A Republican congressman from Michigan became the latest politician to endorse the (incredibly flawed) idea that we shouldn’t address climate change concerns and should instead leave the problem in God’s hands.

Rep. Tim Walberg, responding to a question at a town hall, said he believes in climate change and that it has been happening “since the beginning of time.” He is a former pastor currently serving his fifth term in Congress.

I think there are cycles. Do I think that man has some impact? Yeah, of course. Can man change the entire universe? No.

Walberg, who also served as a division manager for Moody Bible Institute prior to his time in public office, went on to say he believes that because he’s a Christian.

Why do I believe that? Well, as a Christian I believe there is a Creator — a God who is much bigger than us. And I’m confident that, if there’s a real problem, he can take care of it.

The congressman, surrounded by poster boards attacking Obamacare, went on to say that he doesn’t expect the American people to agree with him on that. (News flash: we don’t.)

Walberg isn’t much of a climate change denier. He acknowledges the existence of climate change and even that humans are contributing to it, but like so many republican Christians, he doesn’t care. He isn’t willing to change anything.

Rep. Walberg’s comments may have been off-the-cuff, but they are representative of something much larger that’s being ignored: conservative Christians are selling out our planet because they believe this life is just a test.

In addition to showing their lack of forethought, Walberg and those who think like him are demonstrating the very real problems that afterlife-based religions can cause if taken too seriously. If you think you and all your loved ones are going to Heaven after death, what incentive is there to care for the earth for future generations?

This mentality is proving more dangerous every day, as politicians continue to shout “Drill! Drill! Drill!” with a Bible in hand as the oceans heat up all over the world. So, here it is, one more time for the people in the back:

The science is in. Climate change is real. Divine intervention is not. We have to fix this problem ourselves because the gods clearly aren’t helping.

