Illinois Representative John Shimkus recently explained to the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment that environmental regulations are unnecessary because of Genesis and Matthew and only God will decide when the world ends. (Meanwhile, the Red River floods.) It’s uncomfortable to watch like William Jennings Bryan at the Scopes Trial because he thinks he’s so right. “Infallible,” even. And then, illogically coming from the anti-evolution Senator, there’s that spectacularly unscientific part about dinosaurs…

Watch HERE.

But later at the same hearing, Shimkus discussed how reducing carbon emissions takes away food from plants. Like H. L. Mencken on Bryan, presumably, he was speaking to a point of science, but it was quickly apparent that he knew no more science than the bailiff at the door.

Watch HERE.

For the record, Pope Benedict XVI has made the environment an issue in the church, declaring "God entrusted man with the responsibility of creation." Solar panels have been installed at the Vatican. In the seven new sins for the contemporary world, he included polluting the environment as connected to an excess in material things. So climate change and religion are by no means adversaries.

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