I have never been shy about quoting how others should give up their possessions and follow Christ, or pointing out to people how their possessions are getting in the way of their relationship with Christ and have always been keen to demonstrate how I live without a lot of excess, no jewelry, no air conditioning, wearing shoes and clothes until they practically unravel off me. In the last few months, I have been slapped in the face with the complete and utter error of my ways, of course I don't care if I have fancy jewelry or clothes, 'cause dugh! I don't really care about those things while some people do. I consider diamonds not only a complete and utter waste of money, but also, a means to fuel some of the deadliest conflicts in Africa, the same way the minerals such as coltan in our cell phones and Wii's have resulted in the murder of over 5 million people in the DRC and 200,000 rapes. I would like nothing better than to sell my jewelry and do something positive in Africa if not for a reluctant hubby. While jewelry, electronics and shoes are other's crosses, who was I to talk about giving something up when I was totally OBSESSED with my Mini Cooper. Yes, there it was, all wrapped up in a pretty bow with my name on it. TO J, WITH LOVE GOD. It is easy to give up something up we really don't care about, but it pretty much BITEs the big one to give up something that we do. Once I recognized that, it was hard to look at the Mini the same way again. This weekend I traded in the Mini Cooper for a Toyota Sienna, a practical family car some might say in an impractical world, which I guess makes me officially a soccer mom, and a very thankful one at that to have 3 beautiful little blessing that will be riding comfortably in back.
13 comments:
Maybe someday after the sadness of saying good bye to your mini cooper wears off you'll be just like the mom in the Sieena commercials and will love your mini van with a similar kind of love.
We'll be joining you in that ranking soon enough I'm sure :)
Ahhh hemm. Soccer mom? You mean the wife of a Soccer Dad! Since I'm the proud driver of the Sienna, and the one rushing (sometime to fast) to get E1 to soccer practice.
That said. The family is aware of the sacrifice that you made in trading the Mini in. Surely tougher than me giving up the Prius in our first "need a bigger car" trade in.
Oh I so feel you on the mini cooper. For YEARS I wanted and coveted one. J was going to get it for me for our 10th anniversary. Then we decided to adopt. And I did the math - 2 dogs, stroller, baby and car seat, 2 adults, luggage for road trips. Just didn't add up. Now we have a practical family car. I still daydream about my mini that never was...
I'm not sure linking rapes and murders to cell phone's and Wii's is fair. If manufacturers stop buying these minerals from Congo, Congo will have no exports or jobs(i.e. people will suffer even more).
On the subject of jewelry, two comments. An engagement ring is valuable because it symbolizes a sacrifice (usually, esp. for college students). For example, dad gave up his Austin Healey to buy mom a ring - sacrifice. Second, a ring (just like gold) can be viewed as an investment and should appreciate with inflation. That being said, I've never heard of anyone buy a diamond as an investment. Perhaps it is an "investment in love"?
-Kev
Kev we have some books you can read. You can read exactly how rapes and murders are linked to Wii's and Coltran. An overwhelming amount of the worlds conflict minerals come from Congo and the surrounding countries. I'm not saying all but most. Also, that country doesn't function on the principal's you've learned in school. You cannot apply western concepts to that region of the world. Its not capitalistic. The DRC receives next to nothing for its exports. The natural resources themselves are "raped" from the DRC without the DRC seeing any of the true value of those resources. That's what makes its a particularly unique problem. Unless the international community puts pressure on the international businesses that are doing the "raping" the Congo will not change. Again, we have plenty of Books and resources if you are truly interested in being educated on the topic. As an ..extreme.. example, which I am not advocating. One might suggest that the DRC nationalize all the mines, agri-business, and hydro-power. Then, as a DRC owned entity, the DRC could reap the financial benefits. But without money, or a viable military, they cannot nationalize anything. The world has their foot on the throat of the DRC, and has since the mid 1800's
--
T
My understanding is that they were quite prosperous in the early 60's and actually were the second most advanced country in Africa - because they were rich in minerals.
I don't dispute that you can't currently apply western economic concepts to DRC; however, DRC will never be stable until western economic theories can be applied and corruption minimized.
I will leave it to you guys to funnel information my way. I haven't read a normal book in ages. Textbooks are a different story, but most of those are from the 50's.
Apply Western Economic theories?!?! Western economic theories, as applied, have thrown the world into a recession. Those economic principals got away from themselves, were left unchecked, and resulted in unwise and unsustainable models. Perhaps at their core, there is some soundness to them. But the application of those theories were terribly and thus exhibit some of the very flaws in those theories..
Anyway.. I'll not win any economic battle of wits.. so I"ll stop there. Except to say the DRC as a country wasn't prosperous, especially in the 60's. Some individuals might have gotten kickback from the very companies that kept their feet on the throat of the Congo. Just another page in the painful story of the Congo. But good news.. Buried in the bloat of the wall street reform bill is the strongest efforts and oversite yet (in the US) to avoid use of conflict mineral by companies doing business in the US. Its a start..
A very interesting concept from an anonymous post. While I was boiling the more I read the comments, I thought to myself "we do have people who just have no idea what is going on in the Congo!"
So to the anonymous individual.... I would be curious to know if you ever visited the Congo, or have been to a mine in Congo, or even know what are the companies in the Congo extracting the minerals, and finally if you have any sense to why the Congo is where it is today.
I would argue that due to western economic systems, Congo and Africa at large have been underdeveloped. Walter Rodney will lay out some interesting concept for you so that comments you make do not make indigenous people from the area feel that the west just doesn't care.
Before I expand on these dynamics prevalent in the Congo, I will really appreciate that you share your credentials, or letting me know if you have been to the Congo.
kambale:
Sorry, I'm the same poster from above, Kevin. I lack credentials from every area relevant to this debate. I fully support the new law enacted by Congress as it has the support of the DRC government.
Be that as it may, DRC will never be prosperous until it controls and can export its vast resources - sans corruption. To respond to your question, I believe that corruption and neighboring conflicts are the cause of DRC's current situation.
One of the big problems is the inability to stem the illegal flow of conflict minerals from DRC to Rwanda, which the DRC people see no benefit from.
-Kev
Its a very complex problem. So many interconnected factors.
Well put, Ted.
-Kev
Post a Comment