Bipartisan Campaign: "Only God Should Move Mountains"

There are plenty of groups that oppose mountaintop removal coal mining, but not so many that reach across the aisles and into the chapels. But that's precisely what TN-LEAF -- Tennessee's Linquist-Environmental Appalachian Fellowship -- aims to do:

"Our message is simple," said Dawn Coppock legislative director of LEAF. "As Christians, we are told through scripture to enjoy and respect God's Creation. Blowing up mountains for an extremely small amount of coal forever damages God's handiwork, and we must put an end to it. Man should not permanently alter Creation. Only God should move mountains."

Senate sponsor Bill Ketron (R-13) was joined by House sponsors Rep. Bill Dunn (R-16) and Rep. Michael Ray McDonald (D-44) at the press event to show support for LEAF's effort and to address the significance of a bill that is drawing support from both sides of the political aisle. Sen. Doug Jackson (D-25) is also sponsoring the bill, but was unable to attend the press event.

Of course, it's not the very first time we've heard of such a thing. Around here, blogger Tri Robinson writes about it all the time. Some recent selections:

::The Seven Great Challenges Of Sustainability
::Becoming a Born-Again Believer in Caring for the Environment

Just imagine if both the church and Oprah united against mountaintop removal mining. Yikes.

Comments

[Dave24]

11:11 AM on 03/19/2009

Following this "logic," one could argue that "God" created things like cancer and pandemics. Should we not "alter" these mutations via medicine and research because it might upset these "creations"?

If we continue to rape the Earth, we're the ones (along with our animal kin) who will suffer in the end. Saving ourselves should be self-evident; invoking scripture is unnecessary.

[gascelebrations]

10:49 AM on 03/19/2009

Mountaintop removal has DESTROYED the Appalachians.

Next time you fly over, look out the window, and be prepared to be very, very disgusted. And shocked. And alarmed.

Decades of unregulated dollar-chasing, brought to you by the Republican Party, now on display in every corner of the country in every arena and at every level.

Heckuva job, guys!

[OYea]

06:55 AM on 03/19/2009

Yea? Well then perhaps only "God" should put snow in the mountains too!!!

http://www.savethepeaks.org/

[Dystopic]

06:04 PM on 03/18/2009

stinkin mountains never done squat for me.

[Egalitare]

05:42 PM on 03/18/2009

I hope it catches on.