to proclaim the gospel and love our neighbours.  More important than campaigning is the need to demonstrate that following Jesus really does produce a radically different lifestyle: looking after orphans and the elderly, the poor and the troubled; providing extended families for those don’t have abortions; demonstrating grace to those who do.  That is an authentic pro-life position, and ultimately will be more powerful than whatever President Obama does.

For some good post-election reading, check the links at http://vasbyburnie.net/2008/11/15/some-election-round-up/