Immoral to drive gas guzzler?

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anne87

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I remember reading an article in which the Pope was quoted as saying something along the lines of unnecessarily polluting the earth was a sin, and that we must work at always being enviornmentally friendly. So, my question would be, is it a sin or immoral to drive a gas guzzling car when a person has the means to buy a more fuel efficient one?
 
I think the answer would be it depends.

Is it immoral to drive one just because you want to waste gas? Probably.
Because it is cool? Maybe.
Because of safety or space needs? Probably not.

It is just going to depend on a number of different factors, cost, needs, that kind of thing. I don’t think it is the kind of thing someone else can answer. We can just say we should take care of the environment in whatever ways we can.
 
If they can afford a more efficient car but choose not to it is immoral, but not a sin and if it is a sin, it is only a venial sin and most likely not a grave one either.
 
If the only reason to drive a “gas guzzler” is to waste gasoline, then yes, it is sinful…similar to gluttany.
 
How about a definition of “guzzler” before the poll can intelligently be responded to?
 
IMO, it depends.
If you have a large family, and you are all going somewhere, the choice may be either the gas guzzling suv, or 2 fuel efficient cars, which may not be the better choice.
 
If I have x amount of dollars to buy a car with and I choose reliability and safety over fuel econemy?
 
Nick_in_MB said:
IMO, it depends.
If you have a large family, and you are all going somewhere, the choice may be either the gas guzzling suv, or 2 fuel efficient cars, which may not be the better choice.
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I come from a family of 8 children, before I got my drivers liscense 2 cars wouldn’t of been feasable because my mother never was able to drive, never had a liscense.
 
Mattapoisett64 said:
How about a definition of “guzzler” before the poll can intelligently be responded to?
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Any vehicle which fuel economy is measured in gallons-per-mile. 😃

I just saw an '84 Caddy Fleetwood down the road for sale…$2K OBO. Tempting to have around for a kid to drive around…
 
anne87 said:
I remember reading an article in which the Pope was quoted as saying something along the lines of unnecessarily polluting the earth was a sin, and that we must work at always being enviornmentally friendly. So, my question would be, is it a sin or immoral to drive a gas guzzling car when a person has the means to buy a more fuel efficient one?
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As long as you use the right vehicle for the right trip, it’s fine.

If you just want to drive a big, gas-guzzler around so you can look tough, then yes- it’s probably a sin. If you have a big family and need a 10 (or more) passenger van, which I imagine aren’t particularly fuel-efficient, then get one- but try to get a smaller car too, so that when you aren’t all together, you don’t waste gas (and so that parking is a lot easier).
 
Do you know that framing a poll question to try to force the answer you want is called Push Polling?

What do you mean by a Gas Guzzler? Is that a car that you personally disapprove of? Are you saying that a rancher with a horse trailer to pull should be branded a sinner or immoral because he does not drive a Smart Car? Or people who live in an area where the weather and the roads are bad should be branded immoral for driving a four wheel drive jeep instead of riding a bicycle?

My point is that you cannot judge everyone from your position in a downtown high rise in a southern city, and lecture them that either they live as you live or they are sinners. It is the same thing as demanding that everybody marry at age 16 and have ten children and live on a farm, because that is what you personally want to do.

My answer is that personal choice in the car you drive is neither immoral nor a sin, whether or not some pinch-faced greenie approves of it. If I want to drive a Lamborghini Diablo, a Ferrari Enzo, or a Ford dual cab pickup truck, that is my business and not yours.

P.S. What if I drive the Green version of the Koenigsegge, which costs $1.8 million? Is that better than driving a Honda Accord? 😃
 
I can see if you have a large family but I believe to own one to just show off when you really don’t need one is wrong, especially when you are struggling financially and one’s hard earned money is going to put fuel in it. But I guess it’s a free country and one can drive what they want.
 
Appleby said:
Do you know that framing a poll question to try to force the answer you want is called Push Polling?

What do you mean by a Gas Guzzler? Is that a car that you personally disapprove of? Are you saying that a rancher with a horse trailer to pull should be branded a sinner or immoral because he does not drive a Smart Car? Or people who live in an area where the weather and the roads are bad should be branded immoral for driving a four wheel drive jeep instead of riding a bicycle?

My point is that you cannot judge everyone from your position in a downtown high rise in a southern city, and lecture them that either they live as you live or they are sinners. It is the same thing as demanding that everybody marry at age 16 and have ten children and live on a farm, because that is what you personally want to do.

My answer is that personal choice in the car you drive is neither immoral nor a sin, whether or not some pinch-faced greenie approves of it. If I want to drive a Lamborghini Diablo, a Ferrari Enzo, or a Ford dual cab pickup truck, that is my business and not yours.

P.S. What if I drive the Green version of the Koenigsegge, which costs $1.8 million? Is that better than driving a Honda Accord? 😃
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I totally agree. Get the vehicle that works best for your needs and don’t worry about it. If you’ve always dreamed of having that sports car or the King Ranch version Ford pickup, buy it!. If buying a fuel efficient car is the way that you want to help the environment, buy it! If you live in a downtown highrise and need a small car to park, buy it! If you own a business that needs a vehicle that can carry, and haul lots of stuff, buy it! That’s the beauty of this country- no one can force you…or guilt you…into purchasing what they want you to. That’s called communism. With that said, I own a Prius. Not because of emissions, but because I drive long distances often and like to save money and time at the gas pump. The environment saving aspect is a nice perk though:)

Now, OP, are you asking “If you had the choice between an Escalade and an Escalade Hybrid, is it a sin to not get the hybrid if you can afford it”? Because I would then argue that the hybrid is a lot more expensive and the fuel saved is not that big of a difference. The return on that investment would probably never happen with the technology and the fuel prices that we have today. It just wouldn’t be worth it. Just because you can afford it, does not make it a smart choice.
 
IMO its neither a sin nor immoral to drive a ‘gas guzzler’. It may not be prudent, smart, or cost effective, but there are reasons to have a ‘gas guzzler’. Not everyone can afford an economy car. Not everyone has use for an economy car. Not everyone can fit into an economy car. Financially it makes sense to drive the best vehicle (gas mileage, safety, space, etc) for your situation, but sometimes things surprise you. Sometimes a vehicle that made sense when you bought it, becomes inconvenient a year or two into your ownership (way b/4 the loan is paid off). However, its terribly difficult to unload a vehicle w/ a long term left on a loan (especially if lots of people are finding that type of vehicle inconvenient).

My short answer is this: To judge someone as sinful or immoral based solely on their vehicle is sinful in & of itself.
 
There are too many permutations to answer this question.

Is it immoral for a family to sell its paid for gas guzzler to go into debt to buy something more fuel efficient? Someone is going to buy that used gas guzzler, so it isn’t being removed from the streets. It takes energy to manufacturer the new, energy efficient vehicle, so the net usage of fossil fuels actually increased when the family sold its gas guzzler and created demand for the new vehicle. Perhaps a better solution would be for people to be more mindful of how they drive - plan errands so that one makes fewer trips. Take it more easy on the gas pedal. Etc… What I take exception at is ethanol added to gasoline. The milage for my car has gone from 25 mpg to 20.5 mpg since the U.S. government required ethanol to be added to fuel. Where’s the economy of that?😦
 
MGPenny said:
What I take exception at is ethanol added to gasoline. The milage for my car has gone from 25 mpg to 20.5 mpg since the U.S. government required ethanol to be added to fuel. Where’s the economy of that?😦
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Ugh, You’re completely right! Ethanol is the dumbest, most inefficient use of resources ever. It kills gas mileage, not to mention inflating prices of everything else and causing food shortages. I wish the **** governement would stay out of of everything!:mad:
 
katillac1 said:
Ugh, You’re completely right! Ethanol is the dumbest, most inefficient use of resources ever. It kills gas mileage, not to mention inflating prices of everything else and causing food shortages. I wish the **** governement would stay out of of everything!:mad:
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Not only that, but ethanol rasts out exaust systems from the excess water it produces and warps engine heaads. No ethanol goes in any car I drive ever.
 
This is my humble thought process: I think we should be respectful of God by also not being disrespectful His creation. Every mountain, every sea, etc, is precious because God Himself made them. I personally would feel bad if I could afford to buy an environmentally friendlier car, but didn’t. Not only does it pollute the planet that God took 6 careful and loving days to create, it specifically pollutes the air. Polluting the air hurts the living, including people. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and to pollute the air with car pollutions that can cause asthma, shortened lifespans due to disease, all kinds of respiratory problems (kind of against Jesus’ commandment to love thy neighbor), it really just doesn’t seem to be very pro-life in nature as it’s inconsiderate of God and the bodies/life that He has given to us.

As for it being sinful though, it could be sinful in and of itself, I suppose, because of the disregard for the God of the creation by the disregard of the His creation. But if it was a sin, for it to be a mortal sin for a person, the three conditions of mortal sin would have to be met. So I don’t know about that aspect of it. But in and of itself, I would have to say it is immoral to drive a gas guzzler because it is not a very “love thy neighbor” vehicle. Of course, if a gas guzzler is someone’s only option, then of course it’s not a sin. Whether it’s a sin or not though, the important thing is to remember to hate the car not the driver :p.
 
I’d be awfully careful going there if I were you. The question reduces to the following principle: Is it sinful to use more of a limited resource than you absolutely need?

Well?

I’d suggest to y’all that every one of you had better dump that computer right now. You don’t NEED it and it is using energy. Got air conditioning? Got more than 100 square feet per resident in your home? Got a TV?

The questions could go on ad nauseum. There simply is not a binary cutoff line between what is an “acceptable” level of resource useage and what is gluttinous/greedy. I’d say that Jesus from time to time embraced the human desire for things not strictly NEEDED. He refused to rebuke the woman that perfumed his feet. He partook of wine. He apparently had fine clothes (admired by his executioners). I think you’d have a hard time proving that christianity requires absolute minimalism.
 
manualman said:
I’d be awfully careful going there if I were you. The question reduces to the following principle: Is it sinful to use more of a limited resource than you absolutely need?

Well?

I’d suggest to y’all that every one of you had better dump that computer right now. You don’t NEED it and it is using energy. Got air conditioning? Got more than 100 square feet per resident in your home? Got a TV?

The questions could go on ad nauseum. There simply is not a binary cutoff line between what is an “acceptable” level of resource useage and what is gluttinous/greedy. I’d say that Jesus from time to time embraced the human desire for things not strictly NEEDED. He refused to rebuke the woman that perfumed his feet. He partook of wine. He apparently had fine clothes (admired by his executioners). I think you’d have a hard time proving that christianity requires absolute minimalism.
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Amen ! Wasn’t Jansenism condemned by the church any way? I’m going to live like a human not a dog.
 
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