{"id":31979,"date":"2023-03-21T18:57:47","date_gmt":"2023-03-22T01:57:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=31979"},"modified":"2023-03-21T18:57:47","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T01:57:47","slug":"consuming-religion-a-call-beyond-the-self","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/consuming-religion-a-call-beyond-the-self\/","title":{"rendered":"Consuming Religion- A Call Beyond the Self"},"content":{"rendered":"

After reading Vincent J. Miller’s book,<\/span> Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture<\/span><\/i>, I was ready to sign up for his class at Georgetown University. Miller makes some interesting observations regarding Christian consumer culture. He states he wrote his book out of \u201ca<\/span> profound concern about the corrosive and destructive consequences of consumption, it is not primarily a book about consumerism. This book focuses on how the habits of consumption transform our relationship to the religious beliefs we profess.\u201d [1] Therein lies Dr. Clark\u2019s desire to probe the depths of this issue as well. In his research, Dr. Clark addresses the underlying motivators of consumerism and the impact this has on one\u2019s relationship with God. It is an interesting subject to discuss as Clark states, \u201cFallen human beings are prone to disordered love and to loving the world wrongly.\u201d[2] This disordered love looks similar to narcissism. In this blog I will give greater definition to this term. I will also walk alongside Miller and Clark in their discussion of consumerism and the impact it has on Christian belief and practice and add to their discussion on narcissism and its influence on Christian consumerism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Miller and Clark on Narcissism<\/b><\/p>\n

Miller uses the word narcissism in describing a person\u2019s consumer habits, and he uses this term in reference to our consumer culture as well. Miller states directly that \u201cwe are endlessly encouraged to desire everything all at once\u201d and \u201cthis provides(s) the opportunity to revisit the issue of consumer \u201cnarcissism.\u201d [3] Miller does not have the intention of condemning readers but allows his readers to look at how we are always driven to want more. Dr. Clark draws an interesting distinction between a Christian and a non-Christian, \u201cthere is one fundamental contrast between Christian and non-Christian desire, or rather, there should be one key contrast whereby Christian desire arises from a call beyond the self.\u201d [4] This begs the question: how are we to operate selflessly towards others? What does it look like to not be selfish? As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I view narcissism and its severity in how it shows up in people’s lives.\u00a0 It is easy to pinpoint selfish behavior (narcissistic tendencies), but if these patterns dominate the personality, a Narcissistic Personality Disorder diagnosis may be justified.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Narcissistic Tendencies\/ NPD Diagnosis<\/b><\/p>\n

It is important to note the difference between narcissism and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). Personally, I find this to be a prudent exercise as I consider the potential of selfishness and ego-obsessed propensities. How far away are we from being utterly self-absorbed?\u00a0 Much like Miller, my intentions are not to condemn but raise awareness and thoughtful consideration to narcissistic tendencies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Diagnosing someone with a Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) has been a rare occurrence in the 16 year span in which I have been in clinical practice, but I believe several people with this diagnosis have sat in my office. The<\/span> Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV<\/span><\/i> outlines the various disorders a person may have upon seeking psychiatric care. The following criteria are listed for NPD and five are required to justify the diagnosis:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Inflated self-esteem or a grandiose sense of self-importance or superiority<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Craving admiration<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Exploitative relationships (i.e., manipulation)<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Little to no empathy<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Identity is easily disturbed (i.e., can\u2019t handle criticism)<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. Lack of attachment and intimacy<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. Feelings of depression or emptiness when not validated<\/span><\/li>\n
  8. A sense of entitlement<\/span><\/li>\n
  9. Can feel like others are envious of them, or may envy others\u00a0 [5]<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How many of these characteristics do you have? Do you meet five of the nine criteria? Having insight into how these criteria influence your life precludes you from having the diagnosis. Taking ownership in the areas where you have narcissistic tendencies is a step in a healthy direction. For those who recognize their narcissistic tendencies, have encountered the \u2018law of diminishing returns’ and what Miller describes as \u201cthe joy of endless seeking and pursuit. Actual consumption always comes as something of a disappointment, as the object can never live up to its promise.\u201d [6] For those who are pursuing God, we are left wanting real relationships, Christian fellowship, and transformative opportunities to grow in Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Online Dating\u2013Narcissistic Consumerism?<\/b><\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s look at an example where narcissism and consumerism as a Christian cross paths. While on a\u00a0 walk with my friend Sally, she shared with me how she had been in a two-month relationship which had begun over a Christian dating site. It was interesting to hear how this relationship unfolded. Sally said that the dating app did not provide references or accountability in the process of getting to know this \u201cChristian man,\u201d and she believes he was dating others while he was talking with her. I reflected, \u201cIt sounds like he treated you like a commodity?\u201d she said, \u201cYes, exactly.\u201d After that experience, Sally has been content to not use a Christian dating app and has found forgiving this guy, serving the Lord at her local church, and pursuing mission work on a local college campus to be much more fulfilling. I am proud of Sally as she has successfully pursued what Miller states, \u201cMake room for the meditative practices that fight the tide of commodification and for considerations of how the church can best employ its systems of communication to preserve its heritage in the cultural maelstrom of advanced capitalism. [7]<\/span><\/p>\n

    Narcissism\u2019s Remedy<\/b><\/p>\n

    Remedy for our narcissistic tendencies needs to be multi-faceted. Sally proposed a potent idea when she said that the Christian dating site needed to provide accountability. If we had greater accountability in our lives, would this impact the narcissistic trends in our behavior? [8]\u00a0 Sally also stated that she needed to forgive the person who had treated her like a commodity. As Miller states, \u201cChristian forgiveness as potent therapy for countering capitalistic desire.\u201d [9] Her desire for more (more relationship) has decreased as she has purposefully forgiven. I would also propose that slowing down and taking breaks from our phones might promote our relationships in a healthy way. \u201cThis new normal of hurried digital distraction is robbing us of the ability to be present.\u201d [10] When it comes to our relationship with God, are we pursuing stillness, putting ourselves in a listening posture? Narcissism\u2019s greatest countermeasure might be found in John the Baptist\u2019s words, \u201cHe must become greater; I must become less.\u201d John 3:30<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    [1] Vincent J. Miller, <\/span>Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture<\/span><\/i>, 2008, p.11<\/span><\/p>\n

    [2] Clark, Jason Paul, “Evangelicalism and Capitalism: A Reparative Account and Diagnosis of Pathogenesis in the Relationship,” 2018, p.228<\/span><\/p>\n

    [3] Vincent J. Miller,\u00a0 p.110<\/span><\/p>\n

    [4] Clark, Jason Paul,\u00a0 p.209<\/span><\/p>\n

    [5] W. Keith Campbell, <\/span>The New Science of Narcissism: Understanding One of the Greatest Psychological Challenges of Our Time-And What You Can Do About It<\/span><\/i>, 2022,\u00a0 p.88<\/span><\/p>\n

    [6] Vincent J. Miller,\u00a0 p.7<\/span><\/p>\n

    [7] Ibid. p.224<\/span><\/p>\n

    [8] W. Keith Campbell, p. 217<\/span><\/p>\n

    [9] Vincent J. Miller, p.180<\/span><\/p>\n

    [10] John Mark Comer, <\/span>The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry<\/span><\/i>, 2019, p.121<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    After reading Vincent J. Miller’s book, Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in a Consumer Culture, I was ready to sign up for his class at Georgetown University. Miller makes some interesting observations regarding Christian consumer culture. He states he wrote his book out of \u201ca profound concern about the corrosive and destructive consequences of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":165,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[374,1440,1121],"class_list":["post-31979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-consuming-religion","tag-narcissism","tag-vincent-miller","cohort-dlgp01"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/165"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31979"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31980,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31979\/revisions\/31980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}