What about global warming, John Piper?

A couple of months ago, John Piper created a bit of a furore among us liberal types when he said that a freak hurricane in Minneapolis was a sign of God's disapproval for the ELCA's inclusion of gays. Lots of other people have said many wise things about the problems with what Piper said, so I won't comment.

I just have a question.

Right now, large parts of the northern hemisphere are experiencing what the press here in Britain creatively dubbed "the big freeze". Above is a picture of my town, Aberdeen, covered in snow. Though the timing of the snow, ice and general cold was pretty good - in time for Christmas and, more importantly, Christmas vacation, so it made less damage than it could have -, it has hampered daily life for millions over the last couple of weeks.

It's getting a bit annoying this weather, especially now that the snow is melting and there's only ice and lots of water left, but it's just weather. Sometimes weather's good, sometimes it's bad. But not to all, apparently. In an article I read tonight, a certain Elmer Beauregard, of Minnesotans for Global Warming, read more into the weather than most of us.

"We prayed for snow at Copenhagen and God answered us big time and He doesn't seem to be letting up. It seems like He is reminding us who actually is in control of the weather."

Elmer Beauregard is what is affectionately known as a global warming denier. It's not clear to me if he denies global warming because he wants to retain the idea of God controlling the weather, or if he uses that idea in an attempt to level any criticism against global warming, or something else.

That's beside the point too.

I'm intrigued by the idea that God sent the snow and cold in order to tell us something. I don't know how to distinguish divine meteorological agency from, well, just weather. When are the clouds divine messengers? When does it rain God's judgement? I simply don't know.

But John Piper knows, doesn't he? At least, he claims he did in the example above. Obviously, John Piper doesn't read this blog, but maybe someone who knows him does. Or, more likely, someone who knows someone who knows someone. Can that someone ask pastor Piper whether the big freeze is God voicing his opinion about global warming? It would be nice to get that cleared up.

Photo stolen from Flickr. (And I know, the photo is from 2006, but still! It looks the same!)