How Long Do You Spend in the Shower? [cross-post]

How Long Do You Spend in the Shower?

by Christine Sine 07-12-2011

photo © 2005 Spring Dew | more info(via: Wylio)According to an article at GreenBiz.com, the company Unilever’s push toward sustainability encountered a major obstacle in changing people’s habits: the amount of time folks took to take a shower. Many of us not only shower too frequently (there is evidence that suggests that daily showers are not always good for us), but many of us also spend far too long in the shower.

In Australia during a 10-year drought, a lot of people restricted themselves to two-minute showers. When I was on the Mercy Ship Anastasis, we restricted ourselves to three-minute showers because of the shortage of water. Now, I never actually place a stopwatch in the shower, but it did teach me a habit that I have never gotten over.

How long we spend in the shower may not seem like a justice issue, but it could be, and even more so in the future. As I read about the concern that the wars of the future may be over limited water rather than land, I am glad that I am able to at least make this small contribution.

So my question for you — how long do you spend in the shower, and do you think it matters?

Christine Sine is executive director of Mustard Seed Associates and author of several books including GodSpace: Time for Peace in the Rhythms of Life. She describes herself as a contemplative activist encouraging a way of life that interweaves spiritual practices with concern for justice and environmentalism. She blogs at GodSpace.

Choosing Between Ayn Rand and Jesus [cross-post]

Choosing Between Ayn Rand and Jesus

by Ernesto Tinajero 07-12-2011

In one of the most-viewed articles on FoxNews.com several weeks ago, writer Onkar Ghate presents a choice of competing moralities between Ayn Rand and Jesus. While his exegetical powers leave much to be desired, he is correct in noting that the choice many Americans will have to make, as far as political philosophies go, is between Ayn Rand and Jesus.

I grew sad reading while his comments stating that Ayn Rand is the best representative of the neo-conservative vision for America — one where the individual is responsible only for the individual and selfishness is a virtue.

Now, this is not about Republican vs. Democrat. For many years, both parties have agreed on the basic morality that was defined by Jesus. They disagreed on the policies to create these moralities. For example, take the welfare reforms of the ’90s. Both Republicans and Democrats agreed on wanting to lifting people out of poverty. While Democrats believed in government programs of help and training, the Republicans believed that time limits on welfare would give people the incentive to work their way out of poverty. The basic morality of both views, however, was the same: the importance of helping the poor.

Now, there is another vision that is rising: a neo-conservative vision informed by the philosophies of Ayn Rand that place individualism above helping others.

Maybe it was born of the permissive cultural revolutions of ’60s, or out of political think tanks, but the reality is that this new political philosophy is now finding a voice out of people’s frustrations about our current economic mess. The core of this philosophy is a call to the individual, regardless of any concern for the community or the other. Any concern for the community or the common good is dismissed as “collectivism.” Actually, this is an age-old philosophy that is summed up in the book of Judges:

In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes. (Judges 17:6)

As Christians, the choice is clear. We must choose life. We must choose community over ourselves. We must choose Jesus.

Ernesto Tinajero is a freelance writer in Spokane, Washington, who earned his master’s degree in theology from Fuller Seminary. Visit his blog at beingandfaith.blogspot.com.

From the UCC Network: 07/12/2011 "Social Insecurity"

Social Insecurity

Excerpt from Jeremiah 49: 7-11

"Leave your orphans; I will keep them alive; and let your widows trust in me."

Reflection by Donna Schaper

Social insecurity is the issue of the day, when Medicare and Medicaid are not.  For all I know both sides in the debates are wrong. Maybe even the middle is wrong.  Some compromises end up compromising everyone and everything.

I wonder how we will obey the commandment to keep orphans alive and let widows trust in God without the state's money.  Is it that hard to cut the deficit and raise taxes, both, not either?  Isn't a deficit a moral matter before it is a financial matter?  On behalf of the widows and the orphans, and the potential widow and orphan inside you and me, might we not be wise?

Spiritual commandments without a political economy have a certain  vacuousness.  We have to be very careful that the commandments to love not end up empty-sounding, like the train robot saying, "Stand clear of the closing doors."  We have to be even more careful that we don't experience foreclosure of a spiritual or moral nature or live under water in those terms.  Some words are more important, and less vacuous, than others.  God’s promise to keep orphans safe and widows trusting is real, not pomp.  It is essential.

If that means spending the government's money, which is to say our money, wisely and appropriately, then GREAT. 

Prayer

When we casually disobey your commandments and mishear your promises, O God, open our hearts and wallets that we might change.  Amen.  

About the Author Donna Schaper is the Senior Minister of Judson Memorial Church in New York City.  Her most recent book is Sacred Chow: a Guide to Holy Eating.