Kevin Austin at Lakeside, Thailand, and other Exciting Places

“Materialism is a disease of the mind starved for ideas.”  Jacob Needleman

As we reflect on our country’s obsession with consumerism, greed, and glutony Needleman makes an important observation.  These things – materialism, greed, selfishness, gluttony – are not causes but results of the poverty of our souls.  Religious intolerance, racism, and all other forms of prejudice are insecurities that are also results of a deficientcy of a deep, rich, inner life.

Entertainment out of balance has helped us get to this place.  Also, trite answers and a lack of critical thinking have helped us empty our souls.

We need to relearn how to think. This begins by not creating a ghetto of the mind – reading, listening and watching only things that agree with our beliefs.  It’s important to balance feeding the mind with things that edify and stimulating the mind with creative, new ideas that wake us up.  Think about it!  Jesus rarely answered questions with answers.  He shot back more questions that blew the doors off the world of the listeners.  He made them think.  We are too easily threatened.

We need to relearn how to have creative conflict. Conflict is not bad.  Conflict creates intimacy.  It’s through conflict that we truly get to know the other.  It’s unresolved conflict that is bad.

We need to relearn how to create loving, forgiving, reflective communities of diverse people.  We can all get along – really.  Humility, grace, love, forgiveness, good listening skills, are ingredients for this hope.