So I've been wrestling with the (conflicting?) ideas of patronage and capitalism.
On the one hand, we use our money and feed our souls with what we love because of the ideas behind it. When I am married, any food my wife will make will be the best food I could've eaten, because she is making it with the lovely work of her fingers. We consume that which we would support.
On the other hand, we use our money to buy what is good for us. What we want. What we need. Ideologies aside, Chik-Fil-A makes a good chicken sandwich. Starbucks makes (passably) good coffee. Am I turned on or off by their respective Christian or pro-homosexual agendas and heritage? My stomach and palate sure aren't (That's actually a lie: my tastes are unbiased in terms of quality because I have chronic sinus allergies...). So, we consume that which we would taste.
Sidenote: But is not the body more than its desires, and the stomach for more than food? We are not just consumers, but we are also creators after the model of our creative Heavenly Father.
So what should we do when the two come head to head? What of the atheist who develops a hankering for good quality (look at me, being cute, talking like I know what good quality food is...) fried chicken sandwiches? Does he eschew Chik-Fil-A because he hates Christianity? Would he buy a lesser product in order to perpetuate a different philosophy? Would he pay more money or eat lesser quantities of food in order to perpetuate a different philosophy?
What of the Christian who hates chicken sandwiches, yet would support the Christian values and hiring processes of businesses such as Chik-Fil-A?
This is madness. Or is this just food sacrificed to idols?
(The context: the Muslim Student Union was passing out free cupcakes on campus today. I felt no guilt for taking one and devouring it BEFORE my own lunch in all its rainbow sprinkled and chocolate glory. Also, last week or the week before, a Christian club called Navigators was offering free hot chocolate and tea on a particularly cold morning.)
Who would accuse me of sinning by eating the Muslims' offered cupcake? Certainly my own soul points to Christ, who is a heaven of heavens to me complete with all the joys of endlessly flowing milk and honey, and wipes its lips and says "I have done nothing wrong." But I do understand and sympathize with the weaker brothers, and would happily agree to eat different and non-offensive things in their presence. My impoverished tongue would know no difference, anyways.
At the end of the day, it's just a fucking cupcake.
On the one hand, we use our money and feed our souls with what we love because of the ideas behind it. When I am married, any food my wife will make will be the best food I could've eaten, because she is making it with the lovely work of her fingers. We consume that which we would support.
On the other hand, we use our money to buy what is good for us. What we want. What we need. Ideologies aside, Chik-Fil-A makes a good chicken sandwich. Starbucks makes (passably) good coffee. Am I turned on or off by their respective Christian or pro-homosexual agendas and heritage? My stomach and palate sure aren't (That's actually a lie: my tastes are unbiased in terms of quality because I have chronic sinus allergies...). So, we consume that which we would taste.
Sidenote: But is not the body more than its desires, and the stomach for more than food? We are not just consumers, but we are also creators after the model of our creative Heavenly Father.
So what should we do when the two come head to head? What of the atheist who develops a hankering for good quality (look at me, being cute, talking like I know what good quality food is...) fried chicken sandwiches? Does he eschew Chik-Fil-A because he hates Christianity? Would he buy a lesser product in order to perpetuate a different philosophy? Would he pay more money or eat lesser quantities of food in order to perpetuate a different philosophy?
What of the Christian who hates chicken sandwiches, yet would support the Christian values and hiring processes of businesses such as Chik-Fil-A?
This is madness. Or is this just food sacrificed to idols?
(The context: the Muslim Student Union was passing out free cupcakes on campus today. I felt no guilt for taking one and devouring it BEFORE my own lunch in all its rainbow sprinkled and chocolate glory. Also, last week or the week before, a Christian club called Navigators was offering free hot chocolate and tea on a particularly cold morning.)
Who would accuse me of sinning by eating the Muslims' offered cupcake? Certainly my own soul points to Christ, who is a heaven of heavens to me complete with all the joys of endlessly flowing milk and honey, and wipes its lips and says "I have done nothing wrong." But I do understand and sympathize with the weaker brothers, and would happily agree to eat different and non-offensive things in their presence. My impoverished tongue would know no difference, anyways.
At the end of the day, it's just a fucking cupcake.
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