reminder
this morning reminded me of everything i hate about "christianity."
notice the parntheses around the word because i am speaking of christianity as it's come to be known, not as it should be. i don't claim to have the answers to how it should be. but i know it shouldn't be this way.
to be honest, i don't even want to explain why. i will come across just as judgmental as the person i am frustrated with. but to make a long story short, it ended with someone explaining to a group of people how the gay lifestyle was against God and how speaking out against it was spreading the gospel. i didn't realize the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of Jesus Christ, the most important message our world will ever hear, was "DON'T BE GAY!". i was unaware of that fact. now i am aware. and frustrated.
what gives one person the right to claim superiority over another? haven't we all fallen short? the obvious answer to that question is yes. yet we continue in this path of hatred and disgust with the unfamiliar and unknown. and i'm not here to debate whether being gay is right. that won't solve anything, and that is not the point. i don't even know what the point is. maybe you can tell me. i am just so fed up with the way things are. i am so tired of just settling for a lesser version of christianity because it allows us to feel superior and comfortable. i know i am pushing the line here, because the reality of the situation is that i am close to feeling superior to that man who said these things because i think he is an idiot. which is a little hypocritical because this post is supposed to be refuting that attitude. but there it is. i would rather admit my shortcomings than claim i am holier than thou. i don't know what the answer is. but i am tired of sitting by and saying nothing when i hear these things. in one way, the man was right. we do need to stand up for what is right. but if being right gets in the way of loving a child of God, then i am more than willing to throw my "rightness" into the trash.
i don't expect anyone to dive into this conversation. i know it's a little on the edge of reason. just like bridget jone's diary was.
alright, i have successfully closed with a terrible pop culture joke. i can leave now.
posted by xblairx @ 8:42 AM
18 Comments:
At 11:28 AM ,
Anonymous said...
what's up sharpshooter? Tho I never reply to these blogs, for some reason this morning finds me a little more agile. it's too bad we've been so out of touch... this discussion seems somewhat arcane to me, as if I would need a secret language to even begin a sentence... but thanks to DCB 'I will not be silent'
I will say that your strivings to get to the real Christianity seem incredibly ambitious and possibly futile (and i don't mean to be defeatist). What i mean is.. when I think of the history of the Christian tradition and the millions of too-opinionated men (and I don't use "men" generically for "men and women") who have bulldozed a moralistic structure out of that problematic and deeply affecting rabble called "the scripture" it leaves me dazed and spinning out of control. Divining a "theology" or a hospitable and energizing world-view out of such a multi-voiced document seems impossible if we are to take all that it says seriously. It then becomes a problem of authority, that is, which texts do you privilege? Do you privilege certain aphorisms of jesus at the expense of all that seems out of harmony with his sunday-morning spirit of "love everyone despite everything"? Not to mention, that if you don't trust the writer of chapter eleven how can you trust them on the sermon on the mount. It seems you have forgive a lot in these books, too much. There is also the question of authorial integrity -that is, why were these texts written? I believe that if your dig a little deeper into any of the gospels (not to mention Paul's ferocious epistles) you find agenda's, you find them propagandizing, excluding, creating dissent, and just generally building up the walls of separation between groups, most of which I think flies under the radar because our knowledge of the early church is so slight. All this seems contradictory to what one wants to believe, or at least hopes the "message" of christianity boils down to. It seems to me that there are simply too many "strange parts" in the text to continue to ignore. It is my suspicion that if one was to be completely rigorous about getting to the foundations (and there seem to be many) of this early Christianity it would seem quite distasteful to us, much to strange and indeed irrelevant. This doesn't mean that we cannot honor Jesus. It's just a question of how. Yes, the man must have had an enormous effect on his world, its just a shame he didn't write a book.
At 11:29 AM ,
Anonymous said...
BTW, that was me blair. ERic.
At 12:16 PM ,
Anonymous said...
oh yes... and I'm coming to regina on saturday or friday.... so lets get ourselves some perogies. And.. upon further review, i realize i didn't deal with your blog much at all. I guess I have absolutely no reason to think that god has a thing against gays. I don't have a good means of knowing his mind, and i think its dangerous to claim that one does (of course i know you don't) If we were created by an intelligent something (and it is indeed an "if"), then i would assume he's perfectly ok with what he's made.
peace blair.
from eric again
At 4:09 PM ,
xblairx said...
hey e-rock.
let's do it. e-mail me your cell or call mine if you have it. i will respond when i have some time to think this through. i don't want to put something as silly as
"God rules, and you drool."
so, i won't.
At 7:28 PM ,
Anonymous said...
blair, i'll be in regina on saturday morning (i think), we'll talk then home-spinner.
At 9:27 AM ,
John, Angie and the kiddos said...
Hey Blair. I understand your anger, after all, we're related. At the same time, I'm slowly discovering that some things will never change, including some people, and so all I can change is my anger. Believe me good sir, this is not a "value tale from John to you" - its a nod and a grimace from someone who has realized the potential anger has to overwhelm. There's so many times I read or hear someone say something dumb and the first thing I want do is @%#%#%@%@. Yeh, exactly, not too healthy.
Anyways, I read this book over the Christmas break called The Portable Athiest. I quite enjoyed it, for what it was, but the one thing that came across loud and clear was all these brilliant and I mean brilliant thinkers have been taken over by anger. Most of them are agnostics repulsed by the evil within the church and christians. In other words, we're the reason they don't believe in God. It's the old age arguement, if that's what the followers are like, imagine the leader. Anyways, I saw much of myself in those brilliant writers, not the brilliance mind you but the anger and self righteous indignation towards narrow minded judgemental Chrisitans and their poison. Reading the book, at times, felt like looking into a mirror and I didn't love what I saw reflecting back. As a result I've tried to move forward not allowing "them to get the best of me knowing for the rest of my life there will be poisinious christians spewing forth their venom on sinners." Here's the reality, in those angry times, I'm probably just as posinious. I guess all I can do is leave God to deal with them and move on to creating the kind of world that is worth saving.
I think this advice column was written more to myself.
I love your heart Blair. And your pecks.
John
At 10:11 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Hey Blair,
Welcome back, what a great blog entry! You're right about the funny contradiction when you hear something so frustrating from someone and then the need to balance the anger with what they have said with the need to be graceful or something that approaches that.
The blog entry really isn't about the gay issue, it is more about people who use things like gay issues to subvert the very meaning of Christianity away from a world view of love and compassion into something frighteningly different.
But honing in on the gay issue as a way to examine this further (why would I not take advantage since my favourite topic was raised? lol) ... and speaking from experience, I know many gay people that are no longer interested in organized religion because they were made to feel excluded and in some cases even hated by Christians who proported to speak for God. Some of these people are still very spiritual, and some are not. And it really is sad to see God's name twisted into a weapon against a minority group of people, and gays aren't the only group that has happened with in history.
However, I do see hope for the future. I have met many gay people who are still spiritual, and many who are now forming new community and church groups, or joining existing gay friendly church groups. I have met many straight allies, who are promoting gay rights in churches and in wider society. Gay people, and family members and allies of gay people, are starting to bring the issues up more often, and answer questions and correct stereotypes for Christians who often just haven't thought about the topic at all. With increasing education, dialogue, and compassion and humility, things can and are slowly getting better.
I guess what I'm saying is that for me as a person who is gay and spiritual, I have met Christians who have used their faith as a weapon, something I never saw Jesus do, and that is sad. However, for every person who does that, there's another Christian who is trying to see things from Jesus' point of view, from a view of inclusiveness, respect for diversity, and love for all peoples.
Call me an optimistic, but I do think things have the potential to get better, but it all comes down to individuals wanting them to get better, and then taking positive action as well. When people can stand up and talk about issues like you have done here Blair, we are on the right track. As more Christians realize that we not only need to have a viewpoint of loving others, but that we also need to tell our fellow Christians about the importance of love and respect and the damaging effects of hate, we will continue to see positive change and outcomes that bring peopel together in unity.
Thanks again Blair!
[Side note 1: Hi Eric!]
[Side note 2: OK, I may have rambled off topic there, but hey, I do that, lol]
Matt Wiebe :)
At 9:53 PM ,
Unknown said...
Hey guys, I stumbled across someof your blogs on a cold lonely evening in Brandon, very good read.
I just wish I understood the core of what I "believe". Is it Love?
At 5:14 AM ,
Brian said...
Hey All,
It is nice to have some good conversation again. Matt and Eric, I'm not sure we've met before, so I'll say nice to meet you in whatever weird way you can meet someone on a blog.
Anyway. This question goes out to you and anyone else who drops in. What is the one or two things that you wish every Christian or spiritual person thought about when they try to wrap their mind around these discussions?
Okay, I'll be back later.
At 1:42 PM ,
xblairx said...
hey tracy,
good to have you checking in! welcome and join in the conversation anytime.
i don't know the answer to that. what should be the core of your belief? my belief? everyone's belief? i think love is a good answer. everything should come out of a spirit of love. love is the beginning and the end and everything inbetween. that is very abstract, i know...but that's all i can think of.
brian,
that is a tough question. i think my first answer would be that i wish everyone would try and think of how they could become better people, whether christian or not. when we have discussions about negativity within the church, i would hope people reading would desire to make things better and not just ignore it, settling for the status quo. on the other hand, if people think there is no problem where i see one, they should feel free to say so. so in other words, no real answer, just more blair babble. it's what i'm good at.
At 2:51 PM ,
Brian said...
Ha, Blair, that wasn't specific enough, and I should have been more direct. Let me rephrase the question. What is the one or two things that you wish every Christian or spiritual person thought about when they try to wrap their mind around the discussion of homosexuality?
More to come, I'm cookin' pork chops at the moment...
At 5:29 PM ,
Unknown said...
I think we should just go get high Blair...
At 6:58 PM ,
xblairx said...
oh wow...that would be one option. i guess. i might not join in, but you never know...
i don't know brian. that question is even tougher than the one i thought you were asking. i guess there are a few things i hope christians might try to understand when entering this discussion.
1. Gay people are God's children, no more or less than anyone else. That may sound obvious, but so often the way they are addressed by Christians is as less than human. maybe some of you have different experiences and have engaged in discussions with other christians that are loving towards gay people. i haven't had that experience. even discussion that is trying to be loving sometimes feels forced and hatred underneath.
2. I would hope christians would realize that you can be gay and be a christian. so many people would never admit to this, but others openly state that you cannot be gay and christian. i think that is completely false. whether you are an openly gay christian or on the other end of the spectrum and think being gay is an abomination, who are we to state who can and cannot be a christian? i think we are in no place. we all have sinned. it's like me stating those who look at pornography cannot be christians. many don't admit to it, but it is a problem that runs rampant throughout the church, yet we would never tell someone who struggles with this that they cannot be a christian, so why should it be different with being gay? and that is assuming that you even think being gay is a sin. there are many that don't.
3. and following on that final sentence, i wish christians would be more open to dialogue with those that disagree with the viewpoint that being gay is a sin. i think this is true of all denominations and the things they disagree on. we don't have to agree on everything, but we enter these discussions with our minds made up and it breeds contempt for those who differ. i wish we could talk without fanning the flames of hatred and separation.
those are three i thought of off the top of my head. if i think of more, i will shout them out. anyone else? please respond.
At 6:46 PM ,
Brian said...
I would say these same things here, Blair. My heart wants to lead me in one direction, while my head and background is working against that.
It is also hard to read scriptures that address this topic. It seems we must choose if the Bible is the eternal word of God or if it is eternal words about God. It does appear that "we" pick and choose scriptures to suit our needs. We have written off topics of slavery, clothing styles, holy smooching, women's role, and others for cultural reasons. Where does that lead us?
At 9:42 PM ,
Anonymous said...
As a gay Christian, I see a lot of contradictions when I hear Christians tell me the bible "clearly" tells me I can't be who I am, when the reality is that the bible is not clear on this topic at all, and further that we interpret and filter the bible in many other examples, which Brian addresses above.
But in response to Blair's excellent questions, I would say:
1) I wish Christians would see homosexuality not as an "issue" or a "debate" or about strictly "theology." Rather, this is about people, with feelings, emotions, and souls. I am not an issue, I am a person.
2) I wish people in general could approach issues with an open mind. I really don't mind if people believe that homosexuality is a sin, because at the end of the day people are diverse and have differences of opinion on tonnes of opinions. However, if people could approach the subject with an open mind, and listen to the stories of gay people in general, I think it could help create some true dialogue back and forth.
3) And finally, I wish Christians could meet my wonderful family members Melissa and Blair, who truly are incredibly supportive, accepting, and loving! :)
Matt Wiebe
At 9:43 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Oops, I just realized the question above was actually asked by Brian and not Blair in the first place. But thanks to both of you for this great conversation!
Matt
At 7:30 PM ,
Brian said...
Hey Matt,
The conversation is quite helpful for to me too. It would be great to meet you some day.
John Close once said to me, "Who Would Jesus Bash?" I love it. The more I get to know Jesus the more I love him. It seems it did not matter what blood, background, ethnicity, or upbringing you brought to him, he valued you because you were breathing.
My daughter is pullin' on my shoulder, otherwise I'd go on here.
At 11:31 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Thanks Brian, it would be good to meet you one day too!
Matt
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