Jonathan Franzen and this week's TIME

"We are so distracted by and engulfed by the technologies we've created, and by the constant barrage of so-called information that comes our way, that more than ever to immerse yourself in an involving book seems socially useful.  The place of stillness that you have to go to to write, but also to read seriously, is the point where you can actually make responsible decisions, where you can actually engage productively with an otherwise scary and unmanageable world." 
- Jonathan Franzen, author of the new novel Freedom, in the latest issue (8/23) of TIME magazine

I don't always grab magazines in the grocery store line, but tonight with a pint of ice cream I picked up the latest issue of TIME.  Not only does it have an article about the world's longest yard sale which happens to go through my old town of Chattanooga, but it also has an alarming article on the danger of Asian Carp taking over Lake Michigan.  Now that we live right down the street from one of the places they are trying to keep these aggressive "kudzu" version of fish from taking over the Great Lakes, I guess I find it sort of interesting.  And the cover article on Franzen makes me want to read.   Not only does the author have cool glasses, but he has become quite famous using the medium of fiction to call people to think about the prevailing ideas of our American culture. The most prevailing idea that is addressed in his upcoming book (and in the TIME article) is that of 'freedom.'  Franzen recognizes that many of us create a state of constant busyness and distraction which allows people 'to avoid difficult realities.'   He calls us to the idea that too much freedom can be a dangerous thing.  He is quoted in the article saying, "One of the ways of surrendering freedom is to actually have convictions and a way of further surrendering freedom is to spend quite a bit of time acting on those convictions."  The writer of the article comments further on this idea saying, "There is something beyond freedom that people need: work, love, belief in something, commitment to something.  Freedom is not enough.  It's necessary but not sufficient.  It's what you do with freedom- what you give it up for- that matters" (p. 46 bottom right of the page).

 I want control over my life and the freedom to direct it. I sometimes buck against relational constraints of family, church, and community and yet these are the very things which bring the depth of meaning and purpose to my life.  Where does the struggle for 'freedom' in our culture become a starting place for applying the Gospel and dialoguing about faith?  Where is true freedom?

 I recommend grabbing this week's issue of TIME.  Let me know what you think...