Baptist group fights Texas coal plants

DALLAS - Texas' largest Baptist group is taking a rare step into environmental advocacy, working to block Gov. Rick Perry's plan to speed the approval process for 18 new coal-fired power plants.

The Christian Life Commission, the public policy arm of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, is mobilizing Baptists against the coal-fired plants and urging the convention's 2.3 million members to voice their opposition to state lawmakers.

"A lot of people felt like our industries, our policy leaders, are going to take care of these big issues like air quality, (and) it's not going to be something our local people are going to have to get up every day and worry about," said Suzii Paynter, director of the commission. "It can't be left to big interests to make these decisions in our behalf."

The Baptists stress that they are not jumping into full-blown activism, but even a small move toward environmentalism is significant.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070210/ap_on_re_us/green_baptists

Maybe it signals an awakening among them to step away from the ugly, ugly rut they had fallen into from the first moments of _Bush's seduction for votes of right-wing fundamentalists.

Just say "Nay," to corrupt, lying politicians, fundies! Verily!

There are quite a few liberal/progressive churches, right?

Which is, IMHO, a good thing.

There's a good groundswell of support to fight these Texas plants.

the Southern Baptist Convention to become interested in the planet as it is. That would indeed be a step forward. Good for them. (But, that said, I am tired of religious organizations wielding so much power in this country.)

in another country; they certainly do not intend to breathe the noixous fumes they intend to impose on our Texas DUers...unless they are nuts like their fellow Texan, W. Thank you, Baptists, for finally seeing the light!