The Reality: Much like they did for the iPhone a week ago, people lined up for the midnight showings of The Dark Knight.
The Thought: In the past, lining up assured you of getting tickets, but, as the article points out, that's not the case anymore, after all, by the time you get in line, you better already have your tickets. Rather, there seems to be something else behind getting in line, and my guess, is that it's a mix of community and the energy of the experience. In other words, it gives people an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
The Question: Where in your life do you find something so powerful that it not only inspires you, but creates community for you?
The obvious answer to me
The obvious answer to me would be my want to be with the church. Not just where I worship, but with all believers. As a returning Christian, I can't wait for encouragement that men's group and spiritual recharge that Sunday worship brings.
returning Christian?
I'm guessing by returning Christian you mean someone who was raised in the faith, fell away, and has recently returned?
I wondering how that reality impacts your appreciation of your faith in such a way that allows it to be your, "obvious answer".
obviouslly ...
You are correct in your guess. In Oct of 1977 is when Salvation through Jesus was explained and I made the decision to follow. I joined a local church and grew spiritually. To make a long story short, something happened in the church, I got angry and left. Swearing that I'd not return to church again. That was almost 20 yrs ago.
Like the prodigal son, I've come back. There is a line running through my mind I don't remember where I heard or read it but it goes
"taste and see that The Lord is good". I have , and he is. My prayer is that I would never set off on my own again.
keeping it fresh
Thanks for sharing. For those of us out there who haven't had the falling away experience to make it vivid as to what life is like without God, I'm curious what you do to "keep faith fresh" in your life?
fresh faith
You pose a good question and, try as I might, I can't find a formula as to what it is that I do to keep my faith fresh.
My days are simple start the day with prayer, get into the word (either podcast, read, or radio, Attend church (men's group on Thursday mornings and worship on Sunday night, keep an open heart as to what God may be saying, when I can I enjoy fellowship with other believers and lastly my day ends in prayer
For now, this works and as I grow I'm sure there will be modifications
what's "fresh"
As I look back at my question, I'm also now wondering, "What does it mean to have a "fresh faith"? Not in the sense of, "My faith isn't stale." But, "What comes with having a 'fresh faith'?"
i'm a dork
I have lined up for a movie before. On several occasions. It's so much fun!! I think it's a lot about the anticipation and the denouement of the anticipation. If it's a story you care about, like Lord of the Rings was for me, something that speaks to you, or just something you find supremely entertaining, you may have been waiting for months to see how it's turning out! Will it be funny? Will it make you cry? Will it be as good as the book? The urgency to find out is part of what makes it so exciting.
But I agree with you that it's a lot about the sense of community. There's fun and exhiliration in sharing the experience with people who care about it too. The sense of common purpose with strangers is very cool.
I've experienced this at the Boston Marathon, on the spectator side. It seems like on Marathon Day in Boston, everyone in the whole city comes out to hang out together. You stand on street corners and cheer for the daughters or brothers or buddies of the total stranger standing next to you, and they cheer for yours. And there's connection there.
The other place I experience this a lot is doing triathlons, on the competitor side. It's an individual sport, but it's a pretty tight community. People are focused, but also friendly. Most triathletes are weekend warriors. We're all just trying to be healthy and achieve some goals. Everyone can relate when things go wrong and everyone knows what it feels like to make a personal breakthrough, even if it's just crawling across the finish line.
experience and commonalities
So, what I hear you saying, is a mix of experience and commonalities.
As you say this I'm reminded of a comment that I've heard a few times recently at church. It comes from people who are a part of an older generation, so they have a different way of viewing things, but they talk about other people at church not knowing their stories and some of the places they've been and the things they've done. Listening to them talk, basically, they're worried about people thinking less of them.
What's really odd to me is that, it's these darker places in our lives, this sin, that really binds us together as Christians ... after all, if we hadn't recognized our failures, we wouldn't need Jesus.
By hiding these commonalities, it seems like people are really preventing a celebration of common experience.
Thoughts?
it's human nature
I think you've hit on something that's totally human. I think humans crave commonality. I think all of us spend a lot of time trying to be "normal" (or for some of us, trying to desperately avoid being classified as normal). What immediately follows that is the question, "what is normal?" Humans seek out commonality. Strangers can bond over a shared experience either shared with each other or experienced separately.
Commonality means understanding, sympathy, and encouragement. It's "I've been where you are, and I understand the fear/joy/sadness/pride that you are feeling, and I'm hear to celebrate/mourn with you."
I think it could have incredible implications in the Christian community. What if we were to share our "bad" stuff along with our "good" stuff. To sympathize with and understand our common failings. It's an interesting idea. But somewhere, commonality has a tendency to turn into comparison. Humans also like to compare and not only say "I'm like this guy," but "at least I'm better than this guy." I wonder how we can use the commonality of our dark places for understanding and sympathy without slipping into the tendency to compare ourselves.
The problem with comparison is that not only does it stand in the way of our relationship-building, but it's also totally false. The log in your own eye, and all that. And yet we do it. Could we learn to view the failings as common experience and not as opportunity for comparison? Which aspect of human nature will win out?
bent virtues
Gotta love how we as people are so gifted at taking something that's good and turning it into something evil. I think CS Lewis nailed it when he coined this as bent virtues.