Saturday, March 29, 2008

Anarchy in the UK!

I've had a interest in Anarchy for a couple of years now. Now don't get all worried, i'm not going to hurt anyone. But as a student of culture and social and political philosophy, I did in fact write a HUGE paper on anarchism (specifically the Spanish variety from 1880s-1930s concerning mainly their art and propaganda) as my senior Honors project. I recently read an article concerning a specific annoying variety of British anarchism, and though the article is hard to understand completely without knowledge of British contemporary history, it did leave with a few thoughts that i think are quite applicable in everyday life:

"For most of the history of the proletarian movement, a demanding critical thought was not seen as alien or elitist. In fact research into the use of union libraries, workers' book collections, radical publishers etc shows that 'deep' theoretical works were often far more widely read amongst sections of the proletariat than the upper classes. Knowledge was something that had to be fought for collectively and did not come cheap to the poor, and was therefore all the more highly valued." (emphasis mine)

"We want action not theory' - a slogan fit only for headless chickens."

We'd do well to remember that one... I can't help but think of it in light of my culture. We'll just jump into argument and action without a second thought. Study. Know what you actually think. Have good reasons. Then we can talk civilly.
This is why i find anarchy so interesting...

From: http://libcom.org/library/paper-tiger-class-war-aufheben-6

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Friday, March 28, 2008

a poem of emptiness

I try to connect all day
read...
listen...
speak...
Nothing.
It's like my soul is dead
Or just somewhere else
Or numb.
And maybe my heart is just not wanted
so it ran away.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Get Saved!!

On to my review of the 4th chapter of UnChristian. I know you've barely been able to cope waiting for this one...
okay, main premise for this chapter goes something like this: "christians just want people to 'get saved'. They don't really care about me, but just want more points on their scorecard-my membership, my money, ect".
I can see where people get this perception. I even feel this way sometimes. I often feel as though, as a Christian, the church only cares about what I do... my good deeds, ect, not who i am on the inside or the struggles i go through.
Now, I and others may have feelings on this that may or may not be true- people may really care, but don't come across as though they do. And the way we've marketed our faith over the past 50ish years contributes to that. The gospel is seen as cheap - printed on cheap-looking t-shirts, billboards, across the radio, with crappy musicians and speakers- we've fallen into thinking that if we do anything in Jesus' name people will get saved. But it's not necessarily true- sometimes it just pushes people away. We're a bit overexposed to the message of faith... it seems inexpensive (read-not worth my life) and silly (read-something a closed-minded person would accept).
We've also become rather exclusive. I noticed this last thursday when my jewish friend was kind enough to come with me to a Maundy Thursday service at which my sister was playing the cello. The pastor's words were so laced with chrisian-and-church experiences and so full of connotations that you would have HAD to have been brought up in the church to understand a word he said. My poor friend was very lost-and uncomfortable. Then we had communion, and he was VERY emphatic on the point that "you can't do this unless you're saved. So get saved then you can have some. Otherwise just sit there". I'm not trying to be mean, i'm just describing it as my friend did when we discussed it afterward. If she invited me over for passover, i'd be able to eat the Seder, although i'm not Jewish and have no intention of becoming so. Enough on communion topic for now, but i think we may be taking it a little too far. At any rate, people still don't feel accepted in a church- they have to look a certain way, say certain things and do certain things. Even more "non-traditional Christians" feel very out of place, and are often not fully accepted in a church because they do things a little differently or come from a different background. A church without all these unspoken rules and hoops to jump through could be wonderful... i long for that. The authors define a few things that should be part of any christian community: 1) worshiping God intimately and passionately, 2)engaging in spiritual friendships with other believers, 3)Pursuing faith in the context of family, 4)Embracing intentional forms of spiritual growth 5)serving others 6) Investing time and resources in spiritual pursuits, and 7)having faith based conversations with outsiders. These authors, who work for Barna, by the way, discovered that most christians they surveyed don't value these things... but rather the yes-and-no of specific lifestyle choices, avoidance of sin, ect. And that's not what it's about.
Also, we've focused on the "one-time conversion experience". Here's how it's supposed to go. I meet person x on the street. We strike up an immediately spiritual conversation. I persuade x that I am right. X accepts Christ right there. I tell x to go to church and do good...maybe even invite to my church. But i will probably never see x again.
No, it can't work that way. If we continue to focus on this, we'll only contribute to the stereotype that christians just want converts, and don't care about the person - their needs or desires. We have to form relationships, "We would put the emphasis on developing relationships with nonbelievers, serving them, loving htem, and making them feel accepted. Only then would we earn the right to share the gospel." (p. 88, from Andy Stanley)
We have to love and listen...and think as we do it. Not just "I'm supposed to share these 5 steps with you and you're throwing me curveballs, get back on track here and get saved!" But rather, when a friend shares something you weren't expecting.. acually care about it, why they think that, and then love and listen to them as they work through it.
I know i look to have natural spiritual conversations with people- nothing set up by technique or formula. But relationship. I long to share myself with others... but only if i know they care about me.

Monday, March 17, 2008

hypocrisy

The next section in "Unchristian" deals with hypocrites in the church. The church is seen by many as hypocritical, saying one thing but doing another. This has been one of the objections i've heard raised, and i'd dare say the church at large has recognized this at one point or another. I remember growing up and in youth group they'd say "your friends won't want to be christians because they think we're hypocrites". And it was responded to in different ways.
Reaction #1:
Act better. Walk the walk. Be the best person possible. Let them have no room to criticize you. We're right, we'll show them we're right by our rules and actions.
There are varying degrees of prudishness and isolatedness involved in this response. However, almost no matter where on this spectrum you are, you often end up in a legalistic kind of religion..there's rules, and i must follow them. This is hardly attractive for people who are looking for a free and meaningful life. (Yes, it's true, people are not just looking for absolutes and standards!)
Reaction #2:
Yes, of course we're hypocrites. They can't be expecting us to be perfect all the time. That'd be silly. We just do our best, you know.
However, this just leads to the escalation of the problem that's already there. "Those christians say they believe this, but are totally unwilling to even try to act like it".
Reaction #3:
They say we're hypocrites. But that's just dumb. We're not. Christians are the best people I know. Besides, they have nothing to say.
Simply, this isn't going to work because it will breed more isolation and "us v. them".

At first I was worried about what "Unchristian" was trying to present as a solution to all this...it sounded a little like Reactions 1 and 2 a bit mixed. And i'm still not sure they have quite figured it out for us, but it makes more sense than the 3 above reactions.
Yes, we do believe in some pretty high standards.
Yes, we are depraved and often can't fulfill them.
That's where Christ comes in.
We rely on His strength, and continually recognize His grace and love.
And they sum it up with a quote from Tolstoy "Attack me, not the path I take. If i stagger home drunkenly, does that make the path i follow any less right?"

It makes sense, but i'm not sure i'm quite satisfied with this. Not sure what more i'm looking for.. comments welcome, as always.

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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

unchristian

I've started reading a new book...here's some opening thoughts from the first chapters.
"For most [people between 18 and 29], relationships are the driving force. Being loyal to friends is one of their highest values. They have a strong need to belong, usually to a tribe of other loyal people who know them well and appreciate them. Still, under their relational connectedness lies a strong individualism. Even though they esteem fair-mindedness and diversity, they are irreverent and blunt. Finding ways to express themselves....is an endless pursuit...skeptical of leaders, products, and institutions...They do not trust things that seem too perfect, accepting that life comes with its share of messiness and off-the-wall experiences and people."

"Our studies explored the nature of the perceptions about Christianity - not just pro or con but the substance of how people feel...not if people feel negatively but why... Christians are primarily perceived for what they stand against. We have become known for what we oppose, rather than who we are."

One "outsider's" comment- "entrenched-thinking, antigay, antichoice, angry, violent, illogical, empire-building, convert-focused people who cannot live peacefully with others...known for an us-vs-them mentality."

"[outsiders] feel minimized- or worse, demonized- by those who love Jesus."

From reading the first couple of chapters, I think they've done a pretty good job in defining what my age group thinks about life and about christianity. Heck, it's what i think about life and "christianity". So i'm proud of these guys for recognizing it- and it's interesting how they write as though they know it's going to shock some people. And yes, it probably will. I know it would at the church I go to every sunday. The sermon last week did indeed demonize outsiders and skeptics and called christians to more us-vs-them arguments with others.
Let me make a point i've been on for a long time...there is a generational shift going on that the church has ignored. It must learn how people think, their priorities, their lifestyle- and learn to care about all of it. It's just a part of loving others as Jesus did.
"Young people today" don't want fame or money or the american dream. We, the new generation of adults in America and the modern (or perhaps postmodern...) world are after knowledge (of self and of everything else), expression (of our individualism, community, knowledge, and beliefs), and community (acceptance, love, and support). And the church must learn how to accept this and deal with it. In fact, our job could be easier than before. We no longer have huge layers of systems and methods to undermine. Rather, we have skeptics who are willing to accept "radical", "different" lifestyles and are accepting of things that Jesus taught of (community, love, nonviolence, giving). There's a huge opportunity here.
Good book. More thoughts later.
UnChristian, Dave Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons, 2007, Baker, Grand Rapids.

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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

yes, i have been watching firefly for the past 3 days

I watched all of Firefly last weekend, and watched Serenity today. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's a great sci-fi series and movie. Especially the movie.

Captain Reynolds: Do you know what the first rule of flying is? Well, i guess you do since you already know what i'm about to say.

River: I do, but i like to hear you say it.

Ah, beautiful... go where you want with that. So true.

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Friday, March 07, 2008

All because of U[2]

I went to see U23D yesterday...as a music, cinema, and U2 fan, i have to recommend it highly. And i was thinking on the lyrics from one of their songs...
U2 Lyrics

"U2 One lyrics"



Is it getting better
Or do you feel the same
Will it make it easier on you now
You got someone to blame
You say...

One love
One life
When it's one need
In the night
One love
We get to share it
Leaves you baby if you
Don't care for it

Did I disappoint you
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without
Well it's...

Too late
Tonight
To drag the past out into the light
We're one, but we're not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other
One...

Have you come here for forgiveness
Have you come to raise the dead
Have you come here to play Jesus
To the lepers in your head

Did I ask too much
More than a lot
You gave me nothing
Now it's all I got
We're one
But we're not the same
Well we
Hurt each other
Then we do it again
You say
Love is a temple
Love a higher law
Love is a temple
Love the higher law
You ask me to enter
But then you make me crawl
And I can't be holding on
To what you got
When all you got is hurt

One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But we're not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other

One...life

One

I always thought this song was about a difficult relationship, specifically a romantic one...and maybe, but perhaps there's more to it too. The line "sisters, brothers" makes me think so. I think this song can be about how hard it is for us to get along with our fellow humans. How wretchedly we can treat each other. But we're one. We have one life, and we all share life. Here's hoping we can learn how to carry each other. Love one another. Count the other's life as just as important, if not more so, than our own.
That's something i've been trying to learn lately. To live in community, and love as though others are just as important as me. Trying to lay down pride... and live outside of my own little paradigm. To put aside all of my desire to simply be left alone in the quiet (which is still nice sometimes...) and welcome others, hoping they will be willing to do the same.

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As Jill, you are confident, respectful, and a little bit bossy! You have an acquired taste for adventure, and love any challenge that you have to face.