Glad you asked: Is it a sin to drive an SUV?
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
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Gas-guzzlers aren't generally chic in Catholic circles. These days many of us are wondering whether we can drive one with a clear conscience. But is it a sin?
Simply defined, to sin is to say "no" to God. It is a rejection of God's free gifts as well as the grace-filled relationship that God always offers. It is to choose what is not good while exercising one's mature free will. Often it is as simple as choosing what is easy or what is the societal norm without using the eyes of faith.
The official teachings of the church don't directly address SUVs. Pope Benedict, who has earned the reputation as the "green pope," called ecological devastation a "moral crisis" in his message for the 2010 World Day of Peace, "If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation." But he did not address the driving of gas-guzzlers directly. When the Vatican's newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, published an updated list of seven mortal sins in 2008, "polluting the environment" was included, but not a direct indictment of SUVs.
We have a language of sin that church leadership has not yet officially applied to the environment, let alone SUVs. But while we don't consider SUVs inherently sinful, the church also doesn't condone gas-guzzlers.
Driving an SUV isn't exactly a sin, but it is not a choice that is encouraged because the amount of fuel these vehicles use and the pollution they emit contributes to the exploitation of the global environment.
Driving an SUV can in fact impede our saying "yes" to God and to the gifts of creation because by doing so, when other options are available, we participate in harming of creation through the insatiable collection and burning of fossil fuels.
While walking, biking, and taking public transportation reflect a prudent use of the resources of God's creation, driving a gas-guzzler assumes that we are entitled to use as much of our natural resources as we want. It can also say that God gives more to some than to others.
But just because something is there, accessible because of our financial status, does not mean it is there for the taking (and taking and taking), especially when we consider that our taking is at the expense of the poor who suffer most from the effects of environmental pollution. Such overconsumption and pride exploits God's gifts and breaks our relationship with the global community, and thus our relationship with God.
Kevin Considine is a Ph.D. student in the theology department at Loyola University Chicago. This article appears in the April 2010 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 75 no. 4, page 46).
I was suprised about this sin
By Jessica (not verified) on Monday, April 18, 2011I was suprised about this sin topic since in Germany it is quite popular for catholics to drive big cars and the topic wether is is a sin or not never comes up. I first started to understand it, when I did a trip in the Midwest of America and visited some churches there. Since I'm a catholic myself i will take this debattes and raise it also in Germany. I think it will give us some interessting discussions.
I'm going to incorporate this
By Kristy (not verified) on Tuesday, March 1, 2011I'm going to incorporate this conversation into my sunday school lessons. It will be interesting to see how the teenagers feel about this topic. A lot of them have large families and need to use SUV's.
government idiots
By beau (not verified) on Tuesday, August 3, 2010they use to drive 8 cylinder gas guzzling station wagons before suv's
Apologies, you may delete my
By Anonymous (not verified) on Sunday, June 20, 2010Apologies, you may delete my earlier comments. I really don't wish to offend anyone, but I get so frustrated by the insanity of it all.
Apparently, driving to church in the US account for over 1 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions each year. That works out to a coal train nearly 200 miles long.
It all just makes me wonder if people really are capable of doing anything meaningful about pollution.
My SUV is none of your business
By Mel Lavener (not verified) on Thursday, April 22, 2010Let me start by stating, I am trying very hard to remain a Catholic. Over the last 10 years I have seen a liberal agenda take over our church and leadership which is not for the better. Not our Pope or any other of our leadership has the right to condemn us for what we want to drive. I truly hope the above article is mistaken when it states, "polluting the environment is a mortal sin", are you serious? I tithe, I teach LBC, I donate my time to visit and help the elderly, I have remained faithful to my wife and family, but now I am going to hell because I choose to drive an SUV? My truck is 95% cleaner than like vehicles were 15 years ago. The batteries which are in these so called “earth friendly” hybids are toxic and potentially deadly. More toxic chemicals are used to produce them than SUVs emit in a decade. We had a large percentage of Catholics in Colorado vote for obama in the last election. This makes me wonder, as a catholic, you put the very contested and unproven threat of global warming or the threat to "mother earth” above the daily threat and murder of unborn children. Obama is the greatest threat in the form of uncontrolled abortions in which he supports and he calls an unplanned pregnancy a punishment! If you think the number of American Catholics is dwindling now, just let the church pursue this agenda.
re: SUV's (Shady's baaaaaccckkkk)
By Eminem Relapse Refill Fan (not verified) on Thursday, April 22, 2010A couple of the "conservative" commenters here may bring out a few valid points.
But sometimes these folks seem to miss that God did entrust this planet to our care. We are called to be good stewards of creation, good stewards of earth, and we should do all in our power to be just that. We read in the Holy Bible that God gave us dominion on this earth. This dominion was not intended for us to abuse it. We can look to St Francis as an example of someone who loved & respected creation, particularly the animals.
When children are born into this world, if we truly respect their lives, we will want them to have a healthy environment- one in which they can breathe clean/healthy air, drink clean/healthy water, and hopefully live a good, healthy lifestyle. Does it make sense to demand that children be born, only to suffer/die at the hands of some who don't respect life and want to make a lot of money by not respecting life? Let's respect life from womb to tomb! (And yes, President Obama is called to do the same, as are all of us !)
The choices others make are in fact all of our business, particularly when they affect others. WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. IT'S NOT ABOUT ME, MYSELF, AND I.
This is not a "leftist" view. This is a "Catholic" view.
The Sinfulness of SUV's
By Jerry D (not verified) on Friday, April 16, 2010“(Driving a gas-guzzler) can also say that God gives more to some than to others.“
The above sounds more like Socialism than Catholic theology. God gives more to some than to others in wealth, talent, intelligence, beauty, etc. Abraham was blessed by God with great wealth and one of the 10 commandments is to not covet thy neighbor’s goods.
“the pollution (SUV’s) emit contributes to the exploitation of the global environment. “
“our taking is at the expense of the poor who suffer most from the effects of environmental pollution”
Today’s SUV with pollution controls emit a fraction of what autos used to emit. Driving an SUV has no effect on making the poor suffer pollution. Using the SUV as a standard, you better stop all air travel because if you think SUV’s are harming the poor, air travel has a greater impact. All the rationalizing you have for your traveling by air does not justify your assault on the poor.
Driving a tiny car is more dangerous and could be considered sinful for taking the additional risk.
I'm no SUV lover, but....
By Sarah (not verified) on Thursday, April 15, 2010I am a faithful Catholic. I do not like big SUVs. But....
Many faithful Catholic families have quite a brood. I have only three for the moment and chose not to purchase another (small) SUV when I bought my recent vehicle, going with a Chevy HHR. The kids don't have as much space in the back (a fact they do not neglect to point out somewhat regularly) but the gas milage is better and it is a nice vehicle.
However, what do you do when you have four, five, six children and you live in a rural area and/or your favorite pastime is camping/boating? SUVs (and big trucks) have a purpose, a niche in the market. It's not a huge niche, but it is there.
Car companies need to continue their efforts to make these vehicles more efficient. Not everyone needs em, but some do. Not a sin if you are one of those people.
nice post
By Jerry D (not verified) on Friday, April 16, 2010Good posts, Sarah. Please keep your wisdom coming.
Well said
By Michael Medeiros (not verified) on Sunday, May 23, 2010I was glad to see a well thought reply. We all have different reasons or necessities. I thought it was odd to see such a question asked on this Web Site. However, that is why Jesus so loved the Church and helps us form an understanding.
If it is a family need, it's not a waste. In contrast, their are people that just consume without any regard to their needs and the needs of others. I am afflicted when the weather prevents me from riding my Motorcycle to work. I often consider the mass of my little PT Cruiser with a four cylinder engine carting only me, a 220 lb person, to work. It seems like a waste. However, when I'm on family outings, it's efficient and economical. I don't feel like I'm using more than I need.
The Price of Gasoline really lays heavy on this issue too. We should be wise with our income and avoid things we want but don't need. A good friend of mine just came to the realization that his truck was consuming to much money. He decided a smaller SUV was more practical for his family. He told me, "The amount I'm going to save on Gas will cover the added expense".
In these times it's important to consider our transportation needs, environmental effects, and our budget. We are all in this together!
God Bless
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