Fallen Into Knowledge

I Preached on Sunday, on about 24 hours’ Notice. Here is the manuscript, its not as polished as I might have liked, but it practically fell off the tip of my pen (or keyboard, as the case may be). I was in Bend for the weekend with my family when I got the call, and while there I took some pictures, which can be found in the photo galleries. So, without further ado, the sermon:

We have been traipsing through Hebrews this fall, but today we are going to make a small detour.

And although its a bit out of our way, I think it will be helpful for us, &,etc.

Go up to the Mountain: We are not those who shrink back: Exodus 19-20As we have made our way through Hebrews we have seen how the author imagines the readers to be standing, like Israel, on the edge of the Jordan River, about to cross over into the Promised Land. They were afraid, though, because even though God promised it to be a super-abundant land: rich in resources and a place where Israel could call home, they also remembered the stories, the report of the 40 sent into spy out the land, who said to the people of Israel:

“We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we are.”

Israel was afraid, standing there on the edge of the Jordan: for even though the desert had not been a very good home for them, and they had often wished for something different: at least it was familiar. The author of Hebrews imagines us there also, standing at the edge of the Jordan River, and in Hebrews calls to us to leave behind the covenants we have made with this world, to leave behind what is familiar, and step into Christ, in to a Covenant that is completely different. (more…)

Environmentalism, in its origin, and taken to it logical conclusions is deeply subversive for capitalism and consumerism.

Environmentalism, in its popularized form seeks to satiate the guilt-complexes that it produces in people through consumerism.

Example #1

Buying Carbon-Offsets.

Carbon offsets are the prime example of this: that we might allay the effects of our consumption by further consumption. in effect, by buying carbon offsets, we are not changing our relationship to the environment, but further enmeshing us in our current relationship with it. The consumer is lead to believe (and here pop environmentalism parallels the dieting obsession) that one can become “environmentally responsible” without significantly altering their lives. Or, that environmentally responsibility is mainly about managing consumption rather than by subverting it.

Example #2

Recycling. Recycling functions is a similar way for us: the activity of recycling serves for us a metaphor of continual consumption that is almost theological: the thing is always made new, and can always be made new. As such, we are freed to continue consuming because the consequences of our consumption, the waste, is perpetually redeemed. Again, our environmentally motivated action is further consumption.

Pop environmentalism, as described here exemplifies the way in which capitalism subsumes any criticism of it. Capitalism creates in any counter-capitalist movement another opportunity for consumption: Do you want to simplify your life? Then buy this book, or go to the container store where they have the solution to your clutter for a low price! Again, environmentalism taken to its conclusion is deeply inimical to capitalism: truly the only way to change our current destructive relationship to the environment is by (or includes as a necessary condition for success) our consuming less.

A Last Example

Organically grown produce: Standing in the supermarket isle we are shielded from the origin of the produce before us, and therefore for us the option is: buy organic or not. However, in all likelihood the significant environmental choice pertains to how far the produce has traveled in reaching the store: an organically grown apple that had to be flown in from chile fails us in the environmental responsibility department. The organic food movement has been a boon to capitalism, however, because it obscures the fact that if we commit to eating regional foods our diet would include less variety. We might not notice too much here in the Pacific Northwest, but even for us orange juice would be straight out. “Buy Organic” still places the emphasis on the “buy.”

One of the reasons for my not posting was that I have been preparing this site. Look around, there are pictures, videos, and sundry other goodies here. Also, make sure to update your RSS readers to reflect the new RSS feeds. Another reason is that I have started classes: and while the classes themselves are not difficult, I have used this “being in school-ness” to dive into reading some books that I have wanted to for too long: specifically, I have read a bunch of Agamben, a ton of Foucault, and even some Zizek. Stay tuned for posts related to these readings.