On The Other Side of Midnight: October 2010

Monday, October 25, 2010

"In The Beginning"

"In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light'; And there was light. And God saw that the light was good... (NRSV Genesis 1:1-4a)."

In 1990, Robert Fulghum wrote the book, All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten. Aside from the fact that I love the title, it caused me to reflect upon my own learning in Kindergarten. And you know what? He's right! One of the first things he reminds us of learning in Kindergarten is, "Share everything." He goes on to list a number of other one liners that we know today, but seldom do we apply to our everyday living. Things like "Play fair," and one of my favorites, "Be aware of wonder." Imagine that! So, as I enter into this post, about the first four chapters of Genesis, I do so from those three directives.

First, "SHARE EVERYTHING!" In the previous post, I pointed out the contrast between the creation narratives of chapters one and two. So I'm not going to dwell on that here, but what I am going to do is urge you to compare the two narratives in your kindergarten mind and ask yourself the question, "Which one of these creation stories do you think your kindergarten learning would most support? Would it be the one that created "humankind" equally - where there is no superiority or inferiority? Would your kindergarten learning most support the notion of equal participation and "sharing of everything?" Or would your kindergarten learning support the creation narrative that identifies a "greater" and a "lesser?" One that emphasized the notion of a big "I" and a little "u?" When two little people are found out to have done the same thing wrong, would your kindergarten learning support a disciplinary course of action that was more severe to one as opposed to the other? And, would it then support that the rest of the class be punished because the identified little "u" and only "u," was disobedient? Would your kindergarten learning and mind be alright with that? Somehow, I don't think so.

The second directive; "PLAY FAIR!" This one really is dependent upon the former. If we can get our minds around "sharing everything," "playing fair," is a no brainier! But as the Genesis story continues, we find that indeed, when the first is not observed and adhered to, then the rest are destined to fail. "Playing fair," presupposes an egalitarian understanding and approach. If, however, there is a group of young people, set aside as "special," and having the favor of the Teacher, the other group is subjected to the whim of the "special" group and the Teacher. And, if I might add, that the identified "special" group - with all of their perks and privileges - adopts a sense of superiority that lead to the exploitation and frankly speaking, the abuse of the second group - that has inadvertently taken on a sense of inferiority. Their worth is inextricably bound to the worth placed upon them by the perceived Teacher and the "special" little people. "Playing fair" becomes an act of self preservation. For example, the "other" one is a faster runner than the "special" one, but s/he slows to let the "special" one win the race. The "special" one gets the award, the accolades, hugs and kisses, while the "other" one is left watching, hoping that their little act of selflessness ingratiates them to the Teacher and the "special" one group. I hear ya'll yelling all the way over here; "What in the hell is she talking about now? And what does this have to do with Genesis 1-4?!? In a word, EVERYTHING!

From chapters 2-4 we see this dynamic played out between what becomes a singular Adam and a singular Eve. We see it played out between their two sons, Cain and Abel. Distinctions were made, establishing power dynamics and a hierarchy of authority. Men are the superior and women are henceforth and forevermore - inferior. And, it is important to know WHO made those distinctions and why! What is "good" and "acceptable," creates a sibling rivalry that leads to murder. But, if we had just stayed in chapter one, with our kindergarten mind, we could all be on one accord. Why? How? Because, we would know that there is enough on God's green earth for everyone. We would know that there is no such thing as a big "I" and a little "u." Each of us to our own meaning would have sacred worth, validity, respect and reverence. It is here that the third and final directive shows up.

"BE AWARE OF WONDER!" Dare to imagine a world of endless bounty, a world where there is no lack. Dare to imagine a world of equality? There is no big "I" and little "u." Dare to imagine that I am better, because you are given all the room and resources to be your best and vice versa. Dare to imagine that we are all back in the sandbox, totally and completely amazed and intrigued by how much sand we can put in our shoes, or how pretty my skin is and your eyes are. Dare to imagine nothing more than the excitement of making a new friend! I see someone all the way in Turkey. Waving my hand in the air, Teacher! Teacher! May I go first? Yes? Thank you...

Hi, my name is Dorinda, what's your name?

THEOLOGIA HABITUS EST!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

"For the Bible Tells Me So"

"Jesus Loves me this I know,

For the bible tells me so;

Little ones to him belong,

They are weak but he is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves!

For the bible tells me so..."

Umph... I tell you, if I don't remember anything or singing any other song from my childhood, I remember singing "Jesus Loves Me." That song has been sang by millions of children, youth, young adults, and, if I or you thought we had escaped it when we became adults, guess again, because Whitney Houston came along and gave us a very soulful rendition of it in the hit movie The Bodyguard. So now we have a whole new "adult" way of singing it. The point of the song is that Jesus loves me. And how do I know that Jesus loves me? Because the bible tells me so. The belief that Jesus loves me is predicated upon the belief, my belief, that the bible doesn't lie - that it is infallible, the inerrant Word of God. But what happens if the basis of the assertion is called into question? In other words, what happens if I find the bible not to be as trustworthy as I had been led to believe as a child? What if, one day, while I was reading the bible, I came across a verse that read, "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; When I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways" (NRSV 1 Corinthians 13:11)? What if after reading that particular verse, I put away those comfortable childish thoughts, and put on a new season of reasoning with my adult mind? And, what if my adult mind found that much in the bible IS because of what my lying eyes have told me it is?

I hear some of ya'll yelling out there, "What in the hell is she talking about now?" Well, what I'm talking about is that often times we good Christians, especially us good church-going-black-folk, get our bible speak from the Pastor of our local church on Sunday morning. Not only do we get the Word of God from the Pastor, but we also get his/her thoughts. We get their ideas, suppositions and yes, their prejudices. For example, when we hear the Pastor get up in the pulpit, "To proclaim what thus says the Lord," all the respect and reverence we have for the bible, is inadvertently transferred onto the Pastor. The Pastor and all that s/he says becomes the authority - infallible and inerrant - without flaw or mistake. And, if I may be so bold to submit the perception is that they themselves become "incapable of error or mistakes."

Therefore, when the Pastor quotes the bible saying, "So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then [God] took one of [the man's ribs] and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, 'This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman for out of Man this one was taken,'" that IS the creation narrative (Genesis 2:21-23). There is no other one. I don't care how many times we read the bible - or say that we've read the bible, not only is that THE creation narrative, but it is the ONLY creation narrative. Consequently, it creates an unquestionable adherence to the following directive; "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). THE MESSAGE from God is thus - "man" is superior and "woman" is inferior. Also, marriage is assumptive between a man and a woman as the "right," and the only "right" way to be in right relationship with God. It's the way God had planned it, right? So what's the problem? Well, I thought you'd never ask...

The problem is that an entire chapter has been passed over, ignored, overlooked, forgotten, hell you name it. Whatever you want to come up with, fine. The fact of the matter is, not only has a whole chapter been disregarded to get to THAT particular creation narrative, but some 51 verses (31 in the first chapter and 20 in the second chapter) have been overlooked as well. If we were not so quick to believe our lying eyes, or the lying Pastor, not only would we have seen the first creation narrative, but we would have seen it with profound clarity. We would then SEE to read the words, "Then God said, let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over... every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. So God created humankind in his image in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26,27). Likewise, it would create an unquestionable adherence to the following directive; "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; (v. 28b). THE MESSAGE from God is thus - We, males and females (notice the plurality of each) are created simultaneously. We are both given the same authority to have dominion over all living things. We are created EQUAL, given EQUAL power and EQUAL authority. It's the way God had planned it, right? So what's the problem? Umph, really? Surely I don't have to state the obvious... Funny thing though, there is no mention or intimation of marriage, and yet, this is where God "saw everything that [S/HE] had made, and indeed, it was very good" (v. 31). S/HE also didn't seem to be too impressed with the way things turned out in the chapter 2 creation narrative. Jes a lil sumptn I thought you should know. But wait! Don't leave! That's just the beginning! We have 66 books to go! I'm not even warmed up yet. ;)

Why this here with us now, you ask? Because "The Bible" is our next subject matter for my bible study class. Who'da thunk it? We are Reading the Bible Again for the First Time. Yes, this is the title of another one of my favorite books by Marcus Borg. It will be read along with our exploration of "The Bible" with new and improved - truth telling eyes. Now that you know that your eyes will lie to you, put on your critical lenses so you can see clearly, that we are all made in the image of God. How do I know this? Because the bible tells me so.

"Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

For the bible tells me so!"

THEOLOGIA HABITUS EST!

Friday, October 1, 2010

"Love's In Need of Love Today"

"Good morn or evening friends

Here's your friendly announcer

I have serious news to pass on to every-body

What I'm about to say

Could mean the world's disaster

Could change your joy and laughter to tears and pain

It's that

Love's in need of love today

Don't delay

Send yours in right away

Hate's goin' round

Breaking many hearts

Stop it please

Before it's gone too far"

It has been just over a week since the news broke about lawsuits filed against Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, alleging sexual abuse of young men recruited into his Long Fellows Academy. Among other allegations, the lawsuits allege that while they were above the age of consent, but still in their teenage years, Eddie Long violated his "fiduciary duty as their spiritual adviser by pushing them into sex." Since that time, the media, the internet and the telephone committee has spread the word near and far. I have received and delivered text messages, emails, voice messages and if by chance someone did not have access to any of the new technology, I have no doubt we would have strung together two empty cans of chicken noodle soup to get the latest update. I have watched videos, read article after article, and even had a brief conversation with a homeless person in the park about it. It has been ev-er-ywhere! The responses to the controversy seem to have developed into three discernible categories: 1) Pray 2) Vilify and 3) The Bully Pulpit. Oh, and the occasional opportunistic "ambulance chaser." Individuals - be they private citizens or preachers - who aren't on anyone's radar but their own, trying to take advantage of this unfortunate moment to propel themselves into the spotlight. Needless to say, I won't bother with the "ambulance chasers." I'll leave them to chase after their own tail or the next story they think they should lasso on to.

Let's begin with the first category; "Let's pray." That's right, "God's got it!" From corner to corner, street to street, church to church, state to state, preacher to teacher, choir to pew, dog to cat, "Prayer" is going to make it all go away, or at the very least, better. Prayers have gone forth, in the mighty name of Jesus to "fix it." I shudder to think what or who it is that God's got or exactly what Jesus is supposed to fix. It's oddly peculiar to me that members of a church, whose leader preaches prosperity at all cost would call on the name of a Mediterranean Jewish peasant to "fix" something for him. Would that not be the "functional equivalent" of a homeless person being asked to give a man with a private jet and a Bentley a ride to the bank on their back? I'm jes saying... And, did the thought ever occur to you all in the "Praying" category that maybe, just maybe, indeed, "God's got it," and that's why this is here with us now? Again, I'm jes saying...

Category number two, "vilify," is one that I initially found myself drawn towards. In September of 2004, Like many same-and-both-gender loving people, I watched in utter disbelief, as Eddie Long and Bernice King, (the co-organizer and the youngest daughter of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), led a march of more than 20 thousand people through the streets of Atlanta, GA in support of a Constitutional Amendment to ban gay marriage. So upon hearing of a "ceremony," he allegedly conducted between himself and the young boys - complete with candles, the reading of scripture, the exchange of promises/vows and jewelry - I felt like shouting louder than the recorded voices of those who wanted Jesus put to death - CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY HIM! I've read the commentaries written by kindred souls who appear to have been waiting with bated breath for the chance to give this man a piece of our collective mind. I was saddened by what came across as a "na, na - na, na, na" moment, an obscene lust for revenge, and calls for nothing short of Long's head brought before us on a silver platter. As a woman of God, I am ashamed of feeling this way - "For what will it profit [us] if [we] gain the whole world, but lose [our] soul? Or what will [we] give in return for [our] soul (KJV Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36,37)? It doesn't make me, or us any better. Ironically, we have a rare opportunity to stand in the gap. Rather than allow this to turn into another, "The homosexual bogeyman made me do it" episode, we should make ourselves available to reach across both lines with Love, understanding and compassion, to help to bring about some manner of reconciliation, healing and transformation.

Bringing up the rear is the third category of the "Bully Pulpit." This category encompasses the previous two categories. Each of them, the Prayer warriors, and vitriolic vilifiers of both accused and accuser, have stepped up to the proverbial mic, cleared their throats of any physical resistance to this moment of righteous indignation and claimed the victory over a soon to be fallen foe. Herein lies the problem. There is no fallen foe. There is no victory - none! No one wins. For if there is one who has fallen, doesn't the foundation of our faith require us to forgive and be merciful as God has forgiven and shown us mercy? I don't know, I could be wrong, but somewhere I read, "Forgive us our trespass, as we forgive those who trespass against us." If, there is Love; If, there is compassion; If there is forgiveness; THEN there is redemption, we may all be changed. I'm going to stop and retire here because I feel my help coming and I don't want to sound too preachy. ;)

One parting thought. In the midst of all the noise and spectacle surrounding this controversy, through all of the praying, the vilifying, and pulpit bullying, one guiding principle is precariously missing. "Love thy neighbor as thyself," is yet to find a resting place among the scores of casually thrown about scriptural passages. What happened to Love? Where did it go? How did it get lost? How did it get left out of a conversation that has as its backdrop America's moral compass, the institutional Black Church? Have we forgotten what Love looks like - what it feels like? Is Love only good in times of comfort and convenience? Is it true what the Spinners sang about Love - that "Love don't Love nobody?" Or, was Stevie Wonder on to something more profound, warning us that in times like these, even "Love is in need of Love today?" If this is the case, ev-er-ybody, please, just take a moment, pause and remember Love... It's feeling a little neglected. And where Love is absent; Hate triumphs.

"The force of evil plans

To make you its possession

And it will if we let it

Destroy ev-er-y-body

We all must take

Precautionary measures

If Love and peace you treasure

Then you'll hear me when I say

Oh that