Consumerism

As you know I have been thinking a lot recently about the lack of passion and drive we seem to have in this Country regarding our faith compared with other places in the world – especially where there is persecution, and particularly with the early church. Not only that, but I have been frustrated by the lack of interest there seems to be in the gospel, certainly with non-Christians, but also sometimes within the church itself. One of my friends in particular will be very aware of another frustration of mine, which is to do with the fact that I seem to always make everything about me. I hate that any conversation I have always winds up back at me again. I just can't seem to get away from 'myself'. (I don't know how many other people understand this concept. Its very difficult to explain – I can't seem to put it into words!). This may just seem like a list of my 'annoyances', but its not, I promise. I am going somewhere with this! On Sunday, Richard said something which made me realise that all of these frustrations can be summed up into one concept: I am annoyed at consumerism.

"Consumerism is a term used to describe the effects of equating personal happiness with purchasing material possessions and consumption." - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumerism

This is apparently the definition of consumerism although I think I am speaking about it much more broadly than this. When I say consumerism I am talking about the attitude of seeing everything in terms of 'what I can get from it'. Or, 'what benefit is it to me'. In other words consumerism is focussing on 'getting stuff for self'. This is likely to be in order to achieve personal happiness, and as such is a very hedonistic attitude.

Now regardless of whether we can really call that consumerism or not, I am going to use the term in that way to illustrate my point. Richard was saying that we live in a consumer society, where people are driven by this desire for 'stuff', and actually, this attitude is filtering into the church. He mentioned this in the context of service – saying how there are relatively few in a church body who actually get involved in service, whilst many just sit back and take what they can from it.

The lack of people willing to serve is, I think, just one aspect of where the consumerism bug has hit churches. Another massive area is tithes – we will give ten percent, nothing more, and some don't even do that. I even think it has hit us in the respect of our worship. We have spent so long discussing what sort of songs we should sing, who should play them for us, and whether worship should be contemporary or traditional. I don't think these discussions are wrong in themselves, but my argument often ends up in, 'I need to feel comfortable in my worship.' Why? Worship is surely not meant to be about me or what I can get out of it or how comfortable I am. It is about God and only God. Worship is not for us.

Another thing – I bought a new car the other day, (very exciting), but quite obviously parted with a big sum of money in exchange. I always feel guilty using so much money on myself, but someone said to me, 'why not enjoy your wages'. Now I suppose this is true. Why not? I earned it. I just wonder, if there was something less selfish that needed that much money, would I have been so willing to part with it knowing I was not going to get anything out of it myself. In all honesty, probably not.

Most importantly, I am worried that our (and when I say our I guess I really mean my) faith has become just an addition to life rather than the everything of life. I am worried that faith has become about, 'what we can get out of it'.

I like going to church. I have lots of friends there and I love chatting with them. I like listening to the sermons because usually it makes me think, and I like exercising my brain in that way. I enjoy leading the book club and the small groups for much the same reasons. I love church mostly because I feel I belong, and it gives me a sense of security, and all this comes without too much personal cost. Ten percent of my wages and a cost in terms of time, and that is about all really. What if my faith suddenly required me to leave the comfortable security within the church building, and go somewhere and put my reputation, and my security on the line? Would I do it? I honestly don't know. I think I try to protect myself so much from hurt that I will only allow my faith to have a certain part of my life. Also, even when thinking about God, do we allow ourselves to only think about God's love and all the 'niceties' of God rather than needing to also have a fear of God. I know God is great, I am not saying He is not, but He is also a judge, and I wonder if sometimes we are much more ready to acknowledge all the 'nice' stuff than the judgement stuff because it makes it better and easier for us. Is this whole thing just about what I can get from it?