from an email i wrote to a good friend when i first started workin at finestra...edited for content and length. what do you think about this?
been thinkin and learnin a lot about self-absorption. american xtianity
is so influenced by american consumer culture - we even bring this "gimme"
mentality to ch: sit back, observe, critique, consume. "the message was
so-so. i couldn't relate to it. he wasn't funny enough. no one greeted me.
the coffee's cold. the room doesn't smell good - not attractive to
newcomers. the worship style was too contemporary/traditional. the chairs
are too hard." yeah man, those thoughts aren't unfamiliar to my own mind.
a consuming ch. ugh. and even in our relationships, too, even with G.
it's a hard thing to deal with - especially when i think about what G
might think about this. but i'm hopin to hear his opinion, rather than my
own thoughts and conclusions. gotta have some balance...especially when i
start judging all my customers - it's funny but it's not acceptable.
customer: "i want a bible in pink. dusty rose. no, not that one - that
one's
a one year. plus, the shade of pink isn't right. anyway, i want a regular
bible, not a one-year. or, i want a NIV bible with study notes,
center-column references, and a gray and brown duo-tone leather cover. and
i
want it compact." me: "give me a BREAK! are you frickin KIDDING me!? that
you even get to HAVE a bible is already more than you deserve! get OVER
yourself!" of course, i can't say these things, and i didn't. started to
think them, though. it's hard to think about self-absorption and hate
american materialistic consumerism when you work in retail. we're supposed
to serve and love and minister to the customers. so i need some balance.
'cause some customers have genuine needs, i.e. giant print. gyahahaha
anyway...i think about what counter-culture means. it's nothing big in this
context; we don't need an overthrow or a revolution - but what if i started
living selfless in a selfish culture? american consumer culture teaches,
promotes, encourages, pushes, forces
self-addiction/idolatry/absorption/centrism whatever. (look at ads and look at
the words used and what they're telling you to value) Jesus said, "die to
yourself, vince. how about stop thinkin bout how to please your flesh? pick
up your cross and follow me. we're gona go somewhere." to be
counter-culture
is to...feed the flesh less. buying habits...clothes, eating, spending,
media...oh boy, MEDIA. that's one of the biggest things. 'cause you know,
even christian books are media.
yeah; that's what i've been thinkin about. ...
now, here's the kicker, from the back cover of a book called When People
are
Big and God is Small. "Need people less. Love people more."
*bam*...somethin
even more for me to think about.
Comments (2)
One of my favorite quotes is from Teresa of Avila. She said, "Take -Daddy- very seriously, but don't take yourself seriously at all." I definitely know what you mean! Sometimes I wonder about the self-absorption of American Xtianity because, let's face it, we're spoiled! Ugh. But even though it's about being sacrificial, it's all about the "personal" relationship you hold with JC so it's between you and Him. Not just you alone, and I guess that's where the sacrifice comes in. That's where the death to yourself comes in. You're no longer alone. Someone bigger and more magnificent and more important to you is there and you're supposed to obey and trust in Him when you can't see Him. It's difficult to swallow.
Boy, I miss you.
Vince, I got some news! (and don't post this on facebook bc i haven't told everyone just yet.) But I'm not going to UCSB next year! I'm transferring to Azusa Pacific University, you know, that small Xtian school by LA. Haha I'm going to try to get into their School of Nursing. Their motto is "Daddy First." and i love it!
I miss you sooo much! And I'll be praying for you =]
yea i notice the consumerism, too. i think about it mostly with regard to the environment..