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Christianity Today, September, 2008 |

Prayer at the Pump

The upside of $4-a-gallon gas.

A Christianity Today editorial | posted 9/15/2008 09:36AM

The bad news first: As of July 15, 2008, the national average for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $4.11. One year ago, it was $3.05. In 1998, most drivers could fill up their tanks for about 20 bucks ...

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Just Thinkin'

Posted: September 19, 2008 1:24 PM

I am green, not because I believe all the liberal lies based on knowingly deceptive "research" and propaganda, but because it is the right thing to do to save more money that can be put back in to God's kingdom's causes. I don't rejoice when gas is high. I already have learned to combine trips and to take the shortest routes and work the stop lights so I don't have to accelerate rapidly or spend a lot of time wasting gas at a stop light. I, too, drive an old car (Honda Civic stick shift) and I unhooked the air conditioner that I seldom used in order to increase gas mileage. I have gotten up to 63 MPG and always expect to get at lease 47. But, I don't feel good about the sheer amount of money Christian people are paying at the pump that could be blessing God's mission effort around the world. We also send enormous amounts to the producing countries that promote Islamic terrorist activities and to governments that persecute Christians. I buy American when I can.

micheline,Belgium

Posted: September 17, 2008 11:26 AM

I can not totally agree with Chuck about using other means of transportation.If possible, please by any means use a bike or a commuter.Here too we pay 1.5 euro for 1 liter of 95 percent leaded gasoline.But if you work in the medical field ,requiring you to start very early in the morning ,running all day ,or work till late at night and exhausted ,then my friend, I am in no condition to lenghten my way back home with an extra hour. It would be better if most HR would allow a 4days workweek,even with one hour more work a day.And, yes,why do kids need so much driving these days.I know of parents who just spoil their kids to always drive them like sheiks to their places.It would be good to stop allowing kids to drive before their 20 years of age and teach them to commute to school or college.Anyway,there is something each of us need to do.I wish I could bike to the hospital.I fear I would land in a bed .

Dawn	Posted: September 17, 2008 10:22 AM

I travel to work 50 miles round trip per day, as far as looking for a job closer is not a option with the budget cuts there are non available in my field. These and other economic cirmcumstances greatly impact me and my family even my children married with children. I can say I am very blessed but times are very hard, I don't think my church is really looking at the our economic circumstances as to the current times, as leaders in our church myself and husband are still expected to contribute beyond tithing and make more commitments to new projects this adds to the stress.

Bob1	Posted: September 17, 2008 6:19 AM


So, pursuit of an elitist environmental philosophy trumps the poor and much of the middle class, whose backs are breaking under $4/gal gas and fuel oil (not to mention the effect it has on electricity and food prices). Where's the justice?

Bob	Posted: September 17, 2008 5:36 AM

Having read your article and the comments, I have to say that although the price of oil and gas in the US may have increased, you do not know how lucky you are compared to us poor Brits who are paying on average $10 for a gallon of gas and much more for diesel. Over 60% of that goes straight to the government in tax at the pump plus another 17.5% in Value added tax. We have the highest gas prices in Europe and would love to be paying what you guys pay. Admittedly the majority of cars in Europe are smaller and more fuel efficient,( I drive a Honda Accord diesel which gives over 40mpg on average) but the real price hike comes with the increase in transport costs for everything and the increase in heating costs which we are bracing ourselves for especially if we have a severe winter As for the post by G, Oil replenishes itself? Not in the next hundred thousand lifetimes !!, and to ask us to believe than our leaders have the intelligence to come up with One World Government. Get real !

Paul Cataldo

Posted: September 16, 2008 5:54 PM


Sorry but I think your article is out of date, I stopped reading after the first 2 lines. A barrel of oil in $90.00 today 9/16/08. The world in becoming over populated and the end of any stability is fast approaching once the earth's resources become even more concentrated in few countries.

wesh	Posted: September 16, 2008 12:55 PM

As one of those "stupid people", I have 12 years [10,000 pages plus] of weekly information on the oil and gas inductry in the book shelf on my left. I also find history to be relevent to understanding both the present and the future. Oil was HUGE in the fall of Germany and the motivation of the Japanese early in the war. I have read 1) "it would take 6 EARTHS to support the world population living at the average standard of Americans, and 2) if manufactured fertilizers were eliminated, one third of the worlds population would die of starvation. My body is old and tired, so I don't expect to have to confront much of what the future holds. I would suggest however, world famine may be a greater threat to humanity that nuclear war. There very well may be a conspiracy, but its name may be greed. "God grant me the surenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, the THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE."

homebuilding

Posted: September 16, 2008 11:45 AM

I'm driving a 19 yr old car that always exceeds 35 mpg (I drive it so that it leaves minimal brake and tire dust in your air) I'll replace it ONLY when I find one that is capable of FIFTY I've chosen to live in a small city where I am close enough to many things so that walking and bicycling often work out well. My bicycle is the only one at church I decided, long ago, that I would never be able to see a consumptive lifestyle as a "christian" one. I boycott almost all highly advertised (created "need") products Don't remind me--I'm well aware of my many sins--lest you see me as excessively righteous and/or pompous. So, tell me, is burning wood to heat my house an evil? The best sermon on overconsumption that I ever "heard" was written by Malcolm Berko--a Writer's Syndicate contributor--in a recent Sunday article in the newpaper biz pages. Sometimes, we have a lot to learn from the pagans.

Chris

Posted: September 16, 2008 10:06 AM

It's easy enough to say, "Take public transportation, bike or walk." But for many, biking and walking to work is not an option. And even if you have access to reasonable public transit, it is likely to encrease your commute time to work by a significant amount. I know when I had that option, it would have added close to an hour to my commute each way. That's time not spent at home with your family. It means less time to volunteer at church or in your community. It means you have to pay for takeout because you don't have time to cook. It means paying for more daycare time for your kids. This is an age where there is no such thing as job security, so we cannot expect people to live within a couple miles of their workplace and move every couple years. Commuting is inevitable. And for those that do take public transit, the increased fuel prices are passed down to them as well.

craigb

Posted: September 16, 2008 9:37 AM

Man a lot of you are pretty pissed off at this guy. I don't think there's anything pompous at all about suggesting that we should reflect on the changes that gas prices have forced us to make on our lives, and make us question the things it hasn't forced us to change. I might even say the author is talking about one of my wildest hopes, that this crisis might force this country to examine itself and maybe find out that something is more important than the almighty cash-grab. Unfortunately the people that need such a nudge to change are the most insulated from the changes in the market, so most likely nothing will change.

LastDazeMan

Posted: September 16, 2008 9:06 AM


My problem is the first thing to get sacrificed is the 100 mile round trip to visit my father.

kwonbbl

Posted: September 16, 2008 1:12 AM

There is already viable alternative fuel for family passenger cars, esp. for commuter with single passenger being majority on the road. (1) compressed air - already working in France, etc. No fancy things are needed to be on mass scale. Testing rotary engine should not be a big deal. (2) electric car - already available to purchase. Good for limited travel since mileage per charge is limited. (3) I don' have to talk about hybrid cars. The Japanese Co. Honda coming out new Insight (on their test track it was claimed 71 mpg; 4 doors, not like the original which came out several years ago). But what do we - the American people - need galvanize and spark for the future ? When gas price gets easier, most will be on the old same track? (Fat lazy auto makers may deserve fate of bankruptcy from their short term goal. Inept politicians working for power and pork barrel and party rhetoric (I'm talking about the congress)! God have mercy on American people.

nancyk51

Posted: September 15, 2008 8:27 PM


I have tried to change my habits when I drive my car, like not gunning the engine, or reving it, but I can't get my husband or son to change theirs. I drive the speed limit, even thought people race by me. What surprises me is those who pass me or go faster to me are always stopped by the police about a mile up the road.

Doug	Posted: September 15, 2008 7:32 PM

Ok. This is great for all of you that have the opportunit to use public transporation, ride your bike to work, etc. But there are those of us (like me) that live in a rural area. There is no public transportation, we must drive a considerable distance to work, and we can't just trade in our cars for higher gas mileage since we can't afford the extra payments. The fact is these high fuel prices cause a redistribution of wealth. It is the poor that get hurt; especially the rural poor. Yes it has changed my driving habits. But I have to travel considerably to stay in business. I can't raise prices to offset the costs. As a result I can't afford my health insurance anymore. But I'm not nearly as bad off as some of my neighbors that have to decide whether to buy gas for work or food to eat. So get off you d*** high horse and think about all the working poor that are getting hammered by these costs.

ps Paul

Posted: September 15, 2008 6:10 PM


Our gas price is $6.80 per gallon in Aussie dollars [in $USD would be 7.72 per gallon]. Yes it is a mental barrier and it is a pain in the neck. Paul

Mike	Posted: September 15, 2008 5:53 PM


When I think about the gas price, I think of the greed of the gas companies that have took advantage of the world. I can cut back on my drives and gas, but what about those outside of the US in third world countries that trying to survive daily. I pray that God would intervene and take care of those who can't take care of themselves.

Sarah

Posted: September 15, 2008 4:21 PM


Here in England our fuel prices have been around $10 a gallon for quite a while and the whole of Europe seems to be very close to this level too. I think we have to use much smaller cars. Mine does an average 55 miles to the gallon. Trouble is our public transport is also very expensive. Used a train in the USA last year, wow, it was travelling in luxury.

Julie

Posted: September 15, 2008 2:57 PM

The author totally ignores the drastic effects of high gas prices, including an increase in food prices due to increased transportation costs. This has a direct impact on the poor, who already struggle to buy necessities that must be transported by truck. In the town where I live, a family who operates a local food pantry may not be able to continue this service because of the high cost of commuting from another town that is an hour's drive from the pantry. In addition, several trucking companies have gone out of business because of increased fuel costs. I'm sure the families of those truckers aren't singing the praises of high gas prices! And what about employees who have no access to bus routes and can't find people to carpool with but live too far away from their businesses to walk or bike to work? I suppose filling up their tanks to drive to work and provide for the families is a "me-first decision." Give me a break!

Jeanene

Posted: September 15, 2008 2:49 PM


I suspect that today's poll needed another category under "yes" and for me it would have been "Reduced the amount of driving I do" or "Obeying the speed limit". I live and drive in a wide-open suburban area and the idea of biking or carpooling won't work and public transportation isn't available to me.

Hubert Edgar

Posted: September 15, 2008 2:40 PM

Good article. I think sometimes our riches are a curse, not a blessing. Remember how hard it is for a rich man to get into Heaven. It's always good, in hardship, to praise. Personally, it became too expensive on my limited budget to own a car about 10 years ago. I'm thankful I live in Minneapolis where we have a decent, though not exceptional, mass transit. I don't know what the poor in towns too small to have mass transit do. When I lived in such a situation, I walked four miles each way to and from work. I was a lot less fat then. Maybe I could use a little less mass transit so I'd lose a little mass...

The G

Posted: September 15, 2008 2:03 PM

This article was immature and stunted in intelligence are real knowledge of how the global economy runs because of the present political agenda. Wake up! There is more oil in Alaska then the world will ever need but it is shut off to make the rich richer. This is a fact but it is hidden by the media who is paid off. Did you know oil replenishes itself? The present availability and cost is a joke to milk us for all we've got and to widen the gap between rich and poor. This article feeds the present political and economic propaganda. Global warming is now being replaced by global cooling. Don't believe it when they are justifying taking yr money. As for a plane flight being a wonder! Get real! The pleasure has been stripped from us to keep us afraid and in subjection to authority over us we do not want. Get ready for the One World Government, stupid people.

Dozer

Posted: September 15, 2008 1:46 PM


I commute into Baltimore evey day. The only way I would consider public transportation is if I was heavily armed. As romantic as it may seem to take the bus...no thanks

caveat bettor

Posted: September 15, 2008 12:46 PM


I think saving money and reducing pollution is great stewardship. However, subsidizing ethanol is going to starve a lot more people in the world, as crops that might be sold for food are instead sold for fuel. For the Bottom Billion that lives on $1 per day, this energy policy is going to really impact them.

Stah	Posted: September 15, 2008 11:45 AM


I do a combination of walking, driving and public transport. I only drive when absolutley necessary now...and I have saved a fortune!!

Chuck Anziulewicz

Posted: September 15, 2008 11:32 AM

In May of 2007 I purchased a bicycle for three reasons: (1) The price of gas was going up, (2) I wanted to do something good for my health, and (3) I wanted to do something good for the environment. In retrospect it's the best investment I can remember making. I've lost about 30 pounds, and I think the money I've saved on gasoline has almost paid for the bike. Admittedly West Virginia, where I live, is probably the least bike-friendly state in the nation. And sure, sometimes I wonder if I'll eventually end up getting creamed by someone driving an SUV who is paying more attention to her cellphone than the the road ahead. But I'd like to believe that the benefits outweigh the risks. So frankly, if gas prices go up to five or even six bucks a gallon, fine by me. If it gets people to slow down, carpool, use public transport, walk, bike, or invest in more practical, fuel-efficient vehicles, so much the better.

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