Well, since it appears that I am the last Delta to blog on Shane's book, there's no better time than now to do it. I might be behind, but there were a few things that I have witnessed this week that have really shaped the way I think of this book. Since I am a big fan of lists, my thoughts will be arranged in list form.
1) Charity and College
Fact: The large majority of the people reading this blog are college students.
Fact: As college students, we owe tens of thousands of dollars for tuition.
It was ironic to me that, over the summer, I was reading a book that preached (this word is an understatement) the Simple Way. We are told that we are "stealing" if we have two shirts and our neighbor has one. This frugality, on paper, makes sense. I am not denying that helping the less fortunate should be a priority for many people. It kills me inside to think that there are people who do not have the simple, everyday things that I have. But, on the other hand, it is hard for me to focus on this when I have a mound of impending debt staring in my face. My point with this section is simple; it would unfair (and wrong) to call me unChristian because I do not give everything that I own away when I am not even supporting myself at the moment.
2. Earthquakes and Whispers
1 Kings 19:11 - 13 Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquke but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
Truly, the Lord was in the whisper and not in the other wonderous and powerful events. This verse is referenced by Shane (at least indirectly) to explain how it is the small things in life where we find God and not in large cathedrals.
It is ironic then to find myself in St. Paul's cathedral on my second day on campus! To be honest, I found myself overwhelmed when I stepped into the sanctuary. This was the largest church I had ever been in. I definitely see how God can be found in the "whispers" but to me, all signs pointed to God in this cathedral. Yes, this building was large, but was not Soloman's Temple even more ornate? (read 1 Kings 6 for reference)
In my eyes, God can be found in all places. His prescence can be felt everywhere, whether that be in the small and seemingly insignificant "whispers" or a large and decorative cathedral, except in...
3. Armani, Gucci, and Chanel
A little backstory is needed for this one: in the rush to pack for college, I obviously forgot a few things handy for college life (a lamp, my spare car key, etc.). My uncle was coming up to the cities for his fantasy football draft, so he said that he would drop these items off for me. We then went over to the Mall of America for lunch and to pick up a few things he needed. Talk about excess!
While we were in Nordstroms, I sneaked a peak at a (cleverly hidden) price tag on a (seemingly normal) tie. The price: $175! Being the curious person I am, I decided to look at more price tags. $200 for a shirt! $750 for a sport coat!! $5000 for a purse!!! (I apologize for the excessive exclamation points but my head was spinning.)
I looked around the store; men in expensive suits were trying on pricey cologne, women in flashy outfits wearing gaudy jewelry. Where was God in this place? I certainly didn't find him among the suits.
Perhaps this is where I most agree with Shane. Who knows how many natural resources were destroyed in creating the things in this store? Who know the names of the countless over-worked and under-paid people that created these items? And all to create something that will be over-priced and will probably sit in the back of some person's closet.
To recap: Shane makes some good points in his book, but I disagree with a lot of them. It is not neccessarily the things that he brings up, but in the way that he says them. We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of the God. Shane comes off as very self-righteous in his quest to be closer to God.
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