'End Times,' not climate change, behind natural disasters

WASHINGTON (Christian Examiner) -- "End Times" is the reason for the severity of recent natural disasters, not climate change, according to 77 percent of white evangelical Protestants recently surveyed. The results of the latest Public Religion Research Institute survey also showed that nearly half of white evangelical Protestants – 49 percent in total – believe that natural disasters are evidence of the apocalypse.

In addition, 59 percent of those surveyed said that science does not conflict with their beliefs, while 38 percent say that new scientific discoveries sometimes clash with their spiritual or theological knowledge.

The Religion, Values, and Climate Change survey was taken to establish Americans' views about climate change, which seem to vary in importance from group to group. For example, while 39 percent of Americans surveyed believe God would never allow humans to destroy the earth, 53 percent disagreed, thinking that God would allow the world to be destroyed by man-made issues like climate change.

Similar lines were drawn when the public was asked whether or not God gave human beings resources to be used for their own benefit. While 57 percent believed that human beings had the duty to live responsibly alongside plants and animals, 35 percent still say that God provided plants, animals and resources purely for the use and benefit of humankind.

White evangelical Protestants are the most likely group to be skeptical of climate change, with 39 percent classifying themselves as such, while 27 percent believe climate change is real, and 29 percent sympathize with the cause.

Belief in climate change also was skewed across political party lines, with 46 percent of Republicans being skeptical of it while only 13 percent of Democrats doubt its influence.