Dinner Dance Partner

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For my second cultural artifact I attended the January Series lecture on Tuesday, where I was enlightened and humored by owner of Polyface Farms, Joel Salatin. After hearing this lecture, watching Food Inc. in class yesterday, and now reading more about this alternative farmer, I have thought a lot about food and where it comes from. In his lecture Tuesday, Joel addressed the issues of food and how it is viewed in society today. He claims that we have "pulled away from the dinner dance partner" and that it has been replaced with McDonalds, Tyson, Kraft, Taco Bell... and so on. We now view food as mechanical versus biological. We see soil as inert, something that holds up the plants, but really soil is full of a living community of microorganisms that support life. The disrespect of the soil has also turned to the disrespect of animals- we want them bigger, fatter, faster, and cheaper. These distorted views of God's creation goes even further, where our view of humans becomes the same as that of the animals and creation.
Joel Salatin has committed his life to a "land healing ministry." He claims, "I am a caretaker of creation; I don't own it." He believes it is his responsibility to step into creation as land stewards and redemptive embassadors and embrace it as a dance partner. We need to appreciate our invisible dependent creation. This statement is so applicable to many aspects our lives. This includes the invisible microorganisms in soil, the invisible trillions of cells in our bodies, to the invisible God that created the universe. We don't realize the tremendous power and creativity of our Maker until we study what he has created. We are called to take care of this earth and enjoy it in its natural original beauty. This is what God called us to do, he cares about His creation. In the words of Joel Salatin, "God is interested in the pigness of the pig."
Studying this cultural artifact has sparked an interest in this topic of caring for creation. There are many practical ways, that we as Christians, can participate in a system that does good and allows us to participate in the Kingdom.

Discussion Questions:

• In what ways does the distorted view of creation and animals extend to our view of other humans?
• Where else in creation do we witness the amazing design of our Creator?
• What are ways we can be stewards for God's Kingdom?