Life for Suburbia :: Week 2 Homework & Week 3 Topic

We've started into our work on Following Jesus in Suburbia. Last Sunday some of us shared our first week's homework which was to write out the 'Suburban Narrative'. We had some great insight into the assumptions and aspirations of the stereotypical suburban way of life.

The homework for this week is to respond to the 'Suburban Narrative' with an alternative narrative: namely, how the suburbs might look if Jesus was in charge...if the dream of God started to come true right here in the 'burbs.

Week 3 Topic: Consumerism & Relationships
We'll also be looking more closely at consumerism and what it does to our relationships. To get your thinking started, here are a few ideas I've been working with lately.

What are the bits of the suburban script that need to be rewritten?

The Suburban Script: I am a Consumer

of product (food, clothing, stuff)
marketing has long been targeted toward convincing people to think of themselves primarily as consumers. (consumers’ reports for one example, George Bush’s comments about shopping being patriotic [see Colossians remixed]; ever hear of a consumers’ bill of rights?)
“I shop therefore I am.”

-of experience (entertainment)
marketing is now being reoriented toward selling experience. And we start to see ourselves as consumers of experiences. This puts us in a place to make demands. After all, the customer is always right, right? If you hear it enough, you start to think you just might really be the center of the universe.
Think now about how this is being expressed in our churches. Churches are expending massive amounts of energy and money to make sure that people have an experience that satisfies their tastes (and keeps them coming back). This is not the whole of the motive, but it is right there nonetheless. We are starting to truly believe that we are, first and foremost, consumers.
This also starts to move us into thinking of ourselves as a kind of sovereign (‘be like gods’, getting whatever you want whenever you want it.)–this is a subtle but dangerous expression of idolatry (self-worship).

-of relationship (service industry, conduits of progress)
When you become a consumer of products and experience, it is a very easy move to think of yourself as a consumer when it comes to relationships. We start to relate to other people the way you relate to toothpaste.
We unconsciously start doing a cost/benefit analysis to our relationships. Whoever has a more effective marketing campaign, whoever offers a more pain-free or entertaining experience, those people get your business.

Consumption is about transactional relationships.
“I am willing to pay something as long as I’m getting something of value to me back. The less I have to pay, and the more I get back, the better.”

Consumption trains us to see people as:
-impersonal functionaries that facilitate my free movement through life.
(cashier, server, garbage truck driver, telephone operator, mail carrier, etc.)
-I stop seeing people as persons deserving respect.

-relational connections to open up opportunities for my progress in life.
(“tit-for-tat”; “how will this person help to get me what I want?”)
-I start to see people in terms of how they benefit me.

-obstacles to my free movement or competitors for my opportunities.
(“outwit, outlast, outplay”; road rage; phone rage; mall rage)
-I start to see people as obstacles, competitors or enemies.

What does this do to our souls?
-we are deceived into thinking we’re more important than others
-we become more insecure about our place and worth
-we become less satisfied/content the more we consume
-we reflect the image of God less and less; losing our humanity
-we gradually lose the capacity to love and to be loved
-we grow more isolated, angry, suspicious, and empty

SOUL WORK | STREET WORK :: Retreat Sept 21-23

Click on the banner above to download info on the retreat. Please contact Randy or Joel if you intend to come along. If you can make arrangements, please come along. It will be worth the trip.

Shane Claiborne of the simple way community

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