Hoarding Religion

It’s been some time since my last entry here.  A lot has happened in the previous month.  I quit a job and found another, if only part time.  I’ve moved my family back down to our college stomping grounds, to the oasis that is Abilene, Texas.  My wife and I have spent some much needed time addressing some things in our marriage that have been bubbling just under the surface for the past year.  And as usual, we continue our ongoing conversation about our struggles with the established church.

On somewhat of a side note, we ran across a show last night called Hoarders. As we both watched with great difficulty, I was a bit surprised by the relatively easy parallels I was able to draw between the people on the show, and the people living in a pretty severe case of denial amidst their religious “life.”  From my perspective, it seems as though in both cases (the “religious” person and the hoarder) these folks essentially ruin their lives, and even the lives of those who are closest to them, by insisting, often violently, that they control, even down to the most miniscule of details, their stuff.  Nothing is allowed to leave their presence without their approval and rigorous inspection, all the while discovering junk they didn’t even know they had and denying that they’d forgotten about it.

To make a long story short, in both instances, my wife and I found that there is no sense of the present.  On the show, the hoarders held so tightly to their memories, somehow wrapped up in their stuff, that they completely missed out on their present life, along with all of the missed opportunities for relationships therein.  Many of them were packing things away claiming to be “preparing for a rainy day,” worry about what could or might happen somewhere down the line, in the unforeseeable and unpredictable future.

I would argue the same is true for many people who call themselves Christians.  The danger here is that we exercise a false notion of control, examining down to the most minute detail our religious thoughts, studies and facts that we miss out on today.  We lose the opportunity for real and lasting relationship because we are too concerned about our thoughts being contaminated or our little world being rocked by someone entering in and tossing out all the crap.  I would also contend that we spend way too much time preparing for a rainy day, or heaven as some of us might call it, that we completely miss out on the reason we exist.

In my opinion, our purpose for existence is to live following the example of Christ.  Loving recklessly.  Engaging in relationship here and now.  Inviting everyone around us into a new way of living, one that shakes everything we know and understand and think-we-can-control down to the very core.  I believe that as real and indescribable as the air we breathe, so too is the spirit of God living in us.  And if that’s true, I do not believe that spirit exists as a boarding pass to some far off country where we won’t have to struggle anymore.  It seems that in our false hope for a place far off in the future where everything will be different, we forget to make a difference here.  We don’t live any differently because, what’s the point?  This won’t last anyway.  We are more consumer-American than sustainable-Christian.

As Gandhi would say, “Be the change you want to see.”  So, if you believe there is a heaven, be the change.  Live today like there is one, make it happen.  Quit holding on to your junk, whatever that may be, and live life and live it abundantly, without your self erected prison walls.  If you believe Jesus is a real person, live like it.  If you participate in the eucharist, live like Christ really is living in you.  Make a difference, be the change.

Responsibility

This is effectively attempt number two of my experiment I initiated earlier this week.  As with all experimental trials, some things work, others simply don’t.  So for this post, I’ll redirect my scalpel in an attempt to hit a different nerve.  Though I received two excellent comments from a couple readers, I’m not sure I hit the nerve I was hoping to.  And please remember, I am merely carrying out these observations in an attempt to spark conversation for positive change in the world.  I know that deep within the bowels of our being, we all want to be apart of something positive, affecting measurable compassionate transitions in the lives of people and in the overall life of this world we live in.

Thus, I issue my challenge again.  If you take time to read through this post, though it may be offensive or seem a bit curt, please be apart of the “conversation” and post even a short comment of your thoughts.  Maybe I’m being a bit optimistic and idealistic thinking that a random collection of blog readers and writers who likely disagree about a lot of stuff could actually work together to do good, but I like to aim high rather than wallow in my own self pity, throwing responsibility on someone else for the junk in the world.  So please, join us!

After a much longer intro than I was expecting, I’ll jump right to it.  In doing so, I’ll try to address some of the most taboo issues I can think of.

Responsibility.  I’ve got a couple thoughts.  First, let’s talk some politics.  Specifically, abortion.  Again, I’m arguing with an already constructed religious foundation that I hope to repurpose as a means to make a tangible, positive difference in this world, now.  We gripe and complain all the time about the politics surrounding these taboo issues.  I would even argue that Christians, especially in this country, are really good at making our disagreement known.  Here’s the problem: we disagree with the legislation, yet we are unwilling to provide an alternative.  As far as abortion goes, yes, I agree that there are many factors that play into that decision, no matter what side of the fence you’re on.  I’m not sure that I could argue for or against either side based upon my experience of almost losing my wife and child, unbeknownst to me.  Had I of known the severity of our situation, we would find ourselves in a very different state of affairs right now.

Back to the point at hand.  Traditionally, us evangelicals are perfectly okay with our blood pressure raising to dangerously high levels simply because we won’t bend on our pro life stance.  Now referring back to the notion of responsibility, I would argue that if we really are followers of Christ, we’d realize that pro life and pro choice are simply not adequate answers.  In my opinion, to hell with wasting our time trying to convince people to “join one team or the other.”  Who wants to join me in opening up my life and my home to women who are faced with that decision?  If you’re not willing to engage in someone’s life, even to the point of holding their hand as the procedure is finalized or taking their child into your home, you have no business even thinking you can tell someone what they can and cannot do.  Oh and I know, we can argue all day long about what the Bible says and all that jazz, but it’s likely we don’t know the same Jesus anyway if you think being a good christian means convincing me to think the same things as you do.  Just take a look at who Jesus spent most of his time with, and if you need help with some of the historical background, I’ll be glad to point you to some awesome resources.

My contention is this: don’t depend on the government to tell you how you are supposed to behave and act on behalf of your fellow humans.  Act as Jesus, which is usually not written in any law, either political or religious law.

Responsibility.  Second point and hopefully a short thought.  Slavery.  I think that hopefully, we can all agree that our world is a better place now that that sort of human exploitation is in the past.  Or is it?  One of the most popular criticisms of God is a question that wonders, how can a good god allow suffering in the world.  I would contest that its not so much God allowing it as it is we who are perpetuating the slavery and poverty of the world.  Here’s one example and then I’ll postpone for another post.  Do any of you know where your favorite pair of Nike shoes or Gucci hand bag comes from?  It is highly likely that a child not much older than my son, who is nearly four, is working for pennies a day, in horribly inhumane conditions, just so you can get your shiny new shoes at a decent price.  All the while, the parent company is making a ridiculous profit off the backs of slaves. For a humorous yet direct picture, take a look at the documentary, The Yes Men.

All in all, I maintain that if there is a group of people who will stop justifying our greedy and consumeristic lifestyles, across the board, and take some responsibility for the s*** that’s going on in the world, we can probably begin to make some positive change (in the spirit of Tony Campollo, if your more worried about the fact that I used a particular word than about the essence of the discussion, you’ve missed the point, and there’s really not much else I can do to articulate myself, and I fear this dialogue may come to an unfortunate end).  Now, don’t hear me say I don’t think there is any good happening, because that is not true at all.  In fact, it would likely be even more beneficial for us to join some of the groups that are already working to affect positive change in the world.

So let’s get the conversation going.  Let’s work to bring the kingdom of God here, now.  Let’s quit wasting time trying to convince each other to join our team or think like we do or categorize ourselves in the same political party. Forget all that stuff and let’s follow Jesus into the hurting places of the world and take some responsibility for what’s happening.  I believe that it is in that place that we’ll find God within us all, while at the same time discovering our true selves, being vital pieces of a much bigger and grander concept of life in abundance.