Closer to Home...
If what modern philosophers state is true and there is no truth (analyze that computer!), then what is the next step in philosophical progress? There is a consensus that attempting to condense the many to one would be a never ending effort, so many choose to embrace the multitudes. Prudence would dictate that we focus on the local and subjective rather than the universal and objective since the latter is beyond our comprehension. So the post-post-modernist would be represented by our local news correspondents or bloggers in the know.
Turning my mind's eye away from the infinite I find a muddled mess...
The planet is turning to chaos, industries are compromising the planet to make a profit, consumers are devouring everything presented before them, governments are betraying their citizens through the collective corruption of the body politic, everyone is adhering to the scarf or starve ethic. We're all Hungry-Hungry Hippos and the marbles are running out. The chain reaction of perpetual consumption has reached an unsustainable rate. Intolerant conservatives are manipulating public opinion turning constituents into fellow hate-mongers. The stage is being set for the final showdown where not even John Wayne can walk away unscathed.
Maybe extreme locality would be less depressing...
The city of Chicago is block busting, providing grants and tax breaks for developers to build in destitute neighborhoods. Townhomes replace ghettos and the residents can no longer afford the taxes and are forced to leave, turning west--a manifest destiny of unemployment and hunger. The poor invade the suburbs scaring Ma and Pa yuppie, who see a hardlined approach the only solution to prevent their town from turning into a slum. The poor either get pushed into the countryside or packed into condensed section 8 housing, conveniently placed near industrial centers to feed businesses with cheap labor.
Certain towns are spared. River Forest is an affluent town adorned with multi million dollar homes occupied by whites 9 to 1. 70% of the residents are college educated, The policemen are paid well and plentiful, the crime index is low and the average income is high. The neighboring town to the west is Maywood and it is the exact opposite of River Forest. The race ratio is flipped in favor of blacks, only 2 in 10 made it passed high school, the average home price is a third of that in River Forest, the policemen are few and the crime index is more than double the national average. The only geographic separation between one town and another is the Des Plaines river. It acts as a moat to keep the barbarians at bay.
Maywood maybe destitute and crime ridden, however they find plenty of money to build a multi million dollar Rock of the Ages Baptist Church. This building is decorated with a emerald green structure pointing towards heaven. My take on it's symbolism is that money is providence. The Cadillac's, BMW's and Mercedes parked around the church are owned by people (if the owners are average Maywood residents) that don't send their kids to college and let their homes and landscapes fall into disrepair. While the funds to build this monstrosity came from good, tithing, impoverished Christians, the faithful donors neglected to address the economic issues of their town in favor of bribing God to accept them into heaven. They could have pooled the money together to finance a public works project, loan money to small businesses, pay for street cleaning services, fund more neighborhood watch programs, hire more policemen, etc...
This financing of a church by the poor and poverty stricken is not uncommon in the area. Broadview, the western neighbor of Maywood, is home to a Missionary Baptist church of mega-plex proportions. The church resembles an enclosed basketball stadium and almost an acre of parking. While the rest of the town is littered with waste, pot holes and gang members, the church has a perfectly kept green lawn and a pristine building. The tithing is expected of its members and the church's website accepts tithes and contributions online (http://www.broadviewbaptist.org/onlinedonations/). The business of God seems more lucrative when shop is set up near poverty.
Sure these people feel that they need God in their lives because of their squalid predicament, but the money used to build these houses of worship would be better spent on improving their lot. Instead they ignore the opportunity to progress in favor of accepting the degradation and depression. God becomes the thief, stealing a brighter future from the poor.
Turning my mind's eye away from the infinite I find a muddled mess...
The planet is turning to chaos, industries are compromising the planet to make a profit, consumers are devouring everything presented before them, governments are betraying their citizens through the collective corruption of the body politic, everyone is adhering to the scarf or starve ethic. We're all Hungry-Hungry Hippos and the marbles are running out. The chain reaction of perpetual consumption has reached an unsustainable rate. Intolerant conservatives are manipulating public opinion turning constituents into fellow hate-mongers. The stage is being set for the final showdown where not even John Wayne can walk away unscathed.
Maybe extreme locality would be less depressing...
The city of Chicago is block busting, providing grants and tax breaks for developers to build in destitute neighborhoods. Townhomes replace ghettos and the residents can no longer afford the taxes and are forced to leave, turning west--a manifest destiny of unemployment and hunger. The poor invade the suburbs scaring Ma and Pa yuppie, who see a hardlined approach the only solution to prevent their town from turning into a slum. The poor either get pushed into the countryside or packed into condensed section 8 housing, conveniently placed near industrial centers to feed businesses with cheap labor.
Certain towns are spared. River Forest is an affluent town adorned with multi million dollar homes occupied by whites 9 to 1. 70% of the residents are college educated, The policemen are paid well and plentiful, the crime index is low and the average income is high. The neighboring town to the west is Maywood and it is the exact opposite of River Forest. The race ratio is flipped in favor of blacks, only 2 in 10 made it passed high school, the average home price is a third of that in River Forest, the policemen are few and the crime index is more than double the national average. The only geographic separation between one town and another is the Des Plaines river. It acts as a moat to keep the barbarians at bay.
Maywood maybe destitute and crime ridden, however they find plenty of money to build a multi million dollar Rock of the Ages Baptist Church. This building is decorated with a emerald green structure pointing towards heaven. My take on it's symbolism is that money is providence. The Cadillac's, BMW's and Mercedes parked around the church are owned by people (if the owners are average Maywood residents) that don't send their kids to college and let their homes and landscapes fall into disrepair. While the funds to build this monstrosity came from good, tithing, impoverished Christians, the faithful donors neglected to address the economic issues of their town in favor of bribing God to accept them into heaven. They could have pooled the money together to finance a public works project, loan money to small businesses, pay for street cleaning services, fund more neighborhood watch programs, hire more policemen, etc...
This financing of a church by the poor and poverty stricken is not uncommon in the area. Broadview, the western neighbor of Maywood, is home to a Missionary Baptist church of mega-plex proportions. The church resembles an enclosed basketball stadium and almost an acre of parking. While the rest of the town is littered with waste, pot holes and gang members, the church has a perfectly kept green lawn and a pristine building. The tithing is expected of its members and the church's website accepts tithes and contributions online (http://www.broadviewbaptist.org/onlinedonations/). The business of God seems more lucrative when shop is set up near poverty.
Sure these people feel that they need God in their lives because of their squalid predicament, but the money used to build these houses of worship would be better spent on improving their lot. Instead they ignore the opportunity to progress in favor of accepting the degradation and depression. God becomes the thief, stealing a brighter future from the poor.
1 Comments:
That's not cynicism your headed for, it's realism... Accepting that the flock choose to sacrifice their scarce earnings to manipulative theological opportunists instead of using the resource to improve their own situation. They pay for the hope of divine rescue but it only serves to compromise their goal. The heaven the foolishly seek propells them into a life of slavery with no return on their investment.
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T.S. Idiot, at 4:08 PM
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