Old, New Ways

Well, it seems that I’ve fallen back into my old ways; posting once a month or so.  At least that’s the case with this past month.  And, gazing through hindsight, I’m pretty sure I can nail down a couple good reasons.

First, though really not a good reason, my wife and I have been considering a pretty major move, both geographically and career related.  Second, I’ve found that over the course of the past year or so, most of my posts have been somewhat of a reaction, often an angry or negative one, to something that has rubbed me wrong.  Particularly, most of my posts were born out of my frustrations with the established religious systems, and for me, specifically in small town, rural Oklahoma.  So, in putting two and two together, I guess I haven’t really been angry at much over the past three or four weeks.  Either that, or I’ve not been good at verbalizing those frustrations, if blogging can actually be called a verbalization.

So in line with the career change, I feel it’s necessary to make a bit of a writing change as well.  Especially since I’m not really sure I’ve made much impact over the past twelve months.  Now, that’s not to say I’m not going to challenge the system, because I think that’s the kind of person I’ve always been, just cautious and fearful of actually living it.  Instead I’m going to be working on a different way of seeing the world.

I’m not sure how many of you (my four readers) have ever picked up a documentary before, but there is one in particular that has, strangely enough, had a profound impact on my thinking.  The film is called The Beautiful Losers if you’d like to check it out.  In short, it’s a chronicle of some street artists from all over the country that are not afraid to be who they are, producing art that is specific to their personality, not something someone else tells them to regurgitate.

There’s really a lot of freedom in the premise.  You see, I’ve lived my life gauging all my interactions based upon what I perceived other people to be wanting me to do, act and say.  Essentially, I’ve not really lived my life, the one I see myself living, and I’ve more closely resembled a robot, performing my basic programming and that’s it.  So things are going to change.  Sadly it’s taken me the better part of 28 years to find that out, but hey, progress is progress.

Finally for today, I’ve always had a quote from my dad in the back of my brain that’s just been slowly etching away the crust of this sterile life I’ve assumed everyone else wants me to live.  It goes as follows, and has, when paralleled with the Beautiful Losers, given me a wonderful launching point for some new ways: “You don’t ever have to ask anyone’s permission to serve God.”

I guess what I needed to hear, and really hear, was this: I don’t have to ask anyone’s permission to be the person that I know I should be.  I am not going to serve the Creator in the same sorts of ways as someone else, though lines may cross.  I’m not going to generate the same artistic pieces as another artist, and that’s okay!  Our world needs a bit of variety, diversity.  We aren’t all cut with a cookie cutter.  My experience with God is different than anyone else’s and when I can figure out that connection, I can more fully and purposefully participate in the greater community around me.  When I live as I think other people are telling me, I’m not able to offer my unique perspective.

May these plain words allow you to be free, to be yourself, from your core.  In doing so, you will realize your place in this world, how you can make it better, and who’s opening to journeying with you along the way.

Responsibility

This is effectively attempt number two of my experiment I initiated earlier this week.  As with all experimental trials, some things work, others simply don’t.  So for this post, I’ll redirect my scalpel in an attempt to hit a different nerve.  Though I received two excellent comments from a couple readers, I’m not sure I hit the nerve I was hoping to.  And please remember, I am merely carrying out these observations in an attempt to spark conversation for positive change in the world.  I know that deep within the bowels of our being, we all want to be apart of something positive, affecting measurable compassionate transitions in the lives of people and in the overall life of this world we live in.

Thus, I issue my challenge again.  If you take time to read through this post, though it may be offensive or seem a bit curt, please be apart of the “conversation” and post even a short comment of your thoughts.  Maybe I’m being a bit optimistic and idealistic thinking that a random collection of blog readers and writers who likely disagree about a lot of stuff could actually work together to do good, but I like to aim high rather than wallow in my own self pity, throwing responsibility on someone else for the junk in the world.  So please, join us!

After a much longer intro than I was expecting, I’ll jump right to it.  In doing so, I’ll try to address some of the most taboo issues I can think of.

Responsibility.  I’ve got a couple thoughts.  First, let’s talk some politics.  Specifically, abortion.  Again, I’m arguing with an already constructed religious foundation that I hope to repurpose as a means to make a tangible, positive difference in this world, now.  We gripe and complain all the time about the politics surrounding these taboo issues.  I would even argue that Christians, especially in this country, are really good at making our disagreement known.  Here’s the problem: we disagree with the legislation, yet we are unwilling to provide an alternative.  As far as abortion goes, yes, I agree that there are many factors that play into that decision, no matter what side of the fence you’re on.  I’m not sure that I could argue for or against either side based upon my experience of almost losing my wife and child, unbeknownst to me.  Had I of known the severity of our situation, we would find ourselves in a very different state of affairs right now.

Back to the point at hand.  Traditionally, us evangelicals are perfectly okay with our blood pressure raising to dangerously high levels simply because we won’t bend on our pro life stance.  Now referring back to the notion of responsibility, I would argue that if we really are followers of Christ, we’d realize that pro life and pro choice are simply not adequate answers.  In my opinion, to hell with wasting our time trying to convince people to “join one team or the other.”  Who wants to join me in opening up my life and my home to women who are faced with that decision?  If you’re not willing to engage in someone’s life, even to the point of holding their hand as the procedure is finalized or taking their child into your home, you have no business even thinking you can tell someone what they can and cannot do.  Oh and I know, we can argue all day long about what the Bible says and all that jazz, but it’s likely we don’t know the same Jesus anyway if you think being a good christian means convincing me to think the same things as you do.  Just take a look at who Jesus spent most of his time with, and if you need help with some of the historical background, I’ll be glad to point you to some awesome resources.

My contention is this: don’t depend on the government to tell you how you are supposed to behave and act on behalf of your fellow humans.  Act as Jesus, which is usually not written in any law, either political or religious law.

Responsibility.  Second point and hopefully a short thought.  Slavery.  I think that hopefully, we can all agree that our world is a better place now that that sort of human exploitation is in the past.  Or is it?  One of the most popular criticisms of God is a question that wonders, how can a good god allow suffering in the world.  I would contest that its not so much God allowing it as it is we who are perpetuating the slavery and poverty of the world.  Here’s one example and then I’ll postpone for another post.  Do any of you know where your favorite pair of Nike shoes or Gucci hand bag comes from?  It is highly likely that a child not much older than my son, who is nearly four, is working for pennies a day, in horribly inhumane conditions, just so you can get your shiny new shoes at a decent price.  All the while, the parent company is making a ridiculous profit off the backs of slaves. For a humorous yet direct picture, take a look at the documentary, The Yes Men.

All in all, I maintain that if there is a group of people who will stop justifying our greedy and consumeristic lifestyles, across the board, and take some responsibility for the s*** that’s going on in the world, we can probably begin to make some positive change (in the spirit of Tony Campollo, if your more worried about the fact that I used a particular word than about the essence of the discussion, you’ve missed the point, and there’s really not much else I can do to articulate myself, and I fear this dialogue may come to an unfortunate end).  Now, don’t hear me say I don’t think there is any good happening, because that is not true at all.  In fact, it would likely be even more beneficial for us to join some of the groups that are already working to affect positive change in the world.

So let’s get the conversation going.  Let’s work to bring the kingdom of God here, now.  Let’s quit wasting time trying to convince each other to join our team or think like we do or categorize ourselves in the same political party. Forget all that stuff and let’s follow Jesus into the hurting places of the world and take some responsibility for what’s happening.  I believe that it is in that place that we’ll find God within us all, while at the same time discovering our true selves, being vital pieces of a much bigger and grander concept of life in abundance.