Sat 24 Sep 2005
Shiny, Happy People
Posted by tom cottar under Uncategorized
*WARNING: Rant Ahead*
Just reflecting today on Rita and the powerlessness of man-powered ministry. We give atheists less and less to disbelieve everyday. We are polytheists; our gods are Comfort, Convenience, Prestige, Ego, and Power.
We forget we are aliens, for we no longer experience lack, fear, humility, service, weakness, brokenness, etc. that usually accompany foreigners in a strange land. We are now comfortable and at home in a place which is not our home. Most of the time, it feels pretty good.
Some of us have even convinced ourselves that we actually ‘fit in’ here and have something in and of ourselves to offer this place.
We have drunk from the wells of complacency long enough.
We have joined a subtle rebellion of arrogance.
Affluenza is our generational cultural virus. We have become prostitutes of material comforts. Whatever happened to offering ourselves as ‘living sacrifices’? (Rom.12)
Broken.
Burned up.
Spilled out.
Used up.
Spent.
All for the sole purpose of glorifying the Creator. It’s not about me anyway.
Or you, either, for that matter.
Bottom Line: It’s God’s world. I’m just a squirrel… 
3 Responses to “ Shiny, Happy People ”
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September 24th, 2005 at 5:52 pm
So you’re saying that [*gasp*] the Jesus of Suburbia is a lie?
Good rant, though the only connection I could make with Michael Stipe was Losing My Religion, which led me somehow to American Idiot. Not sure why …
I haven’t met many authentic atheists. Most people worship something. Jesus was right, you know. It is hard for the rich to follow him. Even having experienced part of the alternative, I still struggle. At least I don’t try to convince myself I’m not rich anymore, even if I don’t have nearly as much as some people in our society.
September 25th, 2005 at 1:31 pm
my stream of consciousness went something like the following:
“Hey, Dylan. Sesame Street is on…”
“Look, there’s REM doing ‘Shiny Happy MONSTERS.”
(He’s not interested)
(Flipping to FOX News…)
“Wow. Look at Rita go.”
“Wow. Look at all the polished politicans go…”
“The cure is Christ, not FEMA…”
———————————–
I guess I just long for the day when a person’s worth is determined more by their commitment to Christ and their compassion for each other, more so than if they own a Nano.
(although, i’d like one in black…)
September 26th, 2005 at 5:17 am
It did not sound like a rant to me, it just sounds like a Christian brother loving another Christian. We have fogotten how to love in the faith, Paul never forgot how to love, he called everyone out on the carpet because he cared about their eternity, not their feelings.