Now that I've got your attention (and possibly offended you) with the title of this post, I want you to read a verse that I haven't been able to get away from for the past month.  And quite honestly, I have no idea what to do with it.

Ezekiel 16:49-50: Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy.  50 They put on airs and lived obscene lives. And you know what happened: I did away with them.  (NASB and MSG)

So let me ask you again... Are you guilty of Sodomy? Not by the Webster's definition of course but according to this little kick in the face.

Because to me, this sums up America quite well.  Before Sodom was judged for the sexual depravity and immorality that we always associate with it, God lists a few things that look eerily familiar...

1. Arrogance
2. Preoccupation with luxurious living, comfort and leisure
3. Ignoring the poor and oppressed and disregarding their needs

Lately, I've been wrestling with all of this.  This idea of a comfortable suburbia existence where we just want a quiet life and nice things.  This incredible self-absorption in our capitalistic society that is nothing more than a materialistic grab at the American dream, the building of an empire and our own little personal kingdoms. 

Material things and abundant blessing were always intended to be for others, not to build and preserve our little empires whether personal, in business, or church.  Blessing should never be misconstrued as favoritism or entitlement.

What I hate most is that it's so damned difficult to break from this system because it's so pervasive.  It's everywhere.  It's in our culture.  It's in me.  It's in you.  And sad to say, it's in the church which shouldn't surprise us because the church is me and you.

Arrogance... check. The pinnacle of "having arrived" is found in that published book or amount of Twitter followers or RSS readers or blog hits or weekend attendance or an online store with the next greatest "resource" that shows how to build a great life empire, just like me.  Let's all get together and talk about how the way we do things is the right way.  And while we're there, let's cloak our questions so it's not so blatant that we're really just comparing numbers and size.

Preoccupation with luxurious living, comfort and leisure... check. While we're there at the conference or denominational gathering comparing and secretly resenting others' "success", why don't we just pull down our pants and play the "which youth room is cooler" or "which sanctuary has the newer fancier HD projectors instead of the old kind" game.  Because isn't that the measure of success for all Americans? Having nice things and lots of them.

Ignoring the poor and oppressed and disregarding their needs... check. It seems that our definition of success is mainly found in the things listed above.  The accumulation of stuff and the building of empires when God's definition of success is caring for the widow, the orphan, and the poor.  How much of our "programming" is geared to blessing the poor, needy, and oppressed?  Very little, if at all.  It's not on most churches' radar and it's not on most our personal radars either.  It's all about me.

And while I realize the tone of this post has been much more about tearing down than building up, I must say that I'm having a hard time stomaching it all really and this is just my rant.  If I'm honest, the root of all of this frustration is that I don't quite know what to do with these three detestable things inside me.  The arrogance, the preoccupation of having a bunch of nice things, and the disregard for those hurting and in need all around me. 

While I'm thankful for the country and churches I've grown up in, we are way "East of Eden" and I'm not sure how we get back.  This system of anti-Kingdom has invaded my soul and I feel like a man in exile because although I love my church and I love the Church, I've left a lot of the silliness and ideology that it embodies behind but I have nothing to replace it with. 

My biggest fear is that like the disciples, I'm just looking for another kingdom (see Acts 1:6) to replace it with.  The disciples didn't want the kind of Kingdom Jesus was after.  They still wanted one with horses and military bases and palaces... they just wanted all these things to be theirs and not the Romans.  They spent years with Jesus and they still didn't get it.  I wonder if we ever will.