The other day Rick Santorum attacked President Obama for having a "phony theology," an apparent reference to the President's belief that man should do what he can, whatever he can, to protect this earth on which we all live, the earth that is, not counting the Newt Gingrich plan for lunar colonization, the only place we, our children, their children and forever into the future have to live.
Santorum called this concern for a healthy planet as being a religion that puts the earth "above man." I suppose he's talking about the concern scientists and most thinking people have with climate change and what we are doing to affect it. Anyway, it's all "phony," he says, this serious concern about what we're doing to the earth, all part of a "phony theology."
So I wonder who else believes in this "phony theology" Santorum derides from his electoral pulpit.
Here's someone I came across who believes in climate change and what we need to do about it. It's someone addressing diplomats just last month.
"Environmental protection and the connection between fighting poverty and fighting climate change are important areas for the promotion of integral human development. For this reason, I hope that, pursuant to the seventeenth session of the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change recently concluded in Durban, the international community will prepare for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development as an authentic "family of nations" and thus with a great sense of solidarity and toward present and future generations."
Who is this figure summoning the nations of the world to band together as a "family" to work on the problem of global climate change? Who is this person dabbling in what Rick Santorum calls "phony theology?
It's Pope Benedict XVI, leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
So where does Santorum get "his" theology on climate change and other environmental concerns. Where does he get this odd language of Christians have "dominion" over the earth? Could he be getting it from the faction known as "dominionists," who also believe that Christians should control civil society as well as their church? Could an American politician really be talking theocracy - control over the state by a religion?
Keep your ears open. This is getting interesting.
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This was one of the greatest moments in Hardball history! I love this kind of reporting. Chris Matthews is a revealer of the authentic truth and we need this more than ever as these pathetic Republican candidates tell bald faced lie after bald faced lie and proudly shout out their willful ignorance and strut their dysfunctional awareness. Rick Santorum calls the theology of his own supreme religious leader phony as he advocates the destruction of our planet's habitability... and manages to get the befuddled right wing to think he is saying something valuable.
Chris, please continue this wonderful enlightening program of yours. I am forever your fan.
Another head stuck in the sand. Dork of awareness. I would like to see ONE, yes just ONE scientific paper, with real data that showed in any way that global warming was occuring. Now that " global warming " has been dispelled, the left try to call it climate change. The climate has been changing for millions of years and over the last 150 years the temperature has changed 0.8 deg. As Ivar Giaever stated " that sounds very stable.
Ivar Giaever is a Nobel prize winning Physicist that was a supporter of President Obama. However, the governments stance on Global warming prompted him to right a letter asking President Obama to change his position on global warming becuase the data catered by science didn't support a position of global warming. I was signed by more the 100 of his associates from the American Physics socitey. They now way more about the physics of our climate than all of the news organizations. Weird, MSNBC didn't report that.
Physicist Hal Lewis stated "Climategate was a fraud on a scale I have never seen."
Mit Atmospheric Physicist Dr Richard Lindsen, called Al Gore a shrill alarmist, and stated that the the climate has been changing through out the history of earth.
So now I have given you 3 Scientist that work in, and are educated, in the field of climatology that absolutely dispute man made global warming.( one of which had 100 associates co-sign a letter). Mr Hard ball has stated many times " scientist and thinking people" know that Global warning is man made.
What Scientists? Name one! I'll give you one. You know that one, the one, that made the documentary about the disappearing ice caps and dieingpolar bears. Ya him. Oh, wait, he was put on academic probation and investigated, and found to have used false data to prove his point, in return receiving grant money.
well I tried. If you find someone besides a news organization that believes in global warming, check out their sources. For me the only place I have ever found anybody in support of global warming was someone that received financial gain from it. Green energy is a multi billion dollar business.
I just couldn't listen to anything else you had to say becuase you are so uninformed on the climate.
This segment needs to be replayed at every available opportunity, in every corner of the Earth. Thank you, Mr. Matthews, for stating your case so perfectly. I have to give credit to the Grand Old Polluters for how brilliantly they have manipulated Christian conservatives into believing that, when God gave us this jewel of a planet, he intended for us to completely pollute its air, water and soil, deplete its resources, and leave nothing for future generations. For convincing them that somehow God favors policies that enrich corporations over those that enrich the human spirit. It makes me sad when I think of just how successful they have been in twisting the name of God to this purpose. So many people arguing passionately in favor of poisoning their own planet... and they say we liberals are the ones who have drunk the Kool-Aid.
Peyton... Fantastic commentary! Thank you! I am so glad to know there are intelligent aware people out there who understand our human predicament and see the twisted, destructive awareness manifested by someone like Rick Santorum... earlier, he was talking about the Devil, but metaphorically and from some perspectives, he is the devil and he is trying to fool the poor befuddled right wing followers to sell their souls and the souls of their children. What he advocates will be hell on Earth.
Rick Santorum = James G. Watt?
Santorum’s views on the Earth are questionable.
:-) sorry I couldn't help myself.
Hey listen, the world is coming to an end, the signs are everywhere. If you have doubts, read the New testament and Revelation because it's all predicted and prophesied in the bible. If you ask me, I think we have another 50 years. So, forget about the EPA, green energy & climate change, IT'S A WASTE OF TIME. I say live everyday like its your last.
Is that the Roman 'eat - drink - and be merry' philosophy???
here is where EDUCATION is of greatest importance .... learn and understand anthropological and sociological differences in a cross cultural perspective....
the phenomenon of predicting the 'END OF DAYS' is hardly exclusive to the Bible... and there are some VERY COMPELLING ARGUMENTS .... ALL WRONG!
PLEASE go to the nearest library and help yourself to some knowledge... the book: 'End of Days' (S. Brown) does a magnificent job on accounting the incredible number various prophecies dating back 2800 BC .... and guess what - so far THEY HAVE ALL BEEN WRONG.... the book has over 400 pages - so that should be some indication of the number of these predictions....
the book cites any number of various religions, holy books, prophets - ALL who assured their followers that the end was just around the corner....
perhaps this is what Cardinal Santorum is talking about when he refers to the 'indoctrination' of education and higher education.... unfortunately he confuses indoctrination with free thinking ....
by exposing history and science - sociology and anthropology .... many young people find that free thinking is encouraged in the institutes of higher education .... not the narrow blind faith of some religion....
but if you are working on some sort of 'self fulfilling prophecy' (see psychology) .. keep using up our resources and forget about being good stewards to Mother Earth - she does not care if humans are here or not ...
and once again: 'The Devil cites scripture for his own purpose' (see Literature)
Congratulations on being able to say "vagina" on the show tonight, Chris. I was beginning to have my doubts, and I take Rachel at her word about how easily embarrassed she is, and yet she was belting out "trans-vaginal ultrasound probe" like a pro...
Okay, who's going to ask Santorum and Romney the "evil-lution" question again?
This presidential election is 1996 all over again for the Republicans. And that's not a bad thing...
On the issue of contraception and invasive investigation I think Chris has it all wrong,or he's concealing.Its common knowledge that in American history from Slavery to Present (including Native American history) that government and individuals have treated our captors in a way to humiliate them and take away their identities. Medicine and sexuality (voting) have been tools to do this, and the holding of medicine or its political manipulation, e.g. holding back provision of certain procedures and medicines to the poor.Considering this and the well seated view that women are property plays well to that viewpoint that they should be shamed into doing what their captors wish with their bodies.The wish of some to make the South "rise again" is well founded in both parties and seems to be the motive.Its quite logical that the Pres. should not be so much resisted, but shamed after not "staying in his place". There is much more commonality between the Pres. as a personage than the media would like to admit.Just as there are so many likenesses of this outdated view with Arab Fundamentalism. By the way, the scope of discussion about Catholicism is a mere "convenient" vehicle to push the captor-slave perspective. Just as Islam to Fundamentalism. Its all about power and control.Is this too radical a view? Let me know.
The Republicans have turned into a theological party every bit as scary as Al Qaeda. They are concerned with denying women's rights, civil rights, gay rights, education, free information etc. Frankly I don't see the difference and they aren't that far away from requiring berka's and prayer three time's a day for all citizen's.
Well like "Da,"
everyone comment's about the "theo-conn's," (and the 1 batsh*t too), all this time I just assumed that people whom write is this blog all knew this, I say it so much and how much it disturbs me, especially because it does not seem to bother many?
Here's a few: 1. Yes, sedwinmars, the real point is, they are not yet as blood-thirsty yet (like Crusades, etc).
2. There justification is they are always right, and your wrong. Not disagreeing, psychologically, I'm good, your bad!!
3. If your world says to you, that you only do bad (sin), and when you do something good, well, you did not do anything good, God did!
4. If the depth of your thinking is that of a "bumper sticker slogan," and read the "The Left-Behind" Series, when "nillelism" is your belief system, what do you expect??
5. Here is even scarier, I'm a veteran (SAC) ICBM Launch Crew, you now have evangelical/non-denominational churches on military bases, not chapels.
What kind of people will have their finger on a nuclear button, especially when you are always right mentality? Scary!
Continued:
6. how about this, most military bases are in red states and many more base closings in blue-states? Much more recruitment in red states vs. blue states. Whom likes guns more, red-state vs. blue-state?
7. how about court decisions (Supreme Ct.) like allowing "super pac's," or like yesterday decisions where is is now OK for police to come on your premises and do not have stay withing the scope of the warrant, instead it is OK for "fishing expedition." Why even have a warrant anymore then?
8. I know I am sounding a little paranoid (God, I hope I am!), but the premise is not absurd! I looking at history text book, where "civil war" is described as "The War of Northern Aggression." In FL, More money is being proposed for religious schools (No, not the catholic schools of past), and home schools, video schools, etc., look it is not just about reading and writing, but more about indoctrination---of the conservative kind.
9. It is no secret, elections for school boards, judges (like Judge Moore), conservative turn-out in off year elections(mid-terms), where jobs, or deficits, or any phony outrage of the time (wedge-divisive issues) are yelled out, and yet again, if you go by voting records, actual time is spent on conservative social issues, just look at what it is being proposed, over and over, in any conceivable way they can??????
10. Typical, today in "David Brooks" opt-end piece, he is actually proposing that tax-credits for rich (tax-credits period) are really just welfare? How funny is that?
11. How about that the amount of ownership of "news outlets" that can now be controlled by same entity (like Murdoch or Ailes)? Is that "chilling?"
To myself, I wonder if Civil ever really ended? It just transforms (Reconstruction, southern chain gangs contracted out for profit in South of past, Dixie-crats bolting (1st for Wallace, then Republicans). Why do they (conservatives hate FDR or Johnson Great Society programs so much) but at same time say don't touch my medicare, social security, etc.???
The hate is as viceral as always (1st Clinton, then Hillary, now Obama), stuff that any sane person would even think about?
Love your show!
it's disgusting how you speak about dr. ron paul. RON PAUL WON THAT DEBATE HANDS DOWN and is noones "sidecar." all of his answers were pure GOLD. him slammin' the media to close it out was the icing on the cake. he's the only candidate who makes any sense and the only one who can beat obama, as polls are showing now in arizona, virginia, ohio and iowa. plus, it's all over the internet that his plan is the only one that won't drive us further into debt. stop lying ...like dr paul said ,,,stop perpetuating the myth that he can't win!
Chris 'Soft as a Marshmallow' Mathews
Good call on Santorum.
Now answer this, how is it you can call Santorum a 'Fake' and then get so outraged at Ron Paul calling him out as a fake too?! HUH
I could not make head nor tail of what you were saying about Ron Paul, other that you hate the guy, and that he has no chance of nomination. You then go off lambasting Paul for 'aligning' himself with Romney and being Romney's attack dog (sidecar) - In the same show you once again go off about killing our countries enemies - what the heck! - are you a neocon? - has this pro-Israeli stance fried your mind, diminished the part of the brain used for good reasoning?
What ??? - your boy Gingrich falls down, and then your other guy Santorum gets his ass whipped and you are sounding off because Paul comes out looking good?
Ron Paul looks good, because he has a solid foundation, he has a solid theology, a moral foundation. Most of all, he has a solid game plan. He has no need to attack Romney, his goal is to be the conservative candidate - and to do this he has to get Gingrich and Santorum out of the race. So long as he is in, Newt and Rick stand little chance of gaining the nomination. All Paul needs is 300 delegates and a failed 1st vote at the convention. If no-one gets the required majority on the first vote, then its anyone's game. If Paul gets elected on the 2nd or subsequent votes, its all done fair and square, according to the rules.
But then again, the media who has chosen to black out Ron Paul, censure him, demean him - will shout the loudest at how unfair the process is ......
Seriously, out of the four GOP candidates, Ron Paul stands out. Romney has foot in mouth issues, Gingrich has likeability issues, Santorum is too far right wing. What I don't understand is Romney, he has no need to pretend to be ultra conservative, to the right of Santorum, all he need do is shut up, stick to the script, stay on message - Santorum is losing woman voters faster than you can blink, and the evangelicals will reject him sooner rather than later. After Super Tuesday, it will be wide open again, Gingrich will have a transfusion but will still be on life support.
All four will still be in the race. I'm guessing everyone other than Romney will be looking forward to a brokered convention. Its going to be great.
Show Ron Paul some love ......... (or at least some respect) .... :)
God Bless you Chris Matthews. It takes a lot of courage to speak out about the dominionst movement AKA known as the Apostolic Reformation. It is my hope that you and others bring expose this under currant tide that could destroy or democracy.
The Point as I see it is, The more divisive crazy stuff that is inflammatory is thrown against a wall (hopefully some of it will stick), I don't see how that affects them negatively. Bush gave how many reasons for Iraqi?
In the end, the conservatives will keep game-changing. This works because it begins to get rational people to discontinue following issues, because they tune-out over the nonsense. Ultimately, even if republicans are called to carpet, it does not matter, because they will just reply with "well, the democrats do it too!"
I think strategy is to make most of rational to tune out and not bother to vote! The "Theo-conn's" from their pulpit's (church, Fox News, right-wing radio) that the base better "carry water" or face excommunication (being exiled from "Network" business wise)!
I think outlets like MSNBC, should stop giving right-wing outlets by being impartial, that's key, because this is the "rights" greatest weapon!"
Foster Friess is a former chair of the "Council for National Policy," the premier dominionist group in the US. And several former CNP board members signed the Santorum endorsement, released by Richard Viguerie, who was CNP's PR spokesperson/firm.
more details and evidence at http://wp.me/p5dEo-3Z4 and http://wp.me/p5dEo-403
How can Santorum say he is for family values but not want to protect the environment for future generations. What is wrong with conservatives? How can they watch virulent storms hit our shores, more tornado's then ever in 1 month, polar ice melt, habitat destruction on a grand scale, and put their head in the sand and think nothing is going on? The GOP is putting us all in danger. How much do the super rich need to make? When is the Tea party going to wake up, and see that none of this is in their best interes?