thick and thin

In Break Through, their critique of environmentalism, Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger remark that many people who say they are concerned about the environment give less than $100 a year to environmental groups; in contrast, many evangelicals give 10% of their income to their church.

One reason the authors give for this big difference is 'the experiences the two groups create for themselves'. The church offers community, participation and a strong sense of identity: 'the evangelical identity is thick, the environmentalist identity is thin.'

A very similar observation is made in a blog discussion going on about the value of theatre. One Chicago blogger visits her in-laws' church in Texas and wonders: 'Why can't we and other theatres inspire that type of devotion?'

A comment that follows (from Scott Walters again) points out that the church is 'more people-oriented than product-oriented ... the congregation is the focus of the institution.' Much more here.