Around this time of the year in 2006 - three years ago - Al Gore brought An Inconvenient Truth to the screen. I find it hard to explain why it has taken me three years to see it. Maybe it was because the Dark Knight was more exciting or Stardust was more romantic; maybe it was because I distracted myself by flying half way around the world to Africa for a year; or maybe it was because I subconsciously knew how compelling that truth may be and I just didn’t want to know consciously.
I’ve read a few articles that dispute global warming over this period, even in the face of the increasingly clamorous scientific community. It’s good to have another view, and it is convenient if the view helps us live our existing lives. However, I’ve never found any of them compelling. I mean OK - none of them have been 100 minutes of multimedia presentation. But still.
Of interest is the fact that it takes a lot more determination and drive to bring a message of unsolicited alarm to people than a message with which people can associate and agree with. What’s more is that whilst people will undoubtedly make money from this - they are not being driven by oil companies or other corporate organisations. Those things imply a strongly held belief.
As part of the applied Christian studies course I’m doing called workshop we have looked at what a Christian approach to our planet should be. I’m already trying to eat less meat and be more careful with household energy and so on; but there is now even more pressure.
Is Al Gore’s message one of prophecy of our time? If so I hope we, individuals as well as governments, listen.