Welcome to Doomsday

by Bill Moyers, Bill McKibben (Preface)

The influence of the evangelical Christian right on the Bush administration has had a mostly unnoticed impact on America's environmental policy. While some take God’s granting of dominion over the earth to man as a call to good stewardship of our planet, many evangelicals distrust science and disdain environmental protections. They live in anticipation of one the Rapture, when Christ will return to cleanse the earth while the true believers are transported to heaven. For those who believe that the Rapture and the destruction of the world are imminent, there is no need to be concerned about saving the planet from environmental catastrophe.

Welcome to Doomsday is an investigation into the coupling of ideology and theology, in particular the intrusion of religion into political life, in America today. Global climate change is a rapid, possibly irreversible occurrence, yet the stance taken by the White House in both international and domestic arenas is one of both ignorance and disbelief. Appeasing the influential agendas of corporations, as well as the uncompromising dominant beliefs of evangelical groups, the Bush administration has firmly established a disastrous record of ignoring the urgency of potentially devastating changing climate.

Welcome to Doomsday is a passionate call to save the planet from the forces not only of greed and exploitation but from those who associate its destruction with a spiritual apocalypse. Written by the compelling and articulate Bill Moyers, this is essential reading for anyone interested in the current dismal state of environmental policy as well as in the growing power of the evangelical movement in the United States.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

56 pages, Paperback

First published October 3, 2006

About the author

Billy Don Moyers was an American journalist and political commentator who served as the eleventh White House Press Secretary from 1965 to 1967. He was a director of the Council on Foreign Relations from 1967 to 1974. He was also a onetime steering committee member of the annual Bilderberg Meeting. Moyers also worked as a network TV news commentator for ten years. Moyers was extensively involved with public broadcasting, producing documentaries and news journal programs, and won many awards and honorary degrees for his investigative journalism and civic activities. He was well known as a trenchant critic of the corporately structured U.S. news media.

Reviews

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bill Moyers is a true watch dog of the political and social scene. This short book gave me insights to his strong desire to preserve the world we live in and be good stewards of it. He pointed out that during the Bush administration environmental concerns were reduced and the climate change ignored. This is a sad state of affairs and our children and grandchildren will pay the price of this sorry situation. As I guess, we are seeing at this time with powerful storms, fires, floods and droughts. When will we ever learn.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in the NY Review of Books, this Moyers title takes all of about 20 minutes to read... and it is 20 minutes well spent. Moyers looks at the rise of the conservative evangelical movement and how, much like the terrorists who only care about their 72 virgins, they not only don't care about the consequences of environmental degradation, engaging in senseless wars, etc., they actively make choices that will make the problems worse so as to bring about the Rapture. Bastards.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

published 10 years ago but still hits home. Bill Moyers is a national treasure.

[Robert Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brief but eloquent essay regarding the religious rights radical ideology and it's consequences for the environment and our world. As usual, Mr. Moyers speaks honestly, thoughtfully and reminds us that within the great flood of radical hipocrisy now overwhelming our political system, there remain independent minds who have not seduced by the moral insanity of the right-wing.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just an essay really, but written in Moyers' compelling journalistic style. How can anyone still not believe that we humans are messing up this planet? Will our grandchildren ever forgive us?

[Cory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read.

[Sneha · Rating 4 out of 5]

a short but compelling essay on the danger of the fundamentalist movement's mindset and agenda.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frightening explanation of the evangelical roots of power in the Republican party. Sigh.