As Moltmann will point out, our "yearning for the next world" and the way we ignore the messianic hope will direct the way we look at our participation within this new life we are told we have been given. The consequence was that a mild, non-sensuous spirituality, hostile towards the body, remote from the world, and completely unpolitical, replaced the original Jewish and Christian vitality which lives from God's creative Spirit. Sins are still equated even today with 'the lusts of the flesh', which are identified with licentiousness, although it is patently obvious that the death-drivers of this world are to be found in the covetousness and greed for power of the God-forsaken, self-deifying souls of modern men and women. Could this be why we blow off wall street cheats and war mongers and racists and corporate powers - they do not deal with 'the lust of the flesh"? How is it that we only label things as indecent if they deal with the body - as in sexuality? TV and movies are even rated in such a way. We (people of faith) do not say it is indecent the way we ran into war in Iraq and stay in Afghanistan. We do not call business indecent unless they deal in porn - therefore, McDonalds is marketed to our children even though it is going to be the death of them. Odd. Quite odd. When we are willing to split up our lives so that spirituality concerns something other, we are less likely to see how corrupt life can be and how it is so often run by powers that really are quite at odd with the vision of God's Reign. Connection: Today I just heard an NPR piece that was really quite critical of McDonalds giving away their 'toys' just to make a sale of their food. Some people are taking action to stop it because of the way children are being used in an unhealthy way by marketing people. No one has said it is indecent but the piece sure came close to saying that. Lord of the New Day, take us up into your Reign that comes to life in the midst of us and makes our lives into a part of your eternal rule. Amen. |
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