GOP Rep. Joe Barton: Bible’s Great Flood Is Evidence Against Man-Made Climate Change

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Wingnuts • Views: 31,929

Andrew Kaczynski posted video today of Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) issuing the latest ridiculous right wing anti-science public statement, citing the Bible story of the Great Flood as evidence that climate change isn’t man-made.

“I would point out that if you’re a believer in the Bible, one would have to say the Great Flood is an example of climate change and that certainly wasn’t because mankind had overdeveloped hydrocarbon energy.”

This is what’s behind a lot of the Republican aversion to science; the atavistic fear that science will destroy their religious beliefs. It’s bizarre to see Barton in America’s halls of power, talking about setting vital national policy based on his superstitious belief that an allegorical fantasy passed down by word of mouth from the Bronze Age actually happened in reality.

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63 comments
1 darthstar  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:28:15pm

And wearing the ring was Frodo’s mistake.

2 Charles Johnson  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:29:23pm

Notice that you can now tweet directly from the Featured Pages and Recent Pages lists. The word “Tweets” is a clickable link that opens our tweeting dialog box, or the standard Twitter window if you haven’t linked your Twitter account to your LGF account.

3 engineer cat  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:32:55pm

barton is right - the bible clearly states that god sent the flood because the moabites hadn’t been sorting their recycling properly

4 HappyWarrior  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:33:02pm

And Barton’s not just any GOPer. He was the House chairman on energy. Really, this is a sad joke.

5 ramex  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:34:15pm

A 40 day climate? Even if you believe in the story, that’s just stupid.

6 engineer cat  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:37:59pm

“I would point out that people like me who support hydrocarbon development don’t deny that climate is changing,”

has he submitted his alternate explanation or does he get stuck at teh jeebus?

7 Single-handed sailor  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:38:25pm

I don’t see the logical connection between “God flooded the earth” and “therefore man isn’t causing global warming”. Maybe it’s just me.

8 Varek Raith  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:39:09pm
9 darthstar  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:39:29pm

re: #7 Single-handed sailor

I don’t see the logical connection between “God flooded the earth” and “therefore man isn’t causing global warming”. Maybe it’s just me.

Why do you hate the great American Theocracy?

10 thedopefishlives  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:39:57pm

Evening Lizardim from the snowstruck wild north country. A winter storm is sweeping spring away (temporarily). I suppose I shouldn’t say that too loud, because some people will think that’s evidence against climate change, but here in the wild north country it is “business as usual”. Much grumbling was had by all. How go things in the war on derp?

11 HappyWarrior  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:40:00pm

re: #7 Single-handed sailor

I don’t see the logical connection between “God flooded the earth” and “therefore man isn’t causing global warming”. Maybe it’s just me.

Well when you consider that this is the same guy that actually apologized to a corporation that had an oil spill for having the government investigate the spillage, yeah……… People like Barton ruin my faith in the democratic process and I love the democratic process but man we elect some real dummies to represent us.

12 Patricia Kayden  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:40:02pm

re: #7 Single-handed sailor

Don’t stress yourself out trying to find the logic. There is none. It’s “this is what I believe the Bible says SO SHUT UP” type of logic. Only understood by other Rightwingers.

13 Lidane  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:42:59pm

It’s worth noting that Joe Barton is from the same congressional district in Texas that elected Phil Gramm. He knows his district. There are plenty of people who will vote for him every single time.

14 thedopefishlives  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:44:13pm

re: #12 Patricia Kayden

Don’t stress yourself out trying to find the logic. There is none. It’s “this is what I believe the Bible says SO SHUT UP” type of logic. Only understood by other Rightwingers.

It’s basically cribbed from AnswersInGenesis.

15 engineer cat  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:46:24pm

re: #12 Patricia Kayden

Don’t stress yourself out trying to find the logic. There is none. It’s “this is what I believe the Bible says SO SHUT UP” type of logic. Only understood by other Rightwingers.

actually, i think he thinks he’s providing a counter-example to disprove the environmentalist theory (as he would construct the straw man) that all global climate change is caused by man

the illogical part comes in where he pretends to not understand that environmentalists are not actually claiming that all global climate change is necessarily caused by man

16 celticdragon  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:49:23pm

re: #3 engineer cat

barton is right - the bible clearly states that god sent the flood because the moabites hadn’t been sorting their recycling properly bashing teh homos and funding primary challengers to treasonous RINO’s

Fixed that right up…

17 celticdragon  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:50:37pm

re: #11 HappyWarrior

Well when you consider that this is the same guy that actually apologized to a corporation that had an oil spill for having the government investigate the spillage, yeah……… People like Barton ruin my faith in the democratic process and I love the democratic process but man we elect some real dummies to represent us.

There is no guarantee that liberal democracy will be the last word in human governance.

18 HappyWarrior  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:53:05pm

re: #17 celticdragon

There is no guarantee that liberal democracy will be the last word in human governance.

Of course not, but for all its flaws I do prefer it over the alternatives. I guess my point is that Barton was probably who Churchill thought of when he called democracy the least effective form of government except the others.

19 engineer cat  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:53:53pm

re: #11 HappyWarrior

Well when you consider that this is the same guy that actually apologized to a corporation that had an oil spill for having the government investigate the spillage, yeah……… People like Barton ruin my faith in the democratic process and I love the democratic process but man we elect some real dummies to represent us.

Frank says:

Some Scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.

20 Targetpractice  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:55:05pm

OT, but I’m not even surprised anymore:

Obama Budget Declared ‘Shocking Attack on Seniors’

21 Kragar  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:56:18pm

Joe Barton’s committee assignments:

Committee on Energy and Commerce (Chair emeritus)
Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade
Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
Subcommittee on Energy and Power
Subcommittee on Environment and Economy
Subcommittee on Health
Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

22 Kragar  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 3:56:36pm

re: #20 Targetpractice

OT, but I’m not even surprised anymore:

Obama Budget Declared ‘Shocking Attack on Seniors’

DERP PANELS!

23 kirkspencer  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:01:35pm

re: #20 Targetpractice

OT, but I’m not even surprised anymore:

Obama Budget Declared ‘Shocking Attack on Seniors’

Happens every time he negotiates with himself.

24 thedopefishlives  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:02:38pm

re: #23 kirkspencer

Happens every time he negotiates with himself.

Is that what they call it these days?

///

25 freetoken  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:24:03pm
This is what’s behind a lot of the Republican aversion to science…

It’s like the whole brand has undergone reality aversion therapy, and now dislikes the taste of anything real.

26 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:25:01pm
27 Kragar  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:25:28pm

Some say the end is near,
some say we’ll see Armageddon soon…

28 thedopefishlives  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:27:12pm

re: #27 Kragar

Some say the end is near,
some say we’ll see Armageddon soon…

[Video]

This is how the world ends, not with a bang but with a whimper.

29 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:38:02pm
30 NJDhockeyfan  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:48:11pm

He did this because he wanted his power turned back on. Unbelievable.

31 A Mom Anon  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:50:15pm

re: #29 NJDhockeyfan

The suspect is dead. One cop shot, will be OK. Firefighters had minor injuries, will be able to go home after talking to the cops.

The firefighters were called to an address in a nice neighborhood, once there they were taken hostage. The homeowner/suspect wanted his power, water and phone service turned on again since they had been shut off because he had fallen on hard financial times.

I don’t have a link,I’m watching it unfold on the Atlanta ABC affiliate, WSB.

32 thedopefishlives  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:52:06pm

re: #31 A Mom Anon

The suspect is dead. One cop shot, will be OK. Firefighters had minor injuries, will be able to go home after talking to the cops.

The firefighters were called to an address in a nice neighborhood, once there they were taken hostage. The homeowner/suspect wanted his power, water and phone service turned on again since they had been shut off because he had fallen on hard financial times.

I don’t have a link,I’m watching it unfold on the Atlanta ABC affiliate, WSB.

Makes me wonder if he was going the sovereign citizen route. I hate to speculate, but it fits the pattern.

33 Vicious Babushka  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:57:07pm

re: #32 thedopefishlives

Makes me wonder if he was going the sovereign citizen route. I hate to speculate, but it fits the pattern.

Well yeah, but then why would he demand free utilities from the government? Don’t SC’s live out in the woods with their compost heaps and wood-burning stoves?

34 thedopefishlives  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:59:18pm

re: #33 Vicious Babushka

Well yeah, but then why would he demand free utilities from the government? Don’t SC’s live out in the woods with their compost heaps and wood-burning stoves?

Not necessarily. Many of them are simply the “money doesn’t really exist, therefore my debts aren’t valid” type. It’s the biggest hook into the sovereign lifestyle, the real crazy comes after that.

35 Vicious Babushka  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 4:59:58pm

re: #34 thedopefishlives

Not necessarily. Many of them are simply the “money doesn’t really exist, therefore my debts aren’t valid” type. It’s the biggest hook into the sovereign lifestyle, the real crazy comes after that.

But only “moochers” and “takers” demand free stuff.

36 A Mom Anon  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:03:27pm

re: #32 thedopefishlives

If I were to guess, it looks more like the guy bought a big ole 300K or more house a few years back, had the job to afford it and then the job went bye bye and so did everything else apparently. There’s a lot of that going on in the metro Atlanta suburbs. It’s not as bad as it was in 2008/09 but it is still happening to people. Not to even close to defend this asshat, but that’s my guess based on what’s being said on TV.

BBL gotta take the dog for a final run before dark.

37 Stanley Sea  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:17:20pm

re: #30 NJDhockeyfan

He did this because he wanted his power turned back on. Unbelievable.

Not necessarily unbelievable. This thing exists, it’s called desperation. I am not justifying his actions in any way, but empathy allows us to think about another’s motives. Even when they do really bad things.

38 palomino  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:17:25pm

Joe Barton’s brain is evidence against evolution.

39 Iwouldprefernotto  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:22:38pm

It’s amazing how many ancient cultures have stories of floods, but only one indicates that global warming is a hoax.

40 Vicious Babushka  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:23:19pm

Pamela Geller’s appearance at a Great Neck, NY synagogue has been CANCELLED.

41 dr. luba  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:25:14pm

re: #11 HappyWarrior

People like Barton ruin my faith in the democratic process and I love the democratic process but man we elect some real dummies to represent us.

Well, stupid people deserve representation, too.

42 wrenchwench  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:26:05pm

re: #40 Vicious Babushka

Pamela Geller’s appearance at a Great Neck, NY synagogue has been CANCELLED.

I haz a sad happy!

43 Vicious Babushka  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:26:28pm

Pammy is totally butthurt.


Pamz, your “free speech” does not entitle you to any venue.

44 thedopefishlives  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:27:22pm

re: #43 Vicious Babushka

Pammy is totally butthurt.


Pamz, your “free speech” does not entitle you to any venue.

Just what a Sharia-loving fascist would say!!!1!1 DERP!

45 Romantic Heretic  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:27:44pm

re: #10 thedopefishlives

How go things in the war on derp?

We’re losing.

46 palomino  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:28:12pm

re: #30 NJDhockeyfan

He did this because he wanted his power turned back on. Unbelievable.

That may have been a catalyst. But that wasn’t the whole cause of his actions. Big picture is much more complex…many factors likely involved when someone goes postal.

47 Stanley Sea  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:29:49pm

re: #43 Vicious Babushka

Pammy is totally butthurt.


Pamz, your “free speech” does not entitle you to any venue.

She said Trump.

48 Ojoe  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:29:51pm

The flood story in the Bible might be a memory of this probable event:

en.wikipedia.org

49 palomino  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:30:45pm

re: #43 Vicious Babushka

Pammy is totally butthurt.


Pamz, your “free speech” does not entitle you to any venue.

Exactly. Why do so many people, particularly racists and xenophobes like Pam, not understand this?

50 palomino  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:32:24pm

re: #48 Ojoe

The flood story in the Bible might be a memory of this probable event:

en.wikipedia.org

Tell it to Joe Barton and his ilk. Good luck with that.

51 Stanley Sea  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:35:48pm

Aaaaaand, my cell phone adapter is kaput. No charge, no more. Or most likely, it’s the relatively new phone’s plug. Heading to store. They own us. Bet I have to drop more than 50.

BBL with report.

52 Romantic Heretic  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:36:34pm

re: #49 palomino

Exactly. Why do so many people, particularly racists and xenophobes like Pam, not understand this?

Because they aren’t about freedom, they’re about power. Therefore anything that interferes with that power is interpreted as against freedom.

53 HappyWarrior  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:37:57pm

re: #49 palomino

Exactly. Why do so many people, particularly racists and xenophobes like Pam, not understand this?

Oh they understand. They just prefer acting like they’re the real victims when a private venue decides that they don’t want them speaking.

54 jhrhv  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:39:25pm

Sadly there was no room for unicorns. The Great Flood!!!

55 Ojoe  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:43:32pm

re: #50 palomino

But it harks back to something that probably did occur, that’s pretty good if you ask me!

56 RealityBasedSteve  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:46:56pm

So God so loved the world that he drowned every single person on it, and every animal except for just one family, and what they could fit on the boat. After a little incest they managed to repopulate the world, and all those animals managed to survive and reproduce. That’s what he believes, and he has trouble getting his head around the concept of climate change?

Geeze, I TRY to be understanding, understand that it’s hard to fight against early childhood conditioning, but DAMN IT!!!! DON’T BE STUPID!!!!!

RBS

57 Decatur Deb  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 5:56:06pm

re: #33 Vicious Babushka

Well yeah, but then why would he demand free utilities from the government? Don’t SC’s live out in the woods with their compost heaps and wood-burning stoves?

Nope. The small town near here, where the child was held in a bunker, is the epicenter for one strain of them. The county has had two trials/convictions in the last year. They are affiliated through the traveling motel-room seminars that spread the methodology.

58 palomino  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 6:10:53pm

re: #53 HappyWarrior

Oh they understand. They just prefer acting like they’re the real victims when a private venue decides that they don’t want them speaking.

I think you’re certainly right that Gellar and others who make that argument are doing so disingenuously.

But many of their followers actually buy the notion that this is a free speech issue. Unfortunately they don’t seem to understand the 1st Amendment any more than they do the 2nd.

59 palomino  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 6:12:35pm

re: #55 Ojoe

But it harks back to something that probably did occur, that’s pretty good if you ask me!

Good historically. But not scientifically I’m sure you’d agree. A flood from 7600 years ago is hardly strong scientific evidence regarding climate change today.

60 Ojoe  Wed, Apr 10, 2013 6:19:44pm

re: #59 palomino

True on the science. But the Bible partisans ought to be pleased that it looks like the flood story has a basis in fact. But not all of them are pleased.

61 skylarkingtomfoolery  Thu, Apr 11, 2013 7:37:20am

Dear Representative Barton:

You might check Genesis 6:13. This “climate change event” event you speak of was human-caused, according to The Boss.

62 CriticalDragon1177  Thu, Apr 11, 2013 8:48:25am

Charles Johnson,

I would point out that if you’re a believer in the Bible, one would have to say the Great Flood is an example of climate change and that certainly wasn’t because mankind had overdeveloped hydrocarbon energy.

I would have to say that Joe Barton needs to stop viewing the world through “biblical glass” as some of his fellow creationists have called them. The “great flood” didn’t happen, and we can prove that beyond a reasonable doubt, just as we can prove climate change is real, and its being caused at least in part by the CO2 people are releasing into the atmosphere.

63 CriticalDragon1177  Thu, Apr 11, 2013 9:11:55am

re: #44 thedopefishlives

LOL!


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