We Are Living in A Material World
My title may be simply words to one of Madonna’s songs, as she sang about her own personal taste as a material girl. However, her conclusion is quite accusatory as she sings, “Experience has made me rich – And now they’re after me, ‘cause everybody’s…living in a material world.” Her statement implies that living in a material world makes one a material girl or boy. Unfortunately, Madonna had quite a grasp on our Western world. The words ring so true as we begin to understand that almost all things have been commodified and in our consumer culture we are all to eager to acquire these material things. Such material desire has made its way and stance within the church.
Through Miller’s book Consuming Religion we learn that even in the religious sectors we see the commodification of the spiritual things represented by material items. Miller notes that this commodification of religion needs content and that this commodification has spawned “an interest in the material aspects of religion. There is particular interest in paraphernalia of a size suitable for mass marketing”[1] from prayer beads to jewelry, body adornments, images, statuary, vessels and the like, all are commodified and ready for the religious consumer. Miller points out that such consumption is necessary for modern capitalism.[2] Yet this consumption it is not necessarily greed and the love of mammon, as some arguments against capitalism go, that encourages consumerism even religious consumerism. In Being Consumed, William T. Cavanaugh makes a powerful observation regarding this view of greed being the main fuel of our consumer economy, that being that greed “does not really capture the spirit of our consumer economy.”[3] Though we live in the west it is not typical of us westerners to desire nor have the determination to hold onto the material things we acquire. We are not overly attached to the things that we have consumed. We no longer buy to save, indeed Cavanaugh points out that the US has one of the lowest savings rates of any wealthy country, and at the same time we are the most indebted society in all of history.[4] We have come to an age that we do not keep what we buy we simply discard and get the upgrade. Cavanaugh statement regarding consumerism really captured the essence of western thought for me: “Consumerism is not so much about having more as it is about having something else; that’s why it is not simply buying but shopping that is the heart of consumerism.” That’s it! I exclaimed and read the sentence to my wife. She nodded her head with that contemplative satisfaction that I have grown to love and said, “That’s good. That’s so true! Man your program is fun.”
Cavanaugh continues with zeroing in on consumerism as “a restless spirit that is never content with any particular material thing.”[5] This restless spirit does not, and will not, find true happiness in any item purchased. So the hunt for the next commodity commences, hoping that the next elusive prey may indeed satisfy the inner cravings. But to no avail. This inner craving is only to be satisfied in the pursuit of God. Unfortunately, the very religious system that is to assist the seeker in his quest for God has “been transformed into a narcissistic, therapeutic enterprise.”[6] Now the empty and void spiritual man tries to fill his hollow soul with the commodified goods of his God and sings along with Madonna, “We Are Living in A Material World and I am a material…Christian??
[1] Vincent J. Miller, Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in A Consumer Culture (New York: Continuum International Publishing Group Inc., 2003), 78.
[2] Ibid., 33.
[3] William T. Cavanaugh, Being Consumed: Economics and Chrisitan Desire (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008), 34.
[4] Ibid., 34.
[5] Ibid., xi.
[6] Miller, 85.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.