More than I ask or imagine. . .

Nannerpuss

Please take a look at this. Hysterical.

Lose Charmin and Lose your Freedom

This caught my eye from The Drudge Report, which is on my iGoogle page. 

American Taste for Soft Toilet Paper worse than Driving Hummers

Here is a bit from the article:

The tenderness of the delicate American buttock is causing more environmental devastation than the country's love of gas-guzzling cars, fast food or McMansions, according to green campaigners. At fault, they say, is the US public's insistence on extra-soft, quilted and multi-ply products when they use the bathroom.

"This is a product that we use for less than three seconds and the ecological consequences of manufacturing it from treesis enormous," said Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defence Council.

"Future generations are going to look at the way we make toilet paper as one of the greatest excesses of our age. Making toilet paper from virgin wood is a lot worse than driving Hummers in terms of global warming pollution." Making toilet paper has a significant impact because of chemicals used in pulp manufacture and cutting down forests.

I do believe that God calls us as humans to take care of His Creation.  When we abuse it, there will be consequences based on how He set up the World. Disintegration and Unsettling void are the major consequences of abusing God's Creation.

But here, I think we are going overboard. People can have the freedom to use whatever they want in the bathroom.  But that will never change the "devastation" of TP on the environment. What begins to happen is people lobby the Government to change behavior.  If it ever comes to that, then TP will become a luxury at the best for those how can afford the taxes on it, or outlaw it.

The title here is a bit of tongue of cheek, but we must really ask the question always.  Does a government have the right to tell us a luxury is immoral because of environmental impact?  Or should conservationism stay in the place of free choice? 

I tend to believe that it is a matter of freedom, because that it always where the best ideas gain traction when it arises through freedom.  Freedom always has limits like destroying life or the liberty of someone else.  However in the realm of everyday life, such as food, consumer goods, and yes toilet paper, freedom will always be the most moral and most effective choice.

Viva La Charmin!

Beautiful Boy Smiling

My 8 week old Son, Jerry Donald, or JD for short.  Amazing being a father! He was born on December 31, 2008 at 9 pounds and 1 ounce, and 23 inches.  Still amazed.

Rome and the Great Depression

This article caught my eye because of my love of history and seeing how it applies to our present day. It is from the Foundation for Economic Education. 

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Jubilee 2009 Impact

Hesed and I took a mess of college students to the Jubilee Conference in Pittsburgh this year.  It is always a wonderful encouragement to go and re-vision up.  Vision, like general passion, needs to be stoked again and often.  That is why the Jubilee conference is so important for my ministry.  I can get dragged down by the next thing the ministry is doing, but I need to stop and reimagine.  To review my call and why I do all of what I do.

This year, with a 6 week old, I did not get to any break out sessions, which I wished I could have. The main session were fantastic.  I felt that energy and passion that the Biblical Story does give us a worldview and a goal. That things are not the way they are suppoused to be, something has gone wrong, but Jesus Christ is making it all right in himself and his work. One day all will be made right again, and even better than before.

Andy Crouch, author of Culture Making, challenged the crowd with 2 questions.  What cultural disciplines will begin to be a part of culture making? What things will you stop doing to have time for that?  With that, I begin to consider again starting up this blog again. I have a ton to say but I do so much else that is not focused on culture making.  I want to work on my writing, and the best way to do so is to write a ton of stuff.  So here we go, discipline of writing. Let's go!  Thanks Andy for the challenge.