I feel like a lot of social media has forgotten about how during the Bush era, evangelical Christians (including Bush) were pretty open about refusing to try to stop global warming and other environmental destruction because they wanted Jesus to come back in their lifetime.
https://twitter.com/HTHRFLWRS/status/1458475124106072073
Like, it’s interesting to me that we didn’t really see a resurgence of that rhetoric in the Trump era, given that his presidency represented the apex—at least, so far—of evangelical power and willingness to say the quiet part out loud.
I think the difference is that Bush was an enthusiastic Christian and represented the height of openly evangelical power.
Trump was the age of Qanon, of marketing evangelical norms to people who wouldn’t self-identify as evangelical (or even as Christian).
Trump was the age of Qanon, of marketing evangelical norms to people who wouldn’t self-identify as evangelical (or even as Christian).
So while in the Bush era, they were comfortable being open about their contempt for the planet and anyone trying to protect it (drill, baby, drill) and you didn’t have to dig much at all to get to “…because if we bring about the end of the world, Jesus comes back”…
In the Trump era, you see it presented much more as skepticism that it’s happening and a lot of appeals to personal freedom. I think public consciousness had shifted enough that “drill, baby, drill” wasn’t going to sell as well.
So it can be hard, these days, to remember that “no, I’m going to drive around my gas-guzzling Hummer because I WANT to wreck the environment” was actually a pretty open sentiment at the time.
All of which is to say, young’ns, that the Bush era was actually almost as bonkers as the Trump era, just in different ways.
Anyway, since people are saying, “it hasn’t changed, look up how many people don’t believe in climate change,”
You’re not reading what I’m saying.
The difference is that more people in the Bush era DID believe in climate change, and wanted to accelerate it.
You’re not reading what I’m saying.
The difference is that more people in the Bush era DID believe in climate change, and wanted to accelerate it.
There were climate change denialists then, too.
But I’m talking about Bush era pro-climate change Christians.
Most of them seem to have become denialists now.
But I’m talking about Bush era pro-climate change Christians.
Most of them seem to have become denialists now.
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