Children are just cheap pieces in a society that wants them only as cogs in its dark culture[;] [F]uture consumers [--] the more distraught the family life, the better consumers they are. ~Northern Farmer

After reflecting on that tidbit from Northern Farmer, I finally placed a hold on a copy of Crunchy Cons. Per the internet buzz, Crunchy Cons is the book written by Rod Dreher, a Birkenstock wearing, countercultural conservative. The interview with the author is well worth a read. You’ll agree and you’ll disagree, but you’ll be glad you took the time to read it. (Click over, but don’t forget to come back.)

In the interview, he relates a conversation with a family who critiques the typical Ameri-Christian lifestyle, one in which faith and practice are compartmentalized. I’ve thought as much for years, but if you mention it aloud, the “Jesus-Is-Your-Buddy folks” will pull out the trump card. The ace of spades, of course, is, “Judge not…” Since I live in a glass (chicken) house, however, I’ll duck and allow Rod Dreher to toss a stone:

I interviewed a woman for the book who lived with her family in Midland, Texas. She and her husband were Presbyterians, and they were church planters there, and they had eight kids, and they were home schooling, and they ate a lot of natural food, and no TV, the whole magilla, and you know she told me, “It’s the weirdest thing, we’re living in the most Christian, most Republican place we’ve ever lived, and we look around and we can’t see how people’s faith affects the way they live their lives at all. They’re all captives to the consumer culture. They’re all buying their kids the most expensive new things. She said that’s not how Christians are supposed to live; that’s not how conservatives are supposed to live. They’ve sold out to the values of the world, and think that as long as they profess to hold the beliefs of the Christian faith, that that’s enough. (emphasis mine)

What does rejecting modern consumerism have to do with living Biblically? Just this: it is impossible to live a Biblical life while being “captives to the consumer culture.” It’s that easy– once you consider that Christians are called to be slaves to only one Master. It’s about being thoughtful, aware, and deliberate about our decisions. It’s about thinking through the consequences of our everyday choices. It’s about choosing how to live life, instead of just allowing “them” to tell you how to do it or just doing it because that is what we do. It is about fulfilling your purpose to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

If you decide to turn on the TV, at least let it be because it is a thoughtful choice–not just an automatic ritual, the habitual flick of the wrist every evening. If you’re really feeling adventurous, ask and answer the question, Hey, wait a second… why do I have a TV, anyway? (Yes, we have one.)

Of course, the problem isn’t that we disagree that consumerism has run amuck, but that we’re so entrapped that we don’t even realize we’re slaves. In spite of this trend, however, there is a growing movement of Christians who are merging their Sunday faith with the rest of the week. They’re unplugging, literally and figuratively. The blinking lights of many modern gadgets might arguably be neutral in nature, but to the degree in which we are captive to their rule, our own lights will only continue to be overshadowed.

Some people have mistakenly thought that, well, this Crunchy Con stuff, you’re telling people they’re not as good if they don’t eat organic, or if they don’t live in the right kind of house, or wear the right kind of clothes, and I tell them, boy, you have the wrong idea. Like I said, my wife and I shop at Wal-Mart when we need to; this is not an ideology. This is about living out the call to holiness in every possible way. We do the best we can to put God and our family first, and in the book I’ve identified some ways I think of doing that, from a conservative point of view, but these are means, not ends in themselves. ~Rod Dreher