suburban monasticism

when I had to get up at 2:45 in the morning to go to work I had to be in bed at, like 7:30 in order to get any sleep, so I haven't been to the Place in a few months. last night was my first week back, and it was a good week to be there. the topic was suburban monasticism, and my friend Randy asked us all if the majority of Christians in North America live their lives as functional atheists. we embrace consumerism, individualism, careerism, and a desperate need for security and want Jesus to play the monarch role to our prime minister--we like having Him around, but we wouldn't take kindly to Him actually trying to interfere in the way we do business. my question is this: what keeps us from living lives of community and generosity and hospitality? is it false teaching in our churches? (or, if not false teaching then weak teaching that doesn't challenge us.) is it personal greed, not only for money and for things but for our time? or maybe we, in the evangelical church at least, are simply fighting the wrong battles. we rage against hot button issues that we think are so obviously wrong, and then we don't see how some of the more insidious wrongs are sneaking into the back doors of our churches and our own minds. i wonder if the political issues that we wage war against aren't just the greatest game of misdirection we've ever fallen for.