I have been watching #OccupyWallStreet be evicted and their camp destroyed. I feel the hope that this camp represented for me drain from my body. I remember the fear and discomfort I felt as we tried navigate New York under lock down on New Years last year. The Occupy movement has inhabited insistently the limits of freedom in our society and as they are evicted and their camp and property destroyed and so with it the illusion of freedom we thought we had, we thought we believed in, we thought was at the core of our identity. It turns out inconvenient freedom has been sold perhaps for as little as a bowl of soup. The NYPD has sold out freedom for a paycheque. I have been increasingly frustrated over the past few week to the point of miserable apathy at the quickness that Vancouver also has quickly and easily sold our birthright of freedom, we have been intimidated by tragedy and fear into sacrificing freedom. We do not seem to understand precedents are laid or broken based on this. We do not understand that silencing the voice of Occupy is effectively cutting out our own vocal chords in any and all future occasions. It is devastating to me the degree to which we have bought into the power systems and structures of our countries and are happily prepared to sell the freedoms of others for our own comfort. I am sad that I am so apathetic of our power systems and political structures I have failed to energize either myself or others to fight our slow slide toward totalitarianism. We have sold ourselves for soup. I am embarrassed. I am terrified. There is something very Machiavellian about the way that our Governments have dealt with Occupy. Our law has become complex enough and our freedoms expendable enough and loopholes large and plentiful enough that it is relatively simple to enforce and not enforce law as convenient by those in power in order to gain whatever result is desired. Its also helpful when you have a police force to violently enforce whatever you order without any immediate accountability.
Recently I have heard a lot of disturbing thing about a crime bill that Harper is trying to push through. Can anyone tell me more about it?
Hey Duncan,
ReplyDeleteI don't really have a strong opinion on the Occupy movement, which may by default put me on the "bad guys side" (whomever the reader thinks the bad guy is in this situation).
I came across this 5 minute clip, via facebook... I don't know this guy or what his leanings or biases are, but much of what he said resonated with me; though I fully understand he isn't exhaustive in his presentation. I mostly just wanted to post it here to see what your thoughts are on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OAOrT0OcHh0#!
- Greg Harris
"This guy gets it"
ReplyDelete-Over a million viewers.
ok despite the video only being topically and not directly related I will respond. I feel like to a certain degree we have addressed some of this in other articles. The point I vehemently disagree with is that he presents the current situation as an excellent one that we are ungrateful for. Perhaps, from an exclusively western one this is a possible interpretation but at a global level I think it is entirely incomprehensible. Furthermore, I don't understand how as Christian's we can embrace the practices of Monsanto or Exxon. I feel like there is fear that the recognition of the total bankruptcy of our economic and political systems could reduce them to a type of chaos we are not prepared for and perhaps do not really want. I feel like he is suggesting that we would be smarter to maintain the luxury of the staus quo which allows us privilege without sacrifice. I feel like Occupy being supported by middle and upper middle class youth demonstrates not a lack of work ethic or lack of comprehension of reality but rather the full comprehension of the emptiness of success, particularly success at someone else's expense or through exploitation. The global cost of western luxury is horrific. He suggest 3.5 day wilderness trips and learning to farm. But learning to farm is exactly what people are doing because we are terrified of Monsanto and the total power exerted by such corporations over every aspect of food production. So yes laugh at me on my iphone and lap top as I try to drag my life into a more ethical and integrated whole, that doesn't drink starbucks, eats organic food, minimizes driving, etc. Please feel free to criticize my moments of hypocrisy in my life as I scream and cry that governments and corporations are unabashedly and without any shame f@%#ing the earth and denying our impending doom, giving you a wink and a hand, buying your silence through the fear that you can't stomach deeper reality of total bankruptcy and chaos that we live in. As Christian we are supposed to be aware of sin and yet I think we are blind and complicit in the deepest and systemic issues that face us. We get caught up in surface issues like abortion, or that Occupy has iPads and are thus able with an air of self righteousness to ignore unjust war, economic exploitation and the psychological manipulation exerted daily through advertising. I feel like I am repeating myself over and over again and apologize for less diplomacy than in previous iterations but the pious and arrogant dismissal of Occupy and those who would speak against the devastating brokenness of our world and current systems is so unbelievable to me that I cannot respond politely. Greg, thank you for the genuine nature of your question I apologize for the brashness of my response. Please read "Canada is in need of Economic Reform Too" if you haven't already for some of our further thoughts on this issue.
ReplyDeleteI am lamenting the eviction of #OccupyWallStreet and am comforted by Duncan's outrage.
ReplyDeleteDuncan, thanks for your thoughtful response and your passion to take seriously the claims of our faith on our everyday life! I am encouraged by your passion for the less fortunate. I will read the article you referred to, sorry for not doing so before.
ReplyDeleteMy one quibble with your post is the line "We get caught up in surface issues like abortion, or that Occupy has iPads...". The use of iPads, iPhones and/or MacBooks to fight against corporations is indeed a surface level issue; agreed. However, many of our conservative brethren believe abortion is indeed an "unjust war" in and of itself and feel as passionate about fighting that sin in our society as you do about fighting the sin of corporatism. To dismiss one as surface and elevate another as central/underlying/core isn't charitable and it could unnecessarily cause brothers and sisters to stumble and miss your point altogether.
I hope that wasn't too convoluted.
Again, let me say thank you for your thoughtful response and engaging with the video even if it was a bit off centre from what you were talking about. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this conversation with you all.
-Greg Harris
Greg,
ReplyDeleteYour response was absolutely fair given the dismissive nature with which I threw abortion onto the table. Please don't think that I am pro abortion or am denying it as deep problem symptomatic of many other deep problems. The reason it felt relevant to this conversation was the way that issue is used, particularly in American politics to manipulate the vote. This is my complaint. That many people that validly feel strongly about the issue allow it to blind them to all other issues at stake. Similarly if we allow the mild hypocrisy of an iPad to blind us from engaging more deeply with Occupy or acknowledging the significant legitimacy of their critique - everybody loses and the world is worse off.
So people vote Republican because of abortion and Baghdad is destroyed. The math doesn't quite add up...
ReplyDeleteThanks for your clarifying and thoughtful response. Quibble settled :)
ReplyDelete-GH
Greg,
ReplyDeletewhen you comment there is a drop down box next to "comment as" that allows you to type your name or website or google id or whatever. Rather than posting as anonymous and signing. Just so you know.
=)
ReplyDeleteDuncan, I've been following your thoughts on the occupy movement. I hear your heart. I'd kind of like to way in on a couple of my own.
1) I'm VERY EXCITED - this isn't the first time in recent history where we've seen something like this. I'm excited because at the heart of this I get this sense that people are just upset at the way our culture works - its not working its not enough and there's something wrong. and thats very cool because we as family of Christians have an open door to share Jesus so I am happy this is happening. Remember the hippie movement was a protest of the exact same things that the occupy movement is standing for and what resulted from the hippie movement was the greatest revival in Evangelical Christianity in 50 years so part of me is excited that this is happening. I will explain later
2)I feel that there needs a distinction about what has happened on Wall Street VS Vancouver. What has happened at Wall street is understandable constructive (as a whole) vs Vancouver which I think has done more to shame and destroy what the movement stands for than anything else. Let me explain how I feel Jesus says that it's not what goes into man that makes him sinful/holy but rather its what he says and does that come reveal the condition of his heart. So that said, my conclusion of Vancouver is that while the original intention was good, its become something other than what is was meant for. The message I that comes across to me from the occupy Vancouver camp is more of "We're protesting because we have a right to protest" vs we're protesting because we believe in a cause. You see I have never believed that the rights we given in the charted existed so they can exist, they exist for a cause to fight for and whatever Vancouver was it isn't now. Now they are fighting for the right to stay vs what the came out for. So when anyone spends money on legal battles, drugs, and warm airmattress while NOT using that money to quech the thirst of people on the east it convaies the message the ability to protest is more important than why.
I also feel in Vancouver its more about protesting for its own sake rather than a cause because if people REALLY and i mean REALLY BELIEVED IN any cause they would scarifier everything for that cause. I don't see that determination here mainly because there are intentional things they are doing that are giving the press the EXUSE of not listening to the message
2) As a college student with a debt I do have to argee with guy in the video. We are the problem, not just the governments. At least in Canada they always give you more of a loan then what you need. If I spend more than I need thats not the governments fault thats my fault. Its really hard for me to get behind a movement that blames the rich for explotiting us when we do the same thing with the money we do have. In this case it feels like the blind leading the blind. You see no matter what system we have in place capitalism, communism, socialism, there will always be a need for people and people will always try to find a way to play the game and twist the rules in their favour. It's not policies, or governments or the media its the people. you me, everyone that's the problem. and even if the best possible outcome would come out of this someone would twist it in a way that profits them.
And that's why I am very happy about the movement because the last time this happened Christianity. Where the governments fail Jesus won't exploded and it was the first time since 1914 where the gospel was considered culturally relevant.
The Jesus movement was a direct consequence of the hippie movement. It was a movement born in the mid 1960’s and they were known for establishing their own communities. The hippie movement was seen by some historians as a cultural trend that nearly brought the U.S.A into a national breakdown. It was the largest shift in cultural values American had seen and was cultivated by a period of uncertainty. The validity of the space race led many Americans to question the value of the American dream and the pursuit of materialism. Parents wanted to spare their children the agony they had known through events like the great depression. As a result the advertizing industry placed emphasis on material goods. However, the focus on materialism did not seem to bring peace for youth. Despite their vast education and wealth youth lived in an era of uncertainty. Baby Boomers were in high school when Kennedy was murdered and they attended college when King was shot. Many watched as many of their friends went off to a controversial war.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the uncertainty and dissatisfaction, the hippie movement was born. It was an ideology that communicated that it wanted more than its culture had to offer. It rejected the values of traditional Americans which also included church. Hippies were searching for freedom and spiritual truth. A significant amount of teens left their homes to roam. Hollywood and the Haight-Asbury district of San Francisco. They left home in search for love and peace that the hippie movement offered. Many came from middle class homes in Iowa and Texas. Haight-Asbury became the hub for the hippie movement largely because a significant number of rock bands made their headquarters there. It was so popular that in songs where written about it, “ If you’re going down to San Francisco / be sure to put some flowers in your hair.” Rock Music was seen as the common medium to communicate hippie teachings. Hippies turned to drugs, sex, and the occult to find spiritual truth. Hippies taught against the values of Western culture and withdrew from the “rate race.
Drugs were seen as a tool to initiated spiritual quests. This in turn led to the practice of yoga and the participation of cults. Hippies turned to drugs and eastern religions instead of church many reasons. Churches were seen as part of the Western institution. The church’s relation to American culture in part led to the rejection of Christianity. Drugs and Eastern religions offered experience in spirituality and fellowship that many did not perceive in regular church.
While not all churches were suffering, a vast majority of them experienced a sharp decline prior to and during the hippie movement. Protestant denominations such as the United Methods had lost thousands of members during this time and they were not alone. Many churches were forced to make budget cutbacks and lay off staff. Reasons for the decline included sermons that offered little spiritual help, and a sense of ritualism that made many church goes feel bored.
Many churches at this time suffered from a lack of genuine fellowship which is arguably the most effective way to communicate God’s love. Instead they were concerned with tradition and politics. These stood in the way of expressing God’s love through loving people. When people did not find these things they left traditional spirituality in search of spiritual practices that would give them love peace. Growing dissatisfaction with the church and American culture provided the premium environment for a counter cultural movement.
In some ways the socioecomic conditions that existed then are present in this movement today. is't that awesome?
ReplyDeleteThis environment contained the best conditions for a revival in Christianity to begin. The hippie movement was a search for spiritual freedom and the Jesus movement was seen as a popular answer to that search. People who did not find authentic fellowship or passion for God found it inside the Jesus movement. It was within this cultural framework that Jesus movement began.
Primary sources make it difficult to determine the exact date this movement began. However the first most significant manifestation of this movement can be traced to California. In 1967 a Christian coffeehouse opened as mission in the Haight Ashbury district. It was used as means of evangelism. Eventually people from the converted to Christianity and started coffee houses, communes, and newspapers of their own.
It largely originated as a gospel presented from former hippies to current hippies. As a result converts articulated their faith in the counter cultural slang of the hippies. This presented a clear simple message of who Jesus was without traditional Christian language. When it was presented in their language it made them feel as if Jesus was being presented without the religious baggage that led to its rejection. Up until this point, Jesus and Christianity were seen as mundane and complicated. Phrases like, “dropping a little Mark, Mathew and John” helped youth understand the gospel without Christian language. Pat Boone, a witness to the movement said, “People were attracted to Jesus, not the institution.” When this happened many hippies began to realize that everything they were looking for was found in Jesus. Converts like Barry Macquarie, explained it like this, “Everything wrong with world (and the answers to that) were found in Jesus.”
By the time the movement gained national attention, coffeehouses and communes were in fifty states and ten provinces. Christian singers of that era described it as a holy explosion and believed that it was God’s way of communicating that He cared for this generation.
Jesus people were recognized by four beliefs but the most fundamental two were the belief in a direct experience with Jesus and their emphasis on authentic community. This was unique to American Evangelism of its time. They also were recognized by a belief that they were living in the last days and practiced healings, tongues and other charismatic trends although they were quick never to classify themselves as Pentecostal. Their zeal and their intentional love for people were the two most powerful traits that defined them as a movement. Their success at popularizing Jesus and loving people expressed itself through many forms that included communes, underground papers, and music.
So I guess what I'm trying to say by this. is that you shouldn't be discouraged about whats going on. I see it as a good thing. But don't put the hope in the movement either because Occupy blames the government and some of it is valid, but the real problem is the human heart... and what the movement has failed at Jesus has succeeded in so so don't give up hope Duncan. The Jesus movement succeeded where the hippie movement failed. it could happen again... You all ready have the answer... and if you doubt that just Jesus just the gospel can effect change in our culture you need to read time magizine articale "Is God dead" and then Contrast it with its " The Jesus Revolution"
ReplyDeleteI think that would have been worth a guest post rather than a series of comments. Thanks Dan.
ReplyDeleteDan that was great. I think you put your finger on a lot of the sentiment I have been feeling. I too would agree that occupy Vancouver was compromised very quickly. I like where you push to the individual human responsibility for actions. I think that holds a lot of truth.
ReplyDeleteMy one push back or feeling that is left unsettled is the institutions and systems. Although all things eventually come down to individual actions, sometimes these institutions and systems take on a life of their own. I saw the occupy moment, as flawed as it was, as attempting to change some of the structures that we have built up. With the demise of occupy, I can't help feeling that a loss of hope that the systems would be forced to change more rapidly.
Here is an article that a friend Caitlin posted today. I think it adds to this ongoing discussion, specifically the systematic changes that appear to be beyond any one individual. I want to hope that in our Christian response to the end of occupy we are able to continue to challenge and change systems like this, in addition to the individuals who have opened themselves up to hear the gospel as Dan so elequantly stated.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/11/why-i-feel-bad-for-the-pepper-spraying-policeman-lt-john-pike/248772/#.Tsl3GsLCFCc.facebook
@ Duncan Thanks Man... I wrote a whole paper on it. I kind of of carried away
ReplyDelete@ Silas
Thanks for the encouragement and push back. and I would agree that the systems do need to change but perhaps, just my opinion maybe some more thought needs to be put into what needs to change. Everyone came to Occupy with their own problems and solutions. Not every problem is valid, not every solution is good. but again I would strongly agree with you that the systems do need to change but to what end I am not sure and there are some solutions that may end up being worse. At the very least, people are upset and I think its a start. Like I said earlier the change needs to come from each individual heart. I mean lets be super honest here for a minute. It was ONLY IN 2006, six years ago that we were living in na age where people had so much money (or access to enough credit), they were putting rims on their rims and paying 150/m for an iphone. It was only six years ago that you could walk the streets of Calgary and see Now Hiring signs everywhere and a job market so big that Calgary had a housing shortage. It was only six years ago that you could work at MCdonalds in the city for $17/h
Now everyone is broke.... and jobless.... ONLY six years later. Are the RIGHT people mad for the RIGHT reasons and for the RIGHT things, or are we just mad that we can't pay off the debts we owe for putting the rims on our rims. Would Occupy still exist today had the economic prosperity of BC and Alberta continued. Are people mad at the system or mad because in their hearts they foster the love of money. Let me be clear I do believe the system needs to change. I do believe there are lots of people who doing it for the right reasons, but I have a sad feeling should we return to the economic bliss we enjoyed six years ago today the cries for social change would be left to the class rooms and UnderGrad socials at Starbucks. That`s why I`m so passionate about the change of the individual but please don`t see that as an exuse not to change the system. Greed is what lead us hear, so re training character as culture is where we start.
I think also you should not be discouraged. If took Occupy in a Global context, it`s one chapter in the story. When they do the Global news recap of 2011, im sure someone will name the year of the riots. More political and social riots and protests have happened this year than in the last 10. Consider what we`ve seen Greece, London, Egypt, Iran, Lybia, The Vancouver Stanely Cup Riot, and Occupy. more policitcal social change has happened this year than in most years. The world is angry something will give and you can bet Occupy would have helped foster at least some of it.
ReplyDelete