Yesterday at the Adullam gathering I shared a bit about my grandma and grandpa Taylor. My grandparents on the Taylor side were raised in the rolling hills of southern Kentucky. Tobacco Country. For many families down there in Adair county, tobacco farming put food on the table and clothes on your back. Grandma and grandpa were good God fearin' folks and they went to Sunday meeting regularly but they, like many, who grew up around those parts smoked or chewed tobacco because it was simply a natural part of that culture. Because tobacco made up the very fabric of the culture, seldom did anyone stop to think about the effects it would have on one's lungs years down the road.
That is an image of cultural captivity. Cultural Captivity suggests that our culture may shape our thinking and lifestyle in unhealthy ways however, we're likely blinded to it because it has become the normative air we breathe, water we swim in, etc.
Our cultural captivity as Americans is consumerism. Some philosophers acknowledge consumerism as it's own system of meaning or it's own religion. We create our identity by our brands. Our brands of clothing, cars, education, family... And if you ask most pagans in this city, Christianity is just another brand... one sub-culture among a nation of thousands. We're seen as powerful as to who makes it into a political office and whether or not those politicians stand against abortion and homosexuality, but when it comes to making a deep impact on a nation, on the welfare of the poor and outcast or on peacemaking, we're really not all that relevant. The reason being? Those of us who claim belief in Jesus, really don't look all that different from the ones who don't. We spend just as much on entertainment as the rest of our culture don't we? We produce just as much waste. Our highest value is on our possessions and our careers just as much as the next guy when it really comes right down to it.
This is how consumerism holds us captive. When freedom, individualism, and entitlement are expected and suffering, humility, and sacrifice are avoided at all cost even for those who claim to follow Christ, we know we're just another sub-culture.
If you're reading this from Denver and have the time to dream together with me about alternatives, join me at Stella's Coffee House tomorrow (Tuesday) night @ 8pm.
If you want to read similar but more extensive thoughts, check out this post by my New Orleans friend, Mike Brantely, who ironically posted similar words today.
I was also inspired today by reading good stuff in a book called Justice in the Burbs by Will and Lisa Samson.
Grace & Peace
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