Monday, February 27, 2006

Progress Report #2

Well, this weekend the kitchen got deep-cleaned, I went to the Y (on Sunday and Saturday), I sawed the bottom off some closet doors that needed to be sized to fit. I’ll be installing them later. I washed and dried all my clothes and installed a wash line to dry them on. I borrowed my neighbor’s sawz-all to get rid of an existing wall in the basement. I listened to Greek Mythology on tape while I worked. I found the stories quite fascinating, with some strong parallels to the stories from the Biblical texts. I made dinner for my brothers and sisters who came to visit on Friday. I went out to eat with new friends on Saturday—we had an intense conversation. I think I managed to rattle their worldview a little. The friend, who invited me, is a part of a deliverance ministry. He’s a theologian. He’s also very intelligent, with a good dose of intellectual skepticism, which makes me wonder why he ever got involved in demonology. He looked a little worried when I brought up spirit guides and foretelling the future. His reaction, told me it was a bit beyond his realm of what a good Christian should know about. He looked at me as though he thought I needed an exorcism. I guess I'll have to wait and see if he follows up on me or not. Sunday, I went to church. I went out to coffee with another friend, blorge. We also had a good conversation. He said that he believed we all need deliverance. In fact, I believe at one point in Christian history exorcisms were a part of salvation—it entered into the language of baptism liturgy. We also talked a lot about intentional community and anti-consumerist living. It made me think of my most recent forays into pay by plastic. Last year rather than digging into my savings to pay for house repairs, I took out a 0% loan on a few credit cards which were offering 0% for 12 months. It’s a free loan for 12 months while my savings accumulates, I thought. I’ll pay it one month before interest kicks in. I’ve kept to my original plan. Yet, I am wondering though, if this is a “too close to the enemy” situation. I’d be quite interested in some thoughtful input because I really haven’t landed on anything. To me, it was a very relaxing weekend. A good combination of socialization, mental stimulation and manual labor.

5 comments:

asdf said...
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Blorge said...

Peter,
Capitalism is immoral in that it is fundamentally anti-Christian.

First, historically, it came about as a way to root society in something other than the church, in the same way ethics, epistemology, and morality were all de-churched after the Reformation and wars of religion.

Second, one of the major sins of the church all the way up until capitalism was usury (lending money at interest). It was decreed something that a Christian couldn't do to another Christian. This was changed at the rise of capitalism because the system fundamentally relied upon interest.

In that sense, Christians should have to think through very carefully their positions when they work at banks and credit card companies.

Another point is that capitalism is based on greed and self-interest.

Do we see that reflected in the Crucified God?

asdf said...
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asdf said...
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Blorge said...

I guess this is where my idea of communal living comes to play. I don't think capitalism is morally neutral, neither do I think that communism is. For one thing, Leninism is not the same as Marxism.

I don't want to apply Marx to the government, I want to apply his thought to the church.

The church has bought into the capitalist (and consumerist- to use a sociologicical idea) way of seeing the world. Back on my blog I mentioned that capitalism is a way of life.

As far as the word and deed thing goes, I think you're right, and it eats me up inside that I'm not the person I want to be (and whom I sense God calling me to be). I am taking concrete steps in that direction, though. It will take a long time for me to develop the spiritual disciplines that are needed.

Espiritu, what do you think?