Danger lurks with Marie Kondo

Tidying Up

Majority culture in America has been departing from Christianity for some time now. In fact much of what’s left of “Christian culture” lacks resemblance to Christ as defined by the Bible. Americans have traded Jesus for the new ideals of the day. Often quite offended by those of us who haven’t yet jumped aboard the bandwagon.

Yet in that movement away from Jesus as our Savior, our hope, our joy, and our reason for the way we live, plenty of things are eagerly filling the void. Most recently, at least among the young adult women of my social media feeds, that new distraction is Marie Kondo.

Her new Netflix show, Tidying Up, is incredibly relatable. Children run around unchecked. Marriages are buried under stress. Weekends are lost in the mundane reality of trying to keep up with our homes. All this despite the adult’s best efforts to control the chaos. Just watch the first episode and you’ll be replaying scenes of your own life in your head. Nodding in solidarity and laughing in effort to shrug off the discomfort of this truth.

The idea is nothing new; Minimalism has been trendy for a while now. Tiny homes. Capsules wardrobes. The idea of less being more is widely marketed. Marie Kondo, however, has hit on something deeper than home organization. She promises joy.

Directly or indirectly her message is one terminating on joy. A better life all around. You’ve got marriage issues? Burdened by stress and business? Struggling with loss or depression? Her answer is simple and attainable. Minimize and organize your home and reap the benefits in all areas of life. Episode after episode we watch lives get turned upside down. The final few minutes are a stark contrast to where each family began. Tales of romance reignited, happier children, more time and energy for the things that really matter. All thanks to Marie. Our savior.

To be clear I have no issues with minimalism as a lifestyle and I too am working toward a less cluttered home. I regularly purge our closets, toy chests and junk drawers. I’ve tried to remind myself of these ideals as I walk through Target while beautiful things I do not need are calling my name. Marie has some solid advice to give. But underneath the practical, there is a two-fold message we would be wise to acknowledge.

Panentheism

Panentheism is an idea I’ve seen creep up in books and other resources marketed to Christian women. It can be subtle and made to look and sound very biblical. To be fair, Marie’s version is not subtle at all and certainly isn’t marketed as Christianity. But that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked.

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy describes it like this.

“Panentheism” is a constructed word composed of the English equivalents of the Greek terms “pan”, meaning all, “en”, meaning in, and “theism”, meaning God. Panentheism considers God and the world to be inter-related with the world being in God and God being in the world.

Examples of panentheism in the show are plentiful. Marie begins by silently thanking the house for protecting the family and letting it know they are going to begin tidying up. She encourages her clients to thank each item for the purpose it’s served and the time spent in their home. While folding, you should talk to your clothes and thank them, “conveying love with your hands” she says in episode 1.

This is a deeply religious experience.

The idea is that divinity dwells in everything around us. Everyday objects inter-relate with god and thereby should be treated as sacred.

Where does joy come from?

Panentheism in and of itself is an issue worth being conscious of while binge watching. But it leads to a greater, more subversive lie. That true, life giving joy can be found outside of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Marie is someone we love immediately. Her smiles are constant and infectious. She’s bubbly. She doesn’t judge your mess, both physical and emotional. She’s here to help. She wants the best for you. I certainly have nothing against her. I believe she has the absolute best of intentions and desire to help others. But I also believe she’s wrong, and however innocently, she’s spreading a lie.

As Christians, our joy is not found in the things we own. It’s not even found in the benefits of owning less and being more organized. Namely less stress, more time for relationships, etc. We can rightly enjoy these things, but when our joy terminates on the created rather than the creator we have gone astray.

Our hope is only in Jesus. His righteousness is credited to us through the cross and resurrection, making us sons and daughters, able to call on God as Father. This is where our joy is found. The solution we really need to our problems, marriages, jobs, parenting, and depression is not a more organized life. It’s a life in glad submission to the one who loves us and gave himself up for us.

So watch the show and purge your things. Fill your drawers with perfectly folded t-shirts. Enjoy having less stuff and more space for things that matter. My encouragement is simply to watch with eyes wide open. Do not let yourself be carried away. And do not place your hope in Marie. She is not our savior. The items in your home that “Spark Joy” should not lead you to thank your favorite outfit for the confidence boost it gives you. Instead look around you, take stock of all you have and thank God for his provision and grace.