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Jerry Brown was castigating the current resident of the White House the other day for his attitude towards climate change.

“I don’t think President Trump has a fear of the Lord, the fear of the wrath of God, which leads one to more humility,” scolded Brown, who is in his final months as governor of California due to term limits. “And this is such a reckless disregard for the truth and for the existential consequences that can be unleashed.”

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Brown famously trained as a Jesuit priest, so his theological hyperbole is entirely in character. But it also underlines an aspect of climate doctrine that threatens the very message he hopes to deliver.

Environmentalists long ago turned to faith as a recruitment tool. It was far easier and more effective than trying to explain the science, which was neither simple nor straightforward, is troubled by inconsistencies and challenged by dissidents in any case. Critics could simply be dismissed as heretics and be done with it. In the old days doubters might have been banished or burned; in current society it’s enough to subject them to ridicule on late-night television and progressive social media sites. If you want to be one with the chosen people you have to accept the full canon of beliefs, and environmental purity is right at the top of the list.