We live in the middle of a
branded universe, in which everything is designed to make us devote ourselves
to things. And advertising doesn’t speak to the rational part of us: it goes
for the heart. It produces desires and longings in us. It sings to us:
advertising jingles are lullabies of lucre, helping us to fall in love with the
promise that owning material goods will secure us and complete us. To stroll
through Bondi Junction Westfield is to stroll through a soaring cathedral of
consumer goods, bathed in a transcendent holy white light, not quite sure where
you are going, other than that you feel the burning urge to purchase something.
It is a powerful cult, this cult of mammon, and we are in its church 24/7 –
because its siren songs are beamed into our homes and burned onto our brains.
We gather in church,
for one precious hour on Sunday, to escape from the god of material wealth
and possessions. Here we find a place where that God is banned. His domain is
outside the door. We are here to retrain our hearts: to remind us of that the
God that died for us is the true God. To hear the words of life; to sing
different songs, and to awaken in ourselves different heart-longings. Which is
why the disciples of Jesus in the 21st century, if they are to serve
the true master, need more than ever to dedicate this part of their lives and
more to him. How else can your heart survive in such a world? How else can you
be protected from the deep longings for material things that this city so
openly worships?
4 comments:
A bit rich, wouldn't you say?
I mean, your little anti-materialism whine, isn't it a bit hypocritical given the Sydney Diocese's previous chase after the quick buck in the financial world and its subsequent huge loss?
And what about you guys' belief in the materialist worldview and its use as the interpretative backdrop for the Bible's account of creation?
That's right, Michael, cover your ears and go "I can't hear you. Nah, nah, nah, nah..."
1. No.
2. I don't understand what you are saying. Please don't attempt to explain.
3. Passive aggressive... ie, 'if you don't agree with me, or, if you say that I am troll who doesn't deserve responding to, then I say you are covering your ears."
“We gather in church, for one precious hour on Sunday, to escape from the god of material wealth and possessions. Here we find a place where that God is banned.”
What, you don’t collect the lucre from your parishioners any more?
I'm not sure the tone of M.Jensen's reply was all that saintly or pastoral...if you are going to go all bloggy and tweety you Dog-Collars are going to have to get a bit of a thicker skin and accept that everyone else in the world WHO YOU ARE ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WITH will actually respond, and they wont agree with everything you write. It doesn't help that you are also representing a nearly 2000 year old institution which does come with a bit of baggage - oh, and also your name is Jensen.
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