We’ve been talking recently about consumerism, Christianity, and church. This was originally going to be a 3 part series that I was going to wrap up Friday, but the 3rd post just didn’t come together. Then the more I thought about it, the more I felt there were other things to discuss first. So, at this point I have no idea where this is going or how many posts it will include. It will probably depend on your comments and feedback. But today I want to talk about…
The American Dream
The American Dream has been put on a pedestal in movies, TV, and commercials. It’s more or less assumed that everyone in America is in pursuit of the American Dream. I’d like to hear your thoughts on 2 questions today:
1) What is the American Dream?
2) Is it consistent with Biblical Christianity?
Here are some of my thoughts…
For the most part people think of the American Dream in a positive light. It’s about love of God, country, and family. It’s about building a good life through honesty and hard work. Here are some things I believe most people consider part of the American Dream.
- A fulfilling marriage
- 2 well-behaved kids
- A comfortable house in a nice suburban neighborhood
- A good 9-5 job
- Afternoons spent running the kids around to their extra-curricular activities
- Evenings spent chilling out in front of the TV
- Weekends at the beach, the amusement park, the movies, the ballpark or whatever entertains you
- A couple of weeks each summer with the family a Disney World or the Smokey Mountains
Those all seem like nice things, right? I mean nobody would say any of these things are bad in and of themselves right?
Let’s read how the Bible describes the early church in Acts 2:42-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
The early church looks a lot different than the American dream, doesn’t it?
Yet the lives of most American Christians (including my own) look a lot more like the American dream than the early church. This is an issue I’ve personally been wrestling with for a while. It’s causing me a lot of angst, especially after spending a week in Kenya and seeing the way so many people there are struggling just to survive.
So, what do you think? How would you describe the American Dream? Is it consistent with Biblical Christianity or is it an idol. Is it possible to follow Jesus and live the American dream? Or is the American dream something that distracts us from living lives that truly exemplify a love for God and other people?
[image by johnmueller]
I think the idea of what the American dream is has been perverted and made into something it never was meant to be. I believe you are right in that most Americans think they are entitled to happiness and that the happiness comes from, a family, house, job, and stuff bought with extra money. The reality is that the American dream is not entitlement to these things but the OPPORTUNITY to obtain goals and WORK towards something more than what you have in the FREEDOM that was established here. I believe the American dream is in line with scripture but many trade their freedom for a little comfort and security.
I went to a conference where being a TRADER was the theme. Let us trade in this sense of entitlement that the American dream has become for what God has called us to that will make us truly happy.