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There is no one acceptable answer to the question of how to live this out. Josh and Wade provide perfect examples of how we need to be in touch with our own circumstances so we can effectively do what works best for us. My wife and I have been taught from our childhood that we can't ever have everything that we would want. Our mother's did their own sewing, gardening, preserving, baking and everything else that homemakers did back then. My wife, my sisters and sisters-in-law have to a large extend followed that example. My daughters, daughters-in-law, and my nieces mostly follow this today.

For the men in our families, we have been taught to do our own carpenter work as much as possible. My brother and my sons do much of their own repair work on farm and other equipment. Those of us who have jobs need to make choices - can we afford to take the time off to continue these practices or is it more economical to stick to our professions and let other specialists do the work for us. But reuse, repair and recycle are key words. My daughter and her friends make shopping at Value Village into an outing.

Imo, aside from being good stewards, which is our duty whether there is global warming or not, I don't think we should change our life style based on what concerns man at the present time.

I also have heard Christians sounding like they are in a competition with other believers on who is the most environmentally friendly and/or most unconforming to the world. It is easy to become like the Pharisees and regard ourselves better than others.

Has anyone else had this experience where believers who got caught up with areas like global warming displayed a low regard for other believers who did not take the subject that serious to adjust their living ?

Sudsy wrote:Imo, aside from being good stewards, which is our duty whether there is global warming or not, I don't think we should change our life style based on what concerns man at the present time.

I also have heard Christians sounding like they are in a competition with other believers on who is the most environmentally friendly and/or most unconforming to the world. It is easy to become like the Pharisees and regard ourselves better than others.

Has anyone else had this experience where believers who got caught up with areas like global warming displayed a low regard for other believers who did not take the subject that serious to adjust their living ?

Ive seen it and as you noted, it became a competition on par with the Pharisees. Whenever political ideology becomes the center of a church's or fellowship's identity, I've seen no growth in that group and have even seen the denomination or church hemorrhage members to the point they have to simply close the church.

Sudsy wrote:Has anyone else had this experience where believers who got caught up with areas like global warming displayed a low regard for other believers who did not take the subject that serious to adjust their living ?

Yes. Here, many express the idea that if you're not an active Republican then you're a second-class or even false Christian.

Sudsy wrote:Imo, aside from being good stewards, which is our duty whether there is global warming or not, I don't think we should change our life style based on what concerns man at the present time.

I also have heard Christians sounding like they are in a competition with other believers on who is the most environmentally friendly and/or most unconforming to the world. It is easy to become like the Pharisees and regard ourselves better than others.

Has anyone else had this experience where believers who got caught up with areas like global warming displayed a low regard for other believers who did not take the subject that serious to adjust their living ?

In the end, if we are following Jesus with the result that we live simply, then Global Climate Change is not an issue. I cannot afford solar panels or a Tesla, or to purchase electricity off the grid from a "green" energy supplier. I keep my thermostat very (very!) low, have added insulation to my house, I use LED light bulbs (now that they are cheap) and have one low mileage in the family for long distance trips. All of these "green" practices are about thrift, not Global Warming.

We would have to become politically involved to actually take actions (voting, signing petitions, boycotting businesses, etc.) that would have an impact as far as the issue of "Global Climate Change" is concerned - if one believed in any case that actions to reduce C02 emissions will actually make any positive impact on the biosphere or human civilization.

Wayne in Maine wrote:In the end, if we are following Jesus with the result that we live simply, then Global Climate Change is not an issue. I cannot afford solar panels or a Tesla, or to purchase electricity off the grid from a "green" energy supplier. I keep my thermostat very (very!) low, have added insulation to my house, I use LED light bulbs (now that they are cheap) and have one low mileage in the family for long distance trips. All of these "green" practices are about thrift, not Global Warming.

How far does this "if we are following Jesus the result is that we live simply" thing go? For me, it doesn't make my life very "simple" if I don't make enough to pay off my debts/obligations. And there's just a pretty hard limit as to how simple my life can go whilst I still make a decent income.

Were I debt free, I would make pretty different decisions about what I do. I really jumped the gun doing that and trying to live "simply" only made my obligations worse.

Josh wrote:

Wayne in Maine wrote:In the end, if we are following Jesus with the result that we live simply, then Global Climate Change is not an issue. I cannot afford solar panels or a Tesla, or to purchase electricity off the grid from a "green" energy supplier. I keep my thermostat very (very!) low, have added insulation to my house, I use LED light bulbs (now that they are cheap) and have one low mileage in the family for long distance trips. All of these "green" practices are about thrift, not Global Warming.

How far does this "if we are following Jesus the result is that we live simply" thing go? For me, it doesn't make my life very "simple" if I don't make enough to pay off my debts/obligations. And there's just a pretty hard limit as to how simple my life can go whilst I still make a decent income.

Were I debt free, I would make pretty different decisions about what I do. I really jumped the gun doing that and trying to live "simply" only made my obligations worse.

I tend to equate "simple living" with "thrifty", not with rural living or primitive technology. Growing your own food is not necessarily thrifty, or simple. I chuckle inwardly at how materialistic some Anabaptist Seekers are with their wanting horses and non-electric appliances and wood cook stoves and all the trappings of a "simple life". Simple? What could be simpler (and more thrifty) than toggling a little lever on the wall to light a room or turning a knob on a stove to cook a meal?

Having a good paying job so that you can meet your financial obligations can be simple, especially if you have training or education to earn a good salary and your not using that salary just to live the high life.

I agree with what Wayne said.

RZehr wrote:I agree with what Wayne said.

Same here.

I like the simple but clear ways Wayne says thing. (See, there’s some simplicity I like...)

It would make things easier if we all had that gift!