What is your response to the current American buying frenzy? How do you live out your life as a revolutionary in the face of our consumer culture? How are you living out a true, Christ-following counterculture? Are you daring to be different from the hoi polloi?
In my work, I see hyper-consumers on a daily basis. People come into the electronics retailer I work at to buy mostly discretionary entertainment items in an apparent attempt to fill their thirsting souls. The other day, after about a week of good weather (which can be iffy here in the Great NW), we had a rainy Saturday. You’d think people had been locked up in their homes for weeks.
They rushed the store, waiting in line 20 minutes before it even opened. Their was this irritated intensity on their faces. They were resolute. “I need a the newest boxed set of American Idol, now!” “I can’t live without a $1000 laptop for another minute!” “What will I do if I don’t get that 50″ Samsung Plasma TV by tonight’s episode of King of the Hill?!” Or so the thoughts being reflected through the glazed eyes of the customers seemed. Dannnggg! It was all I could do to make it through the day.
And we wonder why our enemies scoff at us. While I in absolutely no condone their acts against us, I understand their beefs with our apparent materialism. Our culture has slipped into consumer catatonia, and the church has not been far behind.ÂÂ
How are you spending your time and money? Is your checkbook overflowing with NetFlix, Circuit City and Cable TV PPV entries? Is the TV a core to your evening experience? How many DVD’s are you renting per week, at an average of 90 minutes per movie? Are you holing up at home, cocooning, escaping, and tickling your soul with the many times twsited images of popular culture? Do you have balance? Are you in but of, but not out of it either, in the words of Leondard Sweet?
Don’t get me wrong, we must participate in and be aware of culture, with discernment. But I meet many Christians that watch way too much TV and movies or spend way too much time surfing away on the internet. They are the ones that don’t want to face the truly amazing mess of profound intimacy with others, whether with spouse, family or otherwise. And the Prozac trend increases. And marriages break up. And abuse and addictions run amok. Brokeness prevails, leading to a mass of humanity, limping around broken and unfulfilled, left wanting for the deep wells of God’s love and grace.ÂÂ
The challenge is to enjoy the creative outputs that is marginally available on TV, and moreso in films. It’s fun. It can be relaxing. Has it taken over your life? That’s the question.
What do you think? Do you feel like the countercultural, Christ-following revolutionary you were called to be?
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