Dancing with Consumerism
Shane Hipps on moving toward, against, and away from the culture:
I make a distinction between three different kinds of consumerism. One is mainstream consumerism; the dominant hegemony that happens in our culture. Mainstream consumerism is mega. Walmart exemplifies this kind of consumerism, as does the mega-church. Boomer consumerism is mainstream consumerism.
Then you have counter consumerism, which is savviness. They are aware that Walmart and [Microsoft] Windows are trying to dominate, and they resist just like they resist mega-churches. But the odd thing is they’re no less consumers. They’re just counter consumers. A counter consumer buys Apple. It is absolutely consumer driven. They are consuming an identity that says we’re different; an alternative from the rest of you.
It’s youth rebellion. A reaction against what you’re parents like.
Yep. Instead of Starbucks you’ll go to the independent coffee shops. But it’s still coffee shops and it’s still consuming to form an identity. The emerging church is largely counter consumer. It’s really edgy, hip and trendy. But it’s no less consumeristic.
The third type is anti-consumerism. That is what I would call my context. Mennonites resist both the hip Apples and the hegemonic Windows. They would rather not have a computer. They’d rather make their own clothes, sow their own quilts, build their own homes. They’re very, very, very careful not to consume. That’s anti-consumer.
Read the whole thing here.
特別留意作者說的所謂Counter consumerism。事實上，這種自以為拒絕世俗，但換過來只是「換湯不換藥」的行為，在教會中卻比比皆是；例如：對流行音樂會的藐視，換過頭來卻是以「敬拜讚美」的形式讓教會中人得著同樣的亢奮；這一邊對時尚品牌、明星的對持，另一邊在教會中卻建立對另類「品牌」、「星級講員」的傾慕。呼籲對消費文化作出批判，卻又於各大福音會議和奮興聚會中以鋪天蓋地的方式促銷不同的書刊、課程。
對象或者換了，但心態行為其實並沒有兩樣。
更糟糕的是我們還以為這就是所謂的「入世而不屬世」了。