The Yarites - Cultural Reform

The Yarites are coming-- it happens a few times a month around my house. It is sort of like a cult where the leader says, while the others do. The leader may not have to do as he says, but he makes sure the others do. Some think it's a sports team and others are confused as to what a Yarite is. I could be someone that has a specific habit or mental illness - after I am related to at least three of them. For me it was a hobby that I have now left behind like a treadmill or a rowing machine in the basement. I think I'm done.

If you've been kicking around this blog for the last few months, you may have noticed that I went hunting-- hunting for cars- Yari in fact. Why? Because we simply got to the point where we needed reliable transportation at rock bottom prices. We didn't own any clunkers - well none that qualified. And besides as a tax payer, how was it that I was going to get a rebate? Do the math, taxes go up, and I save money on a car. And the benefit is?

I am sure those that got rebates were thinking I am saving $4500 on a car, and not I, along with millions, have spent money that might have made it's way to taking care of our vets, feeding the poor, impeaching Barny Frank or some other noble cause in our country. I know, there was a "green" angle too. Personally I think Global Warming is a farce. But I am for clean air, and getting off foreign oil today!

As a family we, with two car-less kids; who needed hundreds of miles of rides each week, and one with a broken down car-- and me -- looking at thousands of dollars in maintenance on my beloved Mustang-- decided to go hunting. With the car markets in the toilet I decided to do what Jesus would do, go out and find a few fish with coins in their mouths.

Some might think buying four cars is a little excessive. And some, like my wife, dread the "car buying" experience, barely able to stomach one purchase, let alone four. Well, until you see the numbers! The MSRP on the Yaris is $14,799 plus transportation fees to New England makes them over $15K. Volume pricing is about $13K times three-- and some with 0% financing. Oh yes and a couple of free oil changes! The real deal, we are saving hundreds in gasoline costs, all while we are banking on at least 36 months of trouble free operation. Global Warming Sheeple, rejoice.

So why did we switch to import autos when we previously owned American Metal from Ford and Chrysler? I went to the Ford and Chrysler dealers. Both were unwilling to deal, or to make a decent trade-in offer on my wife's disintegrating mini-van (we didn't want it, I suppose they didn't either). They played rebates against percentage rates and didn't return phone calls. I think we really lost confidence when they went to Capital Hill to ask for money. Honda and Toyota, and eventually Ford, weathered the storm. I had considered looking at a Chevy-- but with GM, better known as Government Motors-- it was more than I could take. Add to that poor quality ratings in the compact category from a American manufacturers, and we went back to imports. Our history with Honda and Toyota-- even Infiniti were all good.

In the end, cultural reform happens because people do things that matter. I am sorry that I can't support unions that put political interests ahead of hard work and pride, car manufactures that care about profits while their foreign competitors blow their quality doors off, and a government that can barely run itself, let alone two car companies, Wall Street, and health care. All topped off with the Cash for Clunkers program which put more money in foreign pockets then it did in American pockets. Are you kidding!?!?!? It seems like all we do is put our money in boxes in find new ways to ship it overseas. Did anyone notice that about 10% of the country is unemployed?

Thank God for a free country where I can decide to do something different.

So why does it matter what we do? Because those readers that are Christians need to understand this is pretty much the same thing that is going on within church. We have sacrificed quality relationship, quality teaching and other aspects of Kingdom living looking for God to "bail us out" (bless us), while our competitors: psychics, horoscopes, anti-depressants, LDS, New Age and addiction consume many more souls then are getting saved. And we think that we have succeeded because we filled 112 seats on Sunday. With our spiritual currency in Satan's pocket, how do we suppose it is all going to turn out? Aren't we reaping what we sow, and getting what we payed for?

In the end, many Christians are no longer going to church. They are unable to support the status quo. Sure, they know they belong there. Many fondly remember a time when church fed them, not drained them-- a time when Christ was alive. Folks, why is that people dread the sales pitch?

Think about it, don't you want to be a Yarite?