You have got to check this out.
I decided (after listening to all the hoo-hah about global warming) to try and figure out what my "carbon footprint" was. What could it hurt to determine my personal responsibility for the planet's slow drift into the grave? So I googled up some sites that might help me calculate my culpability and ended up at a place labeled www.conservation.org.
Once on the site, I was invited to join the Dixie Chicks and Pearl Jam in their fight to save the planet, and then was led through a series of questions about my housing situation, automobile usage, etc. Apparently, I am personally dumping 18.5 tons of bad carbon into the air every year. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa.
Here's the kicker. At the end, was a little "invitation" from the site's sponsors: I can send them money to offset my environmental debt. The good people at conservation.org assure me that a donation of $185 will eradicate the effects of the carbon that I produce each year. Such a deal!
But wait just a minute. That sounds vaguely familiar.
Of course! 490 years ago, Pope Leo wanted to build a new church in Rome. So he sent preacher/salesmen into the German territories with a deal for the peasants: give us money and we'll give you a plenary indulgence...the entire forgiveness of all your sins (or the sins of a loved one already suffering in purgatory). They even had a catchy slogan: "When a penny in the coffer rings, another soul to heaven springs."
Times change. Back in the early 16th century, people were terrified at the prospect of spending eternity in hell. Here in the 21st century, people are terrified at the prospect of being blamed for hell on earth. Isn't it interesting that the solution to the problem doesn't seem to have changed at all. Apparently, you can still buy forgiveness.
Yikes!
5 comments:
I'm not sure that these things are the same. In the current example you are making an effort to fix something that money can fix. $185 plants a lot of trees.
In the old time example those priest/salesmen were offering something intangible with no monetary value. Thus they were either swindling these people or knew something I don't know about God's need for money.
I'll grant you that they're not identical situations. But no where does it say that my $185 is going to buy trees. For all I know, my $185 gets chewed up in lobbying efforts in Washington...dumping more hot air and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in defense of the "it's all our fault" line of reasoning that seems to fuel the green movement these days. Plus, the effect on the purchaser is the same. In 1517 when you bought Grandma's way out of purgatory, then you didn't have to worry about Grandma anymore. In 2007 when you send in your $185 you're affirmed for doing your part (implication: you don't have to worry about it anymore). A more useful solution would be something that engages folks with their real responsibility for the stewardship of God's creation...not just a quick-fix fundraising effort for some website.
First off, I think the Josh that posted earlier was my co-worker Josh. That's why I had no idea what you were talking about at church tonight :-)
I tend to agree with you P.D. The likelihood of that $185 directly going to help the environment is pretty slim. I would guess that your probably right in thinking that most of it is just going to lobbying inside the beltway.
Also, I'm a little amazed that the website somehow called you a mega polluter. Its not like your pastor-mobile is a Ford Excursion. You drive a Dodge Neon for crying out loud! You also don't have a 5 bazillion square foot parsonage/mansion. But then again, if the site didn't make you feel horrible it would be harder for them to try to weasel $185 out of you.
I can't defend the quality of the website or where the money goes.
Let's say one tree ended up getting planted from your $185 donation. They still did more than the guys convincing people they would get grandma out of purgatory since I assume those people were doing exactly nothing.
Interesting to know.
Post a Comment