Comments on: Living on Less http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less the home of Nathan Colquhoun Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:26:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Tom http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less#comment-1916 Tom Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1916 I buy nearly everything second hand. It's cheaper and it's funner.<br /> <br /> "Our job as Christians should be to teach and help each other model a way of life that doesn't keep others in bondage, and one that models Jesus."<br /> <br /> But isn't it putting people in bondage to endlessly ask Christians to live like bohemians and eschew materialism? <br /> <br /> I buy nearly everything second hand. It’s cheaper and it’s funner.

“Our job as Christians should be to teach and help each other model a way of life that doesn’t keep others in bondage, and one that models Jesus.”

But isn’t it putting people in bondage to endlessly ask Christians to live like bohemians and eschew materialism?

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less#comment-1917 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1917 Umm...I don't think it is :)<br /> <br /> haha... Umm…I don’t think it is :)

haha…

]]> By: Tom http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less#comment-1918 Tom Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1918 Well here's the thing...by distancing themselves from catagories like sin, repentance, etc and focusing primarily if not exclusively on the "following"/law aspects of Christology people are in fact putting people in bondage, IMHO. The law that Christ gave is impossible, so to tell people merely to follow him without knowing what He's done for them is to invite them fight a losing battle. Well here’s the thing…by distancing themselves from catagories like sin, repentance, etc and focusing primarily if not exclusively on the “following”/law aspects of Christology people are in fact putting people in bondage, IMHO. The law that Christ gave is impossible, so to tell people merely to follow him without knowing what He’s done for them is to invite them fight a losing battle.

]]> By: Natalie http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less#comment-1919 Natalie Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1919 I would venture to say a bohemian lifestyle is actually freeing us from the bondage of the sinful and inadequate socieites that humans have created for themselves. We are slaves to corporations, we are nearly entirely non-self-sufficient, and though I struggle with giving to ceasar what is ceasars,<br /> I know that we started out walking naked, without shame, in a garden, completely at peace with God and nature, and we were free. <br /> I believe that while we remain in this consumptive society, we all have "blood on our hands" as Derrick Jensen put it at his talk this past Friday. I know we may not be able to be entirely separated from the corporations and institutions that surround us, but I'm going to do my darndest to try :P I would venture to say a bohemian lifestyle is actually freeing us from the bondage of the sinful and inadequate socieites that humans have created for themselves. We are slaves to corporations, we are nearly entirely non-self-sufficient, and though I struggle with giving to ceasar what is ceasars,
I know that we started out walking naked, without shame, in a garden, completely at peace with God and nature, and we were free.
I believe that while we remain in this consumptive society, we all have “blood on our hands” as Derrick Jensen put it at his talk this past Friday. I know we may not be able to be entirely separated from the corporations and institutions that surround us, but I’m going to do my darndest to try :P

]]> By: Tom http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less#comment-1921 Tom Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1921 Yes, but neither are we slaves to all the shortcomings and oddities produced by the bohemian lifestyle. That sword has got to cut both ways. Yes, but neither are we slaves to all the shortcomings and oddities produced by the bohemian lifestyle. That sword has got to cut both ways.

]]> By: dan hinz http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less#comment-1922 dan hinz Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1922 I feel your tension. Natalie, my wife and I, just walked through a house. The desire to buy a home (and all that goes with it) is strong. What is crazy is how such a desire makes demands on our lives. Work, money, stress, etc. Now, more than ever, I see the need to press in and submit myself to God. With the ever growing number of things that seek to narrate my life, a spiritually vibrant life has become essential. I fear that unless I am alive to Jesus and the truths of the gospel/discipleship, I too will be lost to allure of the world. I feel your tension. Natalie, my wife and I, just walked through a house. The desire to buy a home (and all that goes with it) is strong. What is crazy is how such a desire makes demands on our lives. Work, money, stress, etc. Now, more than ever, I see the need to press in and submit myself to God. With the ever growing number of things that seek to narrate my life, a spiritually vibrant life has become essential. I fear that unless I am alive to Jesus and the truths of the gospel/discipleship, I too will be lost to allure of the world.

]]> By: DVV http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less#comment-1924 DVV Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1924 So Nathan, where is the pressure coming from to buy a house. No one has to buy a house. No one can make us buy a house. It's a choice that you make. Is the issue about buying a house or is the isue about letting the house enslave you with all the other things that come with owning a house. Do we buy a house that consumes every penny that we make or do we buy one that we can afford the mortgage on that won't enslave us. Sue and I were married for almost 17 years before we were able to buy a home. Who says it has to be done now, not that it is wrong. Ask yourself who is putting the pressure on. So Nathan, where is the pressure coming from to buy a house. No one has to buy a house. No one can make us buy a house. It’s a choice that you make. Is the issue about buying a house or is the isue about letting the house enslave you with all the other things that come with owning a house. Do we buy a house that consumes every penny that we make or do we buy one that we can afford the mortgage on that won’t enslave us. Sue and I were married for almost 17 years before we were able to buy a home. Who says it has to be done now, not that it is wrong. Ask yourself who is putting the pressure on.

]]> By: nathan colquhoun http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less#comment-1925 nathan colquhoun Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1925 I don't feel pressure to by a house really....but i see the pressures underlying this decision<br /> <br /> location vs resell value<br /> am i buying to make a financial investment or a life one? this is the biggest one....no one has said buy in a crappy area because you feel called...everyone says first thing you should do is by in an area with good neighbours so you can resell it later and make money.<br /> <br /> those pressures...pressures that i never felt until talking to people. I don’t feel pressure to by a house really….but i see the pressures underlying this decision

location vs resell value
am i buying to make a financial investment or a life one? this is the biggest one….no one has said buy in a crappy area because you feel called…everyone says first thing you should do is by in an area with good neighbours so you can resell it later and make money.

those pressures…pressures that i never felt until talking to people.

]]> By: david http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less#comment-1926 david Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1926 buy other used stuff if you'd like, but not a mattress - 1. it's gross, 2. someone else's body wore it out in all the wrong places, and 3. a bad mattress could run you terrible medical bills!!<br /> <br /> On the other hand, by the TV you can afford now, you don't have to stretch it to buy a crazy one - I'm still watching a 27in tube TV... when it breaks I will look for another one - and of course one for the wall, b/c that's what's available at the time - not b/c I prematurely bought it to keep with the times...<br /> most good furniture - I say, by for life: bed, couch, table... and watch it last longer - which is less headache and $ down the road. Ten years later I'm sitting at the same table and couch, and I'll use my bedroom set until past my 25th anniversary. buy other used stuff if you’d like, but not a mattress – 1. it’s gross, 2. someone else’s body wore it out in all the wrong places, and 3. a bad mattress could run you terrible medical bills!!

On the other hand, by the TV you can afford now, you don’t have to stretch it to buy a crazy one – I’m still watching a 27in tube TV… when it breaks I will look for another one – and of course one for the wall, b/c that’s what’s available at the time – not b/c I prematurely bought it to keep with the times…
most good furniture – I say, by for life: bed, couch, table… and watch it last longer – which is less headache and $ down the road. Ten years later I’m sitting at the same table and couch, and I’ll use my bedroom set until past my 25th anniversary.

]]> By: Ron Smith http://www.nathancolquhoun.com/2008/02/05/living-on-less#comment-1927 Ron Smith Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1927 I think things would be a lot simpler if community was something we really practiced. <br /> Its our selfishness that has gotten us here. <br /> <br /> Your neighbor owns an amazing TV set. Instead of thinking, wow, we could have some awesome times together watching the game, movies; having tv nights. No, the first thing you ask is where did you get it, how much did it cost? Then your next thought is hmmmmm, does my credit card have any more space?<br /> <br /> I dont think buying the best quality is wrong, I agree with David. Buy quality always. I think our problem is we need/want EVERYTHING. So, buying quality of everything is tricky and troublesome.<br /> <br /> Now, since we dont live in community where sharing with our neighbor is practiced (or appreciated). I think we are all screwed and this is just another example of end times so I dont need to worry about this. <br /> Where is my cloud funnel? <br /> I think things would be a lot simpler if community was something we really practiced.
Its our selfishness that has gotten us here.

Your neighbor owns an amazing TV set. Instead of thinking, wow, we could have some awesome times together watching the game, movies; having tv nights. No, the first thing you ask is where did you get it, how much did it cost? Then your next thought is hmmmmm, does my credit card have any more space?

I dont think buying the best quality is wrong, I agree with David. Buy quality always. I think our problem is we need/want EVERYTHING. So, buying quality of everything is tricky and troublesome.

Now, since we dont live in community where sharing with our neighbor is practiced (or appreciated). I think we are all screwed and this is just another example of end times so I dont need to worry about this.
Where is my cloud funnel?

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