Mexico & Wendell Berry

Me & Sarah had a fantastic few days in Rocky Point, Mexico this weekend. We went down Thursday with a bunch of people from our church, and just relaxed and enjoyed our friendships. We swam, snorkeled, played cards, watched basketball, read our books, smoked cigars/pipes, drank plenty of beer, and enjoyed great food. But the best part was simply hanging out and talking. I know in my life that I get so easily focused on myself: my school, my hopes and dreams, my books, and my future. Weekends like this wash over me and remind me that life is meant to be lived in community; even more: that I'm nothing without community. It's only been a day since I've seen everyone, & I can't wait to hang out again soon.

While down there, I started reading a book called "What Are People For?" by Wendell Berry. Berry is a Christian poet, novelist, and farmer. His approach to life, work, church, and community really clicks with me, and I'm eager to read more of his books. I share his disgust for global capitalism and over-reliance upon technology; along with his love for local communities, connection to the land around you, & Thomas Jefferson's vision of an agrarian republic.

In one of the chapters I read today, he talked about Capitalism's foundational component of competition. He talks about "the falseness and silliness of the economic ideal of competion, which is destructive both of nature and of human nature because it is untrue to both. The ideal of competition always implies, and in fact requires, that any community must be divided into a class of winners and a class of losers." How does this jive with Christianity and our call to love and serve our neighbors? He goes on to say that "rats and roaches live by competition under the law of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy."

I find it disturbing that a Christian like Jerry Falwell can look at the Bible and say that "the free enterprise system is clearly outlined in the Book of Proverbs." Does the Bible really endorse this every-man-for-himself approach to life? I have to agree with Shane Claiborne that "I am not a communist, nor am I a capitalist." I am a Christian.