Sourpuss is a little disturbed by the ruling that a man can apply for unfair dismissal on the grounds of his ‘belief’ in climate change using the same legislation one would use is dismissed on the grounds of ones religious beliefs. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/8339652.stm
So why does this disturb me?
Simply I don’t need to believe in man-made climate change, any more than I believe in gravity, electrons, or evolution. Climate change is happening and affecting people now, just ask the farmers in eastern Africa and Bangladesh. Climate change doesn’t require any leap of faith it is the best explanation of the observable facts.
My faith on the other hand cannot be proved or disproved by science. No measurements can be made to prove the existence of a Deity, no experiments can be carried out to show that Christ is God incarnate or that he rose bodily from the dead, but despite this, or even because of this I believe, I am a person of faith.
All of this doesn’t stop me feeling that a company allegedly sacking their sustainability officer because the truth of climate change is unpalatable is deeply wrong. But to reduce scientific fact to an article of faith is a step back to the dark ages!