The Bush loyalists felt it even necessary to write a letter to the National Evangelical Association to pressure them to not endorse this initiative. The NEA caved even though it is known that NEA's main leaders, Haggard and Cizik, agree with the initiative. Some quotes from the letter signed by Barton, Colson, Dobson, Kennedy, Land, Sheldon, and Wildmon:

We respectfully request, however, that the NAE not adopt any official position on the issue of global climate change. Global warming is not a consensus issue, and our love for the Creator and respect for His creation does not require us to take a position. [     ]

Evangelicals are to be first and foremost messengers of the good news of the gospel to a lost and dying world. We are to promote those things that please God and oppose those things in the world that clearly violate His righteous standard of conduct. We respectfully ask that the NAE carefully consider
all policy issues in which it might engage in the light of promoting unity among the Christian community and glory to God.

Translation: If you make a fuss about global warming you will interfere with our access to the Bush administration.

Some quotes from the statement released by the Evangelical Climate Initiative signed by Rick Warren, several academics from a Southern Baptist background and various other evangelicals:

We are proud of the evangelical community's long-standing commitment to the sanctity of human life. But we also offer moral witness in many venues and on many issues. Sometimes the issues that we have taken on, such as sex trafficking, genocide in the Sudan, and the AIDS epidemic in Africa, have surprised outside observers. While individuals and organizations can be called to concentrate on certain issues, we are not a single-issue movement. We seek to be true to our calling as Christian leaders, and above all faithful to Jesus Christ our Lord. Our attention, therefore, goes to whatever issues our faith requires us to address.

Translation: We are tired of the Christian Right's political power plays. We want to be free to practice Christianity as we see it.

We know that the Christian Left is beginning to increase their visibility as they offer fresh ways to understand and practice their faith. The Evangelical Climate Initiative is hopefully a sign that more conservative and moderate Christians are also beginning to offer their vision of Christianity independent from the political control of the Christian Right.