My greatest sin has been the Curse of Junk Food, which I have struggled with all my life; also, I've been hounded by the Demon of Acquisition of Books, a failing handed down from my late mother. Other than those, however, I have always felt alienated from this consumer culture, and more so every day. Also, I have been blessed by my marriage to a woman who should be a saint in your church - she has spent her entire life Not Shopping, but making whenever possible, and using local food to cook all her family's meals, making clothes and entertainment as well.
I wanted to call your attention to a book I just read: Patriotic Treason by Evan Carton, a biography of John Brown, who I now seen as the most important American of the 19th century. If Consumerism is the slavery of the current age, I see you as carrying on John Brown's work. Bless you, and I will continue to follow your work and support you when I can. -Tim

Thank you Tim. It's hard to call buying books a sin. 'less its from super mall anchor stores like Barnes and Noble, who kill the indy shops and put all us readers in cars... I have to admit an admiration for John Brown too. He had some self-righteous violence in him, certainly, but his zero tolerance for slavery and angry great beard... he is undoubtedly necessary for that mix of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Beecher Stowe that sparked the abolition to slavery. Patriotic Treason. Alright I'll read it. -- Rev