hipster

"Ivan Illich was once asked what is the most revolutionary way to change society.
Is it violent revolution or is it gradual reform?
He gave a careful answer.
Neither.
If you want to change society, then you must tell an alternative story."
Tim Costello

my brother says that i'm a hipster, in fact, he's pretty emphatic about this point. i'm not sure what this completely means, i'm not sure what part of me he's pointing out, whether it is my gear, my facial hair, my political leanings, my friends, my spirituality. all i know is he thinks i'm a hipster. i think he's just bitter that no one is grunge anymore.

however due to my potential hipster leanings (i say this tongue in cheek), i like to think that i have been in the revolution business, in small grass roots ways.

i was a college pastor for several years and attempted to tell a different story about Christ, not that he's an institution, but rather that he's a person and this person calls us not to an introspective selfish faith, but to one that is active and alive in the world, telling a story of redemption, not only personal but one that stretches out into all our relationships (read both with people, our worldly systems, our environment, etc...) and that invites others into this relationship that fosters community.

one important factor however is to note, that this does not only happen in the church, or with believers, but is happening in the world, (due to God's activity there) and when i see it, i want to draw attention to it, because we are to be not where we are working, but where God is working.

i've been playing hoops since i was a freshman in high school, but it wasn't till i was a junior in high school that i actually cared about it. this was during the michael jordan phenomenon, and more specifically, the air jordan phenomenon. i wanted a pair of air jordans more than i wanted to be good at basketball. however the price always kept my parents from dropping the $125 that it cost for them in 1989 (even though they bought my brother a pair, go figure). i was thus forced to turn to the purple and gold cons that magic pimped (i wore them proudly, however they were tough to match with any clothes that i might throw on). i did this till magic retired and succumbed to my affinity toward nike and bought nike whenever my shoes went south. this changed when i heard they used small children in thailand to make their soccer balls and shoes and so being the "revolutionary" that i am, i boycotted them, and told my friends to too, and bought adidas (who i'm sure have been using small children to make their shoes for a lot longer than nike, however i've never heard about it, and am too lazy to do the research). i have been wearing adidas ever since, but this week i'm about to make a change, mainly because someone who doesn't have to, is telling a different story. so the next time you throw on some sneaks, or are looking to buy some sneaks to play hoops in, remember, who's side are you on? the exec in his platinum tower telling you your worth, or embracing the story that makes you believe you have worth.

tell the alternative story and exit the matrix.

oh, and if this makes me a "hipster" then i guess i'm a hipster