Christians and consumption

Ben Witherington and other bloggers have recently taken stands on anthropogenic global warning with predictable responses: you're out of your area of expertise, Al Gore is a demagogue, there's too much misinformation, etc., etc.. A couple of things, however, should be clear to Christians, whatever side we take.

Second, as with every issue with political implications, there's a great deal of misinformation on both sides. Arriving at a balanced picture of the truth takes generous amounts of time and effort. I haven't come across a single opinion on the issue that I unequivoclly trust; everyone has an angle, however innocent or unconscious it may be.

But first and foremost, whether or not anthropogenic global warming is real, the solution would be something Christians in the West ought to be doing anyway: spending less time and money on indulging our whims, wasting and consuming less, living more simply, and glorifying God through serving others. For Christians, at least, the scientific facts on global warming should have little bearing for how we ought to be living our lives. Whether or not Western consumerism is damaging the planet, there's no doubt it's damaging our souls.