Comments on: the death of our passion; the death of idealism http://aaronmonts.com/2009/04/13/the-death-of-our-passion-the-death-of-idealism/ life. beauty. truth. generosity Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:54:42 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Erik http://aaronmonts.com/2009/04/13/the-death-of-our-passion-the-death-of-idealism/comment-page-1/#comment-42461 Erik Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:48:05 +0000 http://aaronmonts.com/?p=1991#comment-42461 Fear of failure...SO TRUE! No one wants to be the loser. It seems as if the list is quite lengthy in that which destroys idealism. This thread could go a while. Aaron, :) I DO imagine a church like this :) Side Note - staring me down at this moment hanging over my computer is a poster of John Lennon's profile with with lyrics to Imagine. Fear of failure…SO TRUE! No one wants to be the loser.

It seems as if the list is quite lengthy in that which destroys idealism. This thread could go a while.

Aaron, :) I DO imagine a church like this :)

Side Note – staring me down at this moment hanging over my computer is a poster of John Lennon’s profile with with lyrics to Imagine.

]]> By: Jeff http://aaronmonts.com/2009/04/13/the-death-of-our-passion-the-death-of-idealism/comment-page-1/#comment-42460 Jeff Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:45:58 +0000 http://aaronmonts.com/?p=1991#comment-42460 I think life jades us. Struggles and selfishness destroys us from the inside out. Then the environment we are in - the people we hang with and the things we do, factors in to how we "learn" to live. Look at kids. You put two 5 year old kids in a room and within minutes, they are best friends. They don't deal with the crap we all put on ourselves - they just live for the moment. We have forgotten how to do that - just live for what we are in now. We want more. Think we need more. Don't get more, and then we can't handle the rejection. We spend too much believing what we are told, that this/that will make us happy or this/that is what we really need to be accepted in this world. An idea is a risk. And from risk comes the belief that you can succeed. We have become to cautious to take that risk - afraid of not being liked. Afraid of screwing up. Afraid of what will happen if we fail. I think life jades us. Struggles and selfishness destroys us from the inside out. Then the environment we are in – the people we hang with and the things we do, factors in to how we “learn” to live.

Look at kids. You put two 5 year old kids in a room and within minutes, they are best friends. They don’t deal with the crap we all put on ourselves – they just live for the moment. We have forgotten how to do that – just live for what we are in now. We want more. Think we need more. Don’t get more, and then we can’t handle the rejection. We spend too much believing what we are told, that this/that will make us happy or this/that is what we really need to be accepted in this world.

An idea is a risk. And from risk comes the belief that you can succeed. We have become to cautious to take that risk – afraid of not being liked. Afraid of screwing up. Afraid of what will happen if we fail.

]]> By: monts http://aaronmonts.com/2009/04/13/the-death-of-our-passion-the-death-of-idealism/comment-page-1/#comment-42459 monts Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:53:54 +0000 http://aaronmonts.com/?p=1991#comment-42459 Good stuff Erik... I like the idea of gathering idealists to help others recover their sense of hope that anything's possible. That could certainly change things in the church... could you imagine a church full of idealists and dreamers working hand in hand to create the change called forth by the Kingdom? Good stuff Erik… I like the idea of gathering idealists to help others recover their sense of hope that anything’s possible. That could certainly change things in the church… could you imagine a church full of idealists and dreamers working hand in hand to create the change called forth by the Kingdom?

]]> By: Erik http://aaronmonts.com/2009/04/13/the-death-of-our-passion-the-death-of-idealism/comment-page-1/#comment-42455 Erik Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:21:12 +0000 http://aaronmonts.com/?p=1991#comment-42455 I think that's a great idea! It's too bad more people don't go through pre-marital counseling. I was against it when I got married but was sure glad I did it in the end. Going back to the begining of this thread... I think that two other factors for peoples loss of idealism is their eschatology of the world being destroyed and our insatiable desire for instant gratification. I've happened upon many conversations where the prevailing thought is "why should there be any hope for the future when the future is doomed until heaven" If that's the mindset, then heaven and only heaven is ideal and we should either off ourselves to get there now or mope around until we die of natural causes. As far as instant gratification. I mean seriously... when was the last time you saw someone take a picture and wait till they got home to look at it? We all just love those little screens built into the back of the camera. Aaron, you just blogged about this a couple days ago "Lets do this already". The way I see it is that nothing great happens in an instant, it takes time and hard work. If this is not realized, then the second we we try to bring about an ideal world and it doesn't happen, then we throw our hands in the air and walk away from it. Given the very nature of idealism and the probabillity of achieving it, it's a wonder that any adult has it. That's why I loved youth ministry, because I was working with students who still believed they could change the world... Maybe this is a central issue we need to address in the church. Instead of taking all of the idealists' and sending them off to their separate ministry place and time, we should be finding a way for them to minister to those who've lost it. Sorry for the lengthy post, I'm not afforded much adult stimulation as a stay-at-home dad, so when I have the chance to engage I jump on it. Thanks for the community! I think that’s a great idea! It’s too bad more people don’t go through pre-marital counseling. I was against it when I got married but was sure glad I did it in the end.

Going back to the begining of this thread…

I think that two other factors for peoples loss of idealism is their eschatology of the world being destroyed and our insatiable desire for instant gratification.

I’ve happened upon many conversations where the prevailing thought is “why should there be any hope for the future when the future is doomed until heaven” If that’s the mindset, then heaven and only heaven is ideal and we should either off ourselves to get there now or mope around until we die of natural causes.

As far as instant gratification. I mean seriously… when was the last time you saw someone take a picture and wait till they got home to look at it? We all just love those little screens built into the back of the camera. Aaron, you just blogged about this a couple days ago “Lets do this already”. The way I see it is that nothing great happens in an instant, it takes time and hard work. If this is not realized, then the second we we try to bring about an ideal world and it doesn’t happen, then we throw our hands in the air and walk away from it.

Given the very nature of idealism and the probabillity of achieving it, it’s a wonder that any adult has it. That’s why I loved youth ministry, because I was working with students who still believed they could change the world…

Maybe this is a central issue we need to address in the church. Instead of taking all of the idealists’ and sending them off to their separate ministry place and time, we should be finding a way for them to minister to those who’ve lost it.

Sorry for the lengthy post, I’m not afforded much adult stimulation as a stay-at-home dad, so when I have the chance to engage I jump on it. Thanks for the community!

]]> By: monts http://aaronmonts.com/2009/04/13/the-death-of-our-passion-the-death-of-idealism/comment-page-1/#comment-42453 monts Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:37:02 +0000 http://aaronmonts.com/?p=1991#comment-42453 Interesting. I can't really truly relate considering, first off, I don't have any kids and second my dreams were the same as my wife's entering into marriage. So, we've walked the road together knowing what we wanted to do/see happen with our lives. Perhaps that's something that couple should talk about in pre-marital counseling--something I've never really thought about--what are your dreams, and what dreams are you letting go of to get married/have a family, how will this marriage contribute to the life of those dreams or the death of those dreams... are you willing? Interesting to think about... Interesting. I can’t really truly relate considering, first off, I don’t have any kids and second my dreams were the same as my wife’s entering into marriage. So, we’ve walked the road together knowing what we wanted to do/see happen with our lives.

Perhaps that’s something that couple should talk about in pre-marital counseling–something I’ve never really thought about–what are your dreams, and what dreams are you letting go of to get married/have a family, how will this marriage contribute to the life of those dreams or the death of those dreams… are you willing?

Interesting to think about…

]]> By: Erik http://aaronmonts.com/2009/04/13/the-death-of-our-passion-the-death-of-idealism/comment-page-1/#comment-42452 Erik Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:36:06 +0000 http://aaronmonts.com/?p=1991#comment-42452 I look at idealism as an idea or state of mind or end desire. I still hold fast to my idealism, I don't think that's even a choice for someone who believes in the promises of God. My dreams are what I percieve my actions to be in which to bring that idealism to fruition. As a younger person, my dreams didn't include a family in the equation. All I know is that personaly, based on my own personal convictions as to how to best raise a family, if I were to chase down my top two dreams, my wife and kids would despise me and that would destroy any chance of me even attaining that dream because the person I'd want to be on the other end wouldn't be there. I love my wife and kids more than I ever imagined I would. The idealism remains, but the dreams of youth have long since past. I have NO regrets coupled with new dreams I look at idealism as an idea or state of mind or end desire. I still hold fast to my idealism, I don’t think that’s even a choice for someone who believes in the promises of God.

My dreams are what I percieve my actions to be in which to bring that idealism to fruition.

As a younger person, my dreams didn’t include a family in the equation. All I know is that personaly, based on my own personal convictions as to how to best raise a family, if I were to chase down my top two dreams, my wife and kids would despise me and that would destroy any chance of me even attaining that dream because the person I’d want to be on the other end wouldn’t be there.

I love my wife and kids more than I ever imagined I would. The idealism remains, but the dreams of youth have long since past.

I have NO regrets coupled with new dreams

]]> By: rags http://aaronmonts.com/2009/04/13/the-death-of-our-passion-the-death-of-idealism/comment-page-1/#comment-42451 rags Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:24:54 +0000 http://aaronmonts.com/?p=1991#comment-42451 Darkwing Duck was awesome. Erik, your comments make me sad. There is a glimmer of truth there, unfortunately. Your dreams do change when you get married and have kids. Sacrifice is a requirement. This is a reason why too many are deciding not to have kids - they don't feel up to the sacrifice. The other side of the story that I've discovered though, is that you recapture the wonder of life through your children. It can be really frustrating at times, but at other moments - like when they are watching fireworks for the first time - you get to experience everything for the second time. It's pretty awesome. Darkwing Duck was awesome.

Erik, your comments make me sad. There is a glimmer of truth there, unfortunately. Your dreams do change when you get married and have kids. Sacrifice is a requirement. This is a reason why too many are deciding not to have kids – they don’t feel up to the sacrifice.

The other side of the story that I’ve discovered though, is that you recapture the wonder of life through your children. It can be really frustrating at times, but at other moments – like when they are watching fireworks for the first time – you get to experience everything for the second time. It’s pretty awesome.

]]> By: monts http://aaronmonts.com/2009/04/13/the-death-of-our-passion-the-death-of-idealism/comment-page-1/#comment-42450 monts Tue, 14 Apr 2009 05:53:38 +0000 http://aaronmonts.com/?p=1991#comment-42450 So family = the death of dreams and idealism? Why can't family be God's gift to help accomplish your dreams? So family = the death of dreams and idealism?

Why can’t family be God’s gift to help accomplish your dreams?

]]> By: Erik http://aaronmonts.com/2009/04/13/the-death-of-our-passion-the-death-of-idealism/comment-page-1/#comment-42449 Erik Tue, 14 Apr 2009 04:23:26 +0000 http://aaronmonts.com/?p=1991#comment-42449 Creating a family has to be a huge part of the issue at hand if we're being honest. Getting married instantly takes time and energy you once had and points it at another person living under your own roof. Throw a kid or two in the mix for good measure and YOUR day is gone. All this assuming your living out the God centered ideals of cherishing your spouse and providing for your children. Our once good dreams could, in the end, be the very thing that now destroys us if we persued them in the face of having a family. Creating a family has to be a huge part of the issue at hand if we’re being honest. Getting married instantly takes time and energy you once had and points it at another person living under your own roof. Throw a kid or two in the mix for good measure and YOUR day is gone.

All this assuming your living out the God centered ideals of cherishing your spouse and providing for your children.

Our once good dreams could, in the end, be the very thing that now destroys us if we persued them in the face of having a family.

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