Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Is Christianity the end of Consumerism? (Part 2)

I have been pondering the idea of the fall of humanity lately found in the first part of Genesis. I am compelled by the complexity and simplicity of the narrative.

Here's my brief take on the fall of humanty:
God was in relationship with Adam and Eve. Adam was in relationship with God. Eve was in relationship with God. Adam was in relationship with Eve. Eve was in relationship with Adam. There was relationship and connection with the creation and the creator... (note: was)

The relationships broke apart in a selfish act of possession by Adam and Eve. Consumerism is an act of possession rooted in the idea that I want what I don't have...

The beauty of the story is that we still fall under the same temptation to define ourselves by what we possess.

For Adam and Eve the selfless-ness of relationship was trumped by the selfish act of possessing the forbidden fruit in order to have something other than relationships define them.

The basic value of our consumer culture is possession.

Here's the way I see it: I don't have what I want, therefore I don't know who I am, maybe if I had another 'possession' I would know who I am? Adam and Eve reached out to be identified by something other than relationship... the object became the focus, not the relationship (with one another or with God). We seek (and continue to seek) posessions in our culture to define us. The questions becomes, what possesses what? or who possesses whom? Love is not possession...

I believe Jesus came to abolish our Identity based on possession and re-established relationship (us with God and one another).

You (nor I) will ever be defined by what we possess, ever. God's love for us is not possession, it's freedom from possession.

Christianity is the end to capitalism (and any other 'ism', Brien) Thanks be to God...