Video worth watching:
What started as a great day with the election of Barack Obama as president quickly turned sour with the passing of Proposition 8 in California. The message to gay people is clear. Even in a state known for its liberalness, gays are considered sub-human. It is a disheartening message.
I’ve never heard a non-religious reason to ban gay marriage. If someone has one, I’d be interested in hearing it. In the meantime, I have to lay the denial of gays’ right to pursue happiness at the feet of the majority of Christian institutions in this country. I’m not going to argue Biblical interpretation… if you want info on that see the “Gay and Christian” links in the menu to the right of this blog.
My take on it is that people are afraid. Gays don’t fit into how they (conservative Christians, et. al.) think the world should work so they try to deny their existence as fellow humans deserving full rights. If the order is broken, chaos will result. And yet, Canada, Spain, Massachusetts, etc. have not been swallowed up by chaos. All legalize gay marriage. The fear is completely unfounded and yet people still cling to it.
So where do we go from here? For one, my church recognizes gay marriages. I could certainly marry in a religious ceremony right here in discriminatory Michigan; it just wouldn’t be a legal civic ceremony. But, why not? Do we really want to continue to allow our government to privilege certain religious beliefs over others? How is that different from other places in the world against whom we speak out as being religiously intolerant?
So where do we go from here? In some sense, the whole marriage idea is assimilationist… give us the right to marriage and we’ll be good little invisible gay people… that tact isn’t working. Maybe we should give it up. Maybe we need some civic protests… a little marching in the streets… The Religious Powers are not going to give up the hold they have on society through the enforcement of the heterosexual family just because it is the right thing to do. We need to demand it. In our town halls, through our state and federal congresses, in our streets and most especially in our churches!
No idea is original…
This website seems so wrong and yet… This guy’s making fun of religion, of course, but I certainly laughed at his site… Religion, of course, can use some shaking up, but finding a relationship with God is serious… but doesn’t need to be solemn or puritanical… I think we forget that
Ok, in a class on Queer Theory, the issue of S&M came up. It was proposed that seen in this context one might argue that safety is the opposite of desire. In an S&M scene, one can also say the bottom/Masochist is the one with the power. They agree to what can and can’t be done in the scene. They have the safeword to end the scene. Thus, in a sense, they ultimately control the scene.
This got me thinking in a weird vein… if safety is the opposite of desire (and passion)… is a safe God a static God, a God without passion… no passion of God or for God? Does the idea of a becoming God, a constantly creating God, then imply a God with passion, that inspires passion?
To get back to S&M… would an S&M scene make a metaphor for the human-God relationship? Is God the S or the M? Think of the New Testament imagery, especially of the last day of Jesus’ life. Jesus… beaten, wearing a crown of thorns, tied to a cross, pierced by a spear… Jesus is the one on whom pain is being inflicted… Jesus is the one with the power, who wished in the garden that the scene didn’t have to play out, but who refused to use the safeword to stop the scene…
Of course that makes humanity the Sadist, the one inflicting the pain on Christ as God incarnate, perhaps as the symbolic stand-in of all creation. The S&M relationship is ultimately one of trust and taking that trust to its limits, isn’t it? Is God showing ultimate trust and love for us by not using the safeword? Are we earning that trust? Are humanity, creation, God all getting what they need from the scene… trust, love, pleasure? Or has the scene gone horribly wrong?
Maybe God is a switch and wants to change roles for awhile… put me under your control God… I give my life over to you… being used in the Bible, the whole master/slave language kind of works here… In any case, maybe our relationship with God needs to be a little less safe, a little more passionate, a little more trusting, loving, pleasuring… and yes erotic.
Ah well, it’s an interesting analogy to play with. I haven’t fully explored it so I don’t know if it really works or not… and if it’s blasphemous, I don’t care and I doubt that God does either 🙂
I wonder if we all have more than one concept of God. I think I do. There’s my mature, intellectual image of what God is and what my relationship with God *should* be. The God that I could describe and then rightfully claim that I didn’t get it right because God is ultimately indescribable. This is a loving God, a sustaining God. A God that guides rather than manipulates. The God within, a becoming God, a co-creator… And then there is the God I wish was there when I’m feeling lost in the chaos. This is the God of childhood. The Santa Claus God. The omnipotent God who can swoop in and fix all my problems. I don’t believe that is the way God is, but I sure wish it was so.
Two quick reviews:
The Dark Knight – go see it! This is one movie that lives up to the hype. Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker is delightfully creepy.
My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor is a memoir by a brain scientist who experienced her own stroke. Definitely a recommended read. It not only gives insight into how the brain works and those living with brain injuries, but for me it brings up the question whether God is a creation of our brain or if God is a higher power that the brain mysteriously knows how to plug into. It doesn’t provide any definitive answers but I love to contemplate such things 🙂
Peace!
It’s not too often I read an entire book in one day. But “My Trip Down the Pink Carpet,” a memoir by actor Leslie Jordan, is that good. I was expecting a mindless, entertaining read – a welcome break from the serious books I have been reading lately. The Pink Carpet was indeed entertaining – I laughed out loud several times. But it also addresses serious issues in meaningful ways including struggling with addictions, coming out, homophobia, and religion. The book is a good read with important messages – I’d recommend it.
I can’t believe it is the second half of July already. I’ll soon be back in classes! I’m looking forward to it. I’m already starting to worry about what happens after school, though, because I really have no clue.
I had big plans for this summer. No job, but I was going to “improve myself.” Mixed results so far 🙂
I was going to work through “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron to improve my creativity. I’m still working on it, but I’m not being very dedicated to it. I have, for the most part, kept up with one of the exercises recommended in the book, “morning pages.” Basically, you take time each morning to write out whatever comes to mind, filling 2-3 pages of a notebook each day. You don’t write about anything particular, just write. It’s interesting to see where it leads sometimes.
I was also going to write some poetry. Nothing so far, but I did buy a book of poetry and have enjoyed reading some poems.
I was also going to learn a new programming language to keep up on my computer skills. Not sure I’ll get to this one although it would theoretically be nice to say I’m doing something with computers in case I need to look for a computer job after school is out in the spring.
I have kept up on an exercise program and I’m very happy with that.
I’ve also got some other writing I want to get to. And I’ve finally gotten out and golfed a few times. But, mostly, I’m wondering where the summer has gone…
One of my classes in the spring rekindled an old interest in photography so I spent some money on a new camera. Now I have to learn to use it.
I’ve got a list of things I want to do, actually. I think that’s part of the problem. I get so many things on my list, I don’t know where to start.
Got to see an old friend who was in town last week. I enjoyed that immensely and am looking forward to visiting him and his partner next month when I go on vacation.
I’m also talking with a seminary friend about starting a journal to provide a resource for religious leaders working with the LGBTQ community. I think it might happen so I’ll probably write more on it later. Could be a lot of fun as well as a valuable tool if it takes off.
That’s about it for now. What will the second half of the summer hold?
So far:
Chronicles of Narnia – ***** – Wonderful fantasy flick.
Indiana Jones – **** – Kind of dumb, but very entertaining.
Kung Fu Panda – *** – I thought it was boring. I was disappointed.
Wall-E – ***** – An excellent movie! Great story and great animation.
This week, I’m going to see Batman. I’m looking forward to it as it has gotten impressive reviews.
I just finished reading the book “Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary” by Marcus Borg. If you lean toward progressive Christianity, then I highly recommend Borg. I’ve never been disappointed by one of his books and this one is no exception. I did find it somewhat repetitive with “The Last Week” which Borg co-wrote with John Dominic Crossan, but this is not surprising. After all, you can’t talk about Jesus without talking about what the death and resurrection stories mean. I don’t always agree with 100% of what Borg says, but it’s pretty close. His ideas are refreshing and hopeful. He’s also a professor and not a preacher and I like that perspective.