Consumed Un-assumed
Consumed Un-assumed
March 17, 15
Starting off with Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture, I want to talk about two areas the stood out to me. One was how culture has a way of transforming religious beliefs and two the media and religion. It is a shame that some of the bad elements of culture have a way of creeping into some churches and change they way things go. Even now the gay rights movement has already changed some churches beliefs and traditions. Changing the beliefs and traditions is one thing but changing what the Bible teaches is a whole different thing. Its terrible to read that some Christians are not leading in Christians practices, they are actually practicing what others are doing in the world, “Christian practices are always the practices of others made odd.”[1] Now that is an eye opener to me. Our culture in some places, are dictating what churches do but they just put a different spin on it so it won’t look like it. I think we should be more careful about what we adopt from our culture because we might be getting away from our tradition and roots that are biblically based. “We must explore how consumer culture transforms religious belief and practice by transforming the way that people avow, interpret, and employ the beliefs, symbols, values, and practices of their religious traditions.”[2] This is seen clearly in gay marriages. I don’t even think a pastor should think twice whether its right or wrong, but you have many leaders opting out of biblical standards and traditions to do what everybody else in society is doing. To be opened minded never means to discard biblical truth. Culture has affected the way people even do church. Whatever is popular to people, that’s what people do whether it is good for spiritual growth or not. I think people have gotten away from faith and are just doing church as culture dictates. They are consumed un-assumed. They don’t realize that culture is gobbling up their spirituality.
Then there is the media circus centered around Christianity. The media loves you and hates you. My wife and me have been discussing trying to do a small T.V spot in our neighboring city because it is not expensive. But I am not naïve to the fact that the media can dictate a lot about what you do once you are on the air. “The price of access is playing by the rules of media, not one’s tradition.”[3] The media has just went crazy on televangelist Creflo Dollar for wanting to buy a G630 jet for 65’000’000.00. So it’s important to know that the media can build you up and tear you down just the way it built you up. And we have seen all these big named preaches fall and the media ate them alive. Yet we live in a media driven age. I just hope that our culture does not mitigate what we do and what we become. I hope the media does not make new televangelist become circus puppets just to amuse them.
Now on one more note that I found informative in Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire. I have been dealing with leaders who have this power concept and who don’t want to use their positions to empower others but they just want people to uphold their interest. I like some of the concepts on what “free market” is. Here is one definition by Friedman, “ if individuals are voluntarily entering into exchange from which both parties expect to benefit, then the market is free.”[4] I am so fed up with leaders who only see things as a fair when they are the only ones benefiting from it. I would not do business if I am not going to benefit and the other person is. “As Friedman says, a free-market economy gives people what they want instead of what a particular group thinks they want.”[5] Too many leaders in Christianity have the wrong idea. They believe what they want to give you is what you need and that is crazy. Lastly Augustine put a twist to this, “Augustine’s view of freedom is not simply a negative freedom from, but a freedom for, a capacity to achieve worthwhile goals.”[6] I can accept that too. We need freedom from people who are unwilling to share power or spread power so that we can be free to achieve goals that are worthwhile to us.
[1] Vincent Miller, Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture [New York: The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc., 2005], 25.
[2] Ibid., 31.
[3] Ibid., 96.
[4] William T. Cavanaugh, Being Consumed: Economics and Christian Desire [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008], 3.
[5] Ibid., 4.
[6] Ibid., 8.
About the Author
Travis Biglow
Pastor of Victory Empowerment Center. Regional Chaplain High Desert Regional Center Graduates Azusa Pacific University. Licensed General Contractor B. I am the married with one daughter, two grandsons and one step son.11 responses to “Consumed Un-assumed”
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Travis, are you wiling to pay the price of admission to have the T.V. spots? Do you think the benefit would measure up to the cost? By cost, we’re both talking about something waaaaaay bigger than dollars, aren’t we? We’re talking about the price you have to pay to live in that world. Is it worth it?
J
Jon,
That is a good question and to tell you the truth I dont think so. My wife is more gong ho about it then me. And right now the money is not there anyway. I think God is blessing me to do something else within the framework of the University that I am in. I am not afraid of it but I dont know if thats what i want. But if its the will of God it will happen if not im cool with that too. The real issue is getting the gospel out in all the media circles that are available. I have not really got into none of the details because i know its not the time and nor do i feel like thats what God wants from me now anyway!
Thanks Travis…you said in your last sentence, “We need freedom from people who are unwilling to share power or spread power so that we can be free to achieve goals that are worthwhile to us.” Good point. Anyone holding onto power will be in direct opposition to Jesus’ purposes. It’s Jesus that shares his power freely with us. We should do the same.
That is the reason God gives us power to empower others. Amen Nick
“To be opened minded never means to discard biblical truth.”
Great point, Travis. We should be willing to listen to people and have an open mind, realizing that we do not know everything and life is a process of growth and change. We can do this, however, without disregarding biblical truth, becoming close-minded, or being unloving toward people.
That is the goal Brian, we need to know the issues and at the same time know what God says regarding it!
Travis,
With a culture built on consumption, media plays a big part. I’d likewise be weary of becoming too closely aligned with the media. But isn’t that what most televangelist have done? It’s one thing to use media as a cultural mechanism to get your message out – Billy Graham was a master in his day of using the media. However it’s another thing to be in bed with the media… ohh what is the difference. For me it’s those televangelist that use the media to raise their financial support. They slip under the covers together when it’s about the money.
Hey Dave, do you want to be one of 200,000 people who will send me $300 so I can purchase a new [motorcycle]?
j
Jon, ha ha ha.
Dave that is the catch twenty two situation about media. But in an age when social media and the internet is a daily medium i think we are already using that platform anyway! ?
Travis, You captured the part that makes me the most upset.
“They don’t realize that culture is gobbling up their spirituality.” We have been so unaware of our culture and its effects on us as the Church that it appears we have been blind-sided. The truth is we just fell asleep and are now waking up at a time when to some degree it is too late. Nice post!