Food for Thought

Here's an excerpt from a book I'm reading. It came off Pastor Lindean's book shelf.



From “Passing the Plate: Why American Christians Won’t Give Away More Money” by Christian Smith, Michael O. Emerson, and Patricia Snell

Consumer spending data collected by U.S. government agencies also belie the idea the more than a majority of American Christians are not more financially generous because they simply can’t afford to be. For Americans-the majority of whom are self identified Christians-turn out to have plenty of money to spend on other discretionary items. For instance:

*In 2005, Americans spent $27.9 billion on candy.
*In 2004, Americans spent $92.9 billion on refreshment beverages such as soda and bottled water.
*In 2000, Americans spent $203.7 billion on entertainment products and services, $67 billion which was spent on televisions, radios, and sound equipment; and $56 billion which was spent on fees and admissions for theater and amusement parks tickets and the like.
*In 2005, Americans spent $24 billion on movie DVDs, not counting VHS rentals and purchases.
*In 2005, Americans spent $15.2 billion on boats, engines, and other marine products.
*in 2004, Americans spent $29.7 billion in sporting goods stores.
*In 2003, Americans spent $45 billion in state lotteries.
Americans spent more than $100 billion per year on fast food in the early twenty-first century.
*Between 1978 and 2005, the average square footage of new single family houses in the United States rose from 1,750 to 2,414-a 40 percent increase in the size of single family homes in 27 years; the percentage of all new single-family houses sized 3,000 square feet or greater more than doubled between 1988-2005, from 11 to 23 percent.

*Generally, between 1959 and 2000, while the financial giving by American Christians was declining, the personal consumption expenditures of Americans increased for eating out in restaurants, toys, sport supplies, live entertainment, foreign and domestic travel by U.S. residents, lottery tickets, casino gambling, photography, sports and recreational camps, and other entertainment expenses.

What would it take for Christ the King members and friends to have an honest conversation about how we spend our money outside of church?

I welcome your comments and conversations.