'Do as I say, not as I do'

People who live in greenhouse-gas producing houses shouldn't throw stones. Or set themselves up as modern messiahs here to lead us away from global disaster.

Al Gore, the Academy-award winning propogandist for the man-made global warming fear-mongers, is proof in point, as the news focus this week is not so much on his movie, but upon his 10,000 square foot mansion in Nashville's ritzy Belle Meade neighborhood. Seems that Mr. Gore uses more than 10 times the electricity of the average Nashville residence. (Today the ever-enabling Associated Press is trying to provide cover for the former vice-president, saying that he "only" pays $1,200 a month instead of the $1,359 claimed in an independent report, as if it made some huge difference to the rest of us whether Gore is only 90 percent of the energy hog he appears to be!)

The Gore defense? He either has purchased or will purchase "green energy" offsets through special arrangements with utilities.

Now you are probably wondering, what the hell is a green energy offset?

It is an accounting device in which people with money can pay others to do their energy conservation for them, leaving them free to continue with their energy-holic lifestyle. Others on this list of "do as I say, but not as I do" politicians/celebs are Sen. Diane Feinstein and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenneger, both of California. They buy green energy offsets to cover for their extensive use of private business jets, any one trip of which puts far more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than the average citizen does in a year.

Does it really matter?

Only if you believe that people who preach should walk the walk as well as talk the talk. The debate over man-made global warming has reached the point where we are being told that government action is needed to impose lifestyle changes and even tax hikes on all of us in order to "save the planet." Skeptics of the man-made warming theory, by the way, should shut up or face future Nuremberg-style trials. In short, we are supposed to made do with less heat in the winter, less cooling in the summer, more expensive vehicles using more expensive technology (or else walk or ride bikes). We are designated to make the sacrifices necessary. In the meantime, the green intelligensia will continue to use their private jets to fly between their energy-intense homes, drive their gas-guzzling SUVs, because they cannot be inconvenienced in the pursuit of saving the planet.

We have an alternative theory. Perhaps the green gurus ala Al Gore do not really believe in their cause, or we should say they only believe in the eventual political and social results of their cause, which will be the expansion of government into all aspects of private life and the concurrent loss of human freedom, except for the puppet-masters themselves?

A true believer who wishes to lead will do so by example. The only messiah we recognize without qualification, Jesus of Nazareth, preached a less worldly lifestyle and compassion and concern for one's neighbor. He also lived that message. (We suspect that his "carbon footprint" was fairly minimal.) He has credibility. His teachings resonate.

While we do not endorse the Prophet Mohammed, we must admit that he was no hypocrite. He was willing to lead by example - conversion by conquest, multiple wives and concubines, extermination of the infidel, among other things - and his writings paralleled his life. Love him or hate him, Mohammed had credibility, and it should be no surprise that his teachings resonate.

Many politicians have tried to be messiahs over the centuries. All have failed, but few had the resources that today's political elite enjoy, and perhaps it is inevitable that a new political messiah will emerge who will claim to have scientific answers to all of the world's problems. He (or she) will offer himself as the solution to impending doom, if only we will give him our support, our money and our freedom. Obviously Al Gore is not the man. But be alert: somewhere in the future there is someone who will appear to have the political, scientific and spiritual credibility to deprive us of that which is most dear.

It may not be that far off.