"When those of us who do have some material resources are not frugal with them, we use more than our fair share of the available resources. Directly and indirectly, we are contributing to poverty in our country."

I'm not so sure about the economics of this - whatever its evils, it seems to me that consmerism does create a great deal of employment - and I'm speaking as someone who is frugal to the point of being a skinflint; I have to admit that I don't do my part to create that employment.