I'm tired of hearing the word "THEY" used like an accusation and leveled against people known only collectively by their religion, race, gender, sexual preference or preferred ice cream flavor. Mine would be Christ follower, mixed, female, hetero, and coffee, in case you're wondering. But I can guarantee you none of those denominators will tell you anything of substance about me. I'm not a label, and I sincerely doubt anyone else in this world is either.
Whether it's following the immigration debates around the world, equal opportunity marriage, a proposed Islamic community center or whatever hot topic is on the news at the moment, it seems that our globalized world isn't pulling us together. It's pushing us apart, tighter and tighter into tiny cliques of people who look and think just like us, threatened by that which we can't understand and limiting our desire to reach out and discover, let alone celebrate, those differences.
I'm upset, and when I'm upset, I write poetry. Sing it with me, won't you? To a little tune from "The Sound of Music:"
Fear, paranoia and gossip gone wild.
Mistrust and slander and anger, unbridled,
Hateful emotions tied up with strings,
these are few of our favorite sins…
Oppression and mistreatment of others is wrong. If you're a Christian, God's against it. (I can't speak for anyone else, I'm just speaking from what I know, and that's Christianity). And if you don't believe me, I'm sorry for you. Because in addition to making life hell for others, you're bringing that same hell on yourself. And I don't use that word lightly. "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us" is not just a collection of pretty words. "Love your neighbor as yourself" is not fluff and nonsense. Or here's a scary one: "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you."
Maybe we need to stop listening to the quasi-Christian pundits and start reading our Bibles with open ears again...and listen to what God puts in our hearts instead of what someone hankering for our money and "righteous indignation" wants us to believe.
3 comments:
The other day I heard of a mother who changes her children's "check the box" race on the school forms every year Don't conform, be creative.
the label thing....and yet I find myself doing it, too, when I didn't so much, before...
I worry.
Funny how this country of "haves" becomes so grasping and narrow(er) when they experience "difficulties" (economic) and that leads to more labels and boxes and exclusion. In other places, when the going gets tough(er) they pull together........
Jenna, you're wonderful. I feel like I haven't told you in awhile, so there's that out of the way. Also, this post is thoroughly wonderful and just what I need to cap a day of quasi-international travel. My Chinese family's in town and we've been driving around the LA area for 2 days speaking Chinese and Cantonese and English and generally having ourselves a wonderful time.
I have huge issues with labels and the damage they can cause. Judgemental Christians can cause so much damage - as can judgemental Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, Daoists, animists, atheists, and the like. It's too late and I'm too tired to write more, but I hope you're well, whatever part of our gorgeous yet somewhat fucked-up planet you're on, and I hope you're enjoying married life.
One hug and two kisses,
Julie
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