Comments on: Agrarianism and the incarnation http://online.worldmag.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/ A forum for discussion of news that arises at the intersection of Christianity and culture. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:35:00 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Erasmus http://online.worldmag.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/comment-page-1/#comment-284483 Erasmus Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:14:50 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/#comment-284483 it is a historical fact that the united states government ended subsistence farming intentionally by manipulating small farmers with extension agents, price regulation, getting them addicted to chemical fertilizer and petroleum slaves. i am ecstatic that younger folks are attempting to return to the honest life, but the government has made this way of life impossible. you must participate in the economy to keep your land, even if you are just making food for yourself you must pay the State. This is a travesty and anyone that claims we are 'free' while this is the case is either uninformed or a liar. hey TJ did you fix those quote mines over at your blog yet? might wanna check your sources next time. it is a historical fact that the united states government ended subsistence farming intentionally by manipulating small farmers with extension agents, price regulation, getting them addicted to chemical fertilizer and petroleum slaves. i am ecstatic that younger folks are attempting to return to the honest life, but the government has made this way of life impossible. you must participate in the economy to keep your land, even if you are just making food for yourself you must pay the State. This is a travesty and anyone that claims we are ‘free’ while this is the case is either uninformed or a liar.

hey TJ did you fix those quote mines over at your blog yet?

might wanna check your sources next time.

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: Pauline http://online.worldmag.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/comment-page-1/#comment-284269 Pauline Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:26:47 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/#comment-284269 Living in Iowa, I know quite a few farmers, former farmers, and children of farmers. I don't know any who got into it because they pined for an agrarian way of life, and if any of them think of the abstract benefits of their lifestyle ("joining the physical and metaphysical") they don't talk about it. There are farmers who simply love what they do. Most grew up on a farm and knew that was what they wanted to do when they grew up. Some grew up in the area but not on a farm, and chose to become farmers. Those whose parents were farmers and chose other careers have nothing bad to say about farming as a career, it just isn't what they chose. I know one former dairy farmer who would have loved to continue farming if he hadn't gone broke. Today he sees the hand of God in it all, taking him from the farm to work in an insurance agency and eventually run the agency, and have many opportunities to minister to others that he would not have had as a farmer. The farmers I know work many long hours for most of the year, and face the continue uncertainty of whether the crop will be good and whether it will make enough money even if it is good. (Because of supply and demand, price per bushel goes up when the crops are bad, so they can actually make less money when there's a bumper crop.) I don't know what reasons they give themselves or their families why they continue to do it, but to others, it's simply a matter of who/what they are: farmers. Living in Iowa, I know quite a few farmers, former farmers, and children of farmers. I don’t know any who got into it because they pined for an agrarian way of life, and if any of them think of the abstract benefits of their lifestyle (”joining the physical and metaphysical”) they don’t talk about it.

There are farmers who simply love what they do. Most grew up on a farm and knew that was what they wanted to do when they grew up. Some grew up in the area but not on a farm, and chose to become farmers. Those whose parents were farmers and chose other careers have nothing bad to say about farming as a career, it just isn’t what they chose.

I know one former dairy farmer who would have loved to continue farming if he hadn’t gone broke. Today he sees the hand of God in it all, taking him from the farm to work in an insurance agency and eventually run the agency, and have many opportunities to minister to others that he would not have had as a farmer.

The farmers I know work many long hours for most of the year, and face the continue uncertainty of whether the crop will be good and whether it will make enough money even if it is good. (Because of supply and demand, price per bushel goes up when the crops are bad, so they can actually make less money when there’s a bumper crop.) I don’t know what reasons they give themselves or their families why they continue to do it, but to others, it’s simply a matter of who/what they are: farmers.

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: adios http://online.worldmag.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/comment-page-1/#comment-284218 adios Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:32:13 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/#comment-284218 The old John Prine song comes suddenly to mind:"Blow the TV, throw away the paper, move to the country, build you a home. Eat a lot of peaches and try to fine Jesus on your own." The old John Prine song comes suddenly to mind:”Blow the TV, throw away the paper, move to the country, build you a home. Eat a lot of peaches and try to fine Jesus on your own.”

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: mac http://online.worldmag.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/comment-page-1/#comment-284184 mac Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:37:41 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/#comment-284184 I think the romantics have taken over this area of Christian thought. Ultimately, the agrarian life pined after is subsistence farming. Regent College Vancouver loves to dote upon this topic, forgetting that famine is but a bad season away. The story of the Bible takes one from the garden to the city...albeit a city with nice gardens. All this to say, urban life and country life are good. In todays world both depend on the other and that is good. So the lawyer lost touch with tomatoes, at least the lawyer is there to make sure the tomato grower has ground to grow them fighting illegal confiscation of property and such. I think the romantics have taken over this area of Christian thought. Ultimately, the agrarian life pined after is subsistence farming. Regent College Vancouver loves to dote upon this topic, forgetting that famine is but a bad season away. The story of the Bible takes one from the garden to the city…albeit a city with nice gardens.

All this to say, urban life and country life are good. In todays world both depend on the other and that is good. So the lawyer lost touch with tomatoes, at least the lawyer is there to make sure the tomato grower has ground to grow them fighting illegal confiscation of property and such.

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: TJ http://online.worldmag.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/comment-page-1/#comment-284176 TJ Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:52:58 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/#comment-284176 Oh dear, I have to admit that when I first saw the title of this thread, I thought it said "<i>Arianism</i> and the Incarnation." Oh dear, I have to admit that when I first saw the title of this thread, I thought it said “Arianism and the Incarnation.”

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: Night Train http://online.worldmag.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/comment-page-1/#comment-284175 Night Train Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:52:29 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/#comment-284175 The agrarian way of life is very appealing in the abstract. In reality, it's hard, often unpleasant, expensive, many times costing more than it pays, and , especially for those accustomed to city life, incredibly boring. I think most people who read <i>Mother Earth News</i> and dream of getting back to the land have no idea what they're wishing for. Of course, if the Peak Oil guys are right, it's going to be agrarianism or nothing in just a few years. It's hard to argue with their facts (but I'm no expert and don't pretend to be), so it might be prudent to get back to the land and learn some skills before your life depends on it. But in a normal world, between The Farm, The Village, and The Big City, I'll take The Big City. The agrarian way of life is very appealing in the abstract. In reality, it’s hard, often unpleasant, expensive, many times costing more than it pays, and , especially for those accustomed to city life, incredibly boring. I think most people who read Mother Earth News and dream of getting back to the land have no idea what they’re wishing for. Of course, if the Peak Oil guys are right, it’s going to be agrarianism or nothing in just a few years. It’s hard to argue with their facts (but I’m no expert and don’t pretend to be), so it might be prudent to get back to the land and learn some skills before your life depends on it.

But in a normal world, between The Farm, The Village, and The Big City, I’ll take The Big City.

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: rdean http://online.worldmag.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/comment-page-1/#comment-284167 rdean Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:00:44 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2008/03/17/agrarianism-and-the-incarnation/#comment-284167 Perhaps this will help: met·a·phys·i·cal [ mèttə fízzik'l ] Definition: relating to metaphysics: relating to the philosophical study of the nature of being and beings or a philosophical system resulting from such study speculative: based on speculative reasoning and unexamined assumptions that have not been logically examined or confirmed by observation abstract: extremely abstract or theoretical metaphysical subjects removed from everyday life incorporeal: without material form or substance the metaphysical realm of pure thought supernatural: originating not in the physical world but somewhere outside it ----I admit I'm not very good with the mystical. I do much better with the world that exists around me. Perhaps this will help:

met·a·phys·i·cal [ mèttə fízzik'l ]

Definition:

relating to metaphysics: relating to the philosophical study of the nature of being and beings or a philosophical system resulting from such study

speculative: based on speculative reasoning and unexamined assumptions that have not been logically examined or confirmed by observation

abstract: extremely abstract or theoretical
metaphysical subjects removed from everyday life

incorporeal: without material form or substance
the metaphysical realm of pure thought

supernatural: originating not in the physical world but somewhere outside it

—-I admit I’m not very good with the mystical. I do much better with the world that exists around me.

Report comment to moderator

]]>