"Strange Fruit"

"Southern trees bear a strange fruit,

Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,

Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,

Strange fruit hanging from the popular trees.

Pastoral scene of the gallant south,

The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,

Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,

Then the sudden smell of burning flesh...

For those of you familiar with the song "Strange Fruit," originally written as a poem by Abel Meeropol under the pseudonym Lewis Allen, and sang by the incomparable Billie Holiday, no doubt you are wondering why I would highlight such a polarizing song that arguably has more to do with the social and political climate of the south in 1930 than it does with anything religious or spiritual.  Surely, you're probably thinking that I could have found something more suitable to write about on the most Holiest of Sundays for Christians than a song written about the 1930 lynching of two Black men (Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith in Marion, Indiana).  The truth of the matter is that I can't come up with anything more "Holy" to write about in remembrance of the reported crucifixion of a revolutionary Mediterranean Jewish Peasant  man than this. 

The title of the song bears witness to the regularity of lynchings of Black men across the south.  The act was often preceded by a public scourging with the intent to strike fear in the hearts and minds of any so-called "agitators," or individuals criminalized for the ordinary fact that they were Black, unprotected and/or that they had possibly broken some imaginary Jim Crow Law.  To ensure the message got out to any and all who might decide to challenge the social, cultural, and political power structure of the day, many, if not most of the lynchings took place in select places or on "popular trees" for farther reach and greater impact. The irony of the sweet smell of the magnolia trees, systematically robbed of their true purpose by the bile of hatred that lit the match that would help to create the stench of burning flesh suffocating its leaves and thus the atmosphere, is reminiscent of Mary using the sweet smelling nard to anoint Jesus feet before his impending death.

It is all the more reason that this is the perfect remembrance of  the reason for the season.  If one were to read articles written by theologians and physicians in medical journals exploring the reported events surrounding Jesus' ministry, public scourging and lynching/crucifixion, one would also find striking similarities between this revolutionary man's life and death and that of the lives and deaths for which the song sings about.  Often enslaved Africans were scourged with various instruments - quirt, "cat-o-nine tails," or a flagellum (a leather multi-thong, sometimes having pieces of wood, bone and steel balls attached) - for maximum punishment.  So too, were the reports surrounding the scourging of Jesus of Nazareth.  So too, were the reports for which he was accused - challenging the social, political, cultural, economic, religious and spiritual power structures of the day.  An "agitator," whose message and ministry was so threatening to the status quo, they had to kill him.

As we get all dressed up and gitty over this most "Holy" day, be reminded of the man, the message, the mission and his ministry.  Be reminded of his life and his death.  Do justice, shout aloud, challenge unjust laws.  Question the plethora of social, sexual and racial double standards.  Denounce excess, war, materialism, racism, sexism, homophobia, economic exploitation - and do this in remembrance of them all - Jesus, Martin Luther King, Jr. Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi,  Fannie Lou Hamer, Steven Biko and all the other freedom fighters known and unknown!  RIZE UP and BE FREE!

Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,

For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,

For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,

Here is a strange and bitter crop."

                                       (Abel Meeropol)

 © Dorinda G. Henry, 2011

THEOLOGIA HABITUS EST!

"Aren't We There?"

"Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble,

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?..."

If you're reading this post, then once again, you, me, friend and foe, have made it through another year and are now traversing the Holiest week for Christians.  While I have endured numerous challenges including, but not limited to technological setbacks and was the victim of a rear-end collision, I, too, can say that I am excited about what this week brings in terms of observance and hopefully some earnest reflection.  Hell after the month I've had, I'm even a little "gitty" at the chance to gaze upon some man wearing a yellow, orange, lime green or even purple/lavender suit on Easter Sunday.

I remember those days when I was too young to know better or to say anything about being forced to wear patent leather shoes (be they white or black), rolled-down socks with the lace at the top, with a pretty little pink, yellow, white or powder blue dress on (complete with petticoat).  Of course my hair was in at least two - no more than four ponytails or plats (that's what they called braids back then), and depending on just how precious all of that was - a pair of white gloves was the equivalent of a black woman's church hat.  Now c'mon... You know in the Black church, especially on Easter Sunday, a black woman was not really dressed up until she put on that hat.  And baaaaby - Honey chile please!  You had better know when our mothers stepped out the house and into the church house with a hat on...; It was serious business!  She was sharper than two tacks and a nail!  Look out now!  Whatchu say!  We were all dressed up to go listen to the story about how they led poor Jesus to be lied on, beaten half to death and nailed to the cross.  

A tree is more likely what he was hung from, but hey, I was a little girl then and if that's what Mama said he was nailed to, that's sure as hell what it was.  Whatever the case may be, we were all dolled up to see and be seen!  I personally couldn't wait until after church was over so we could go out back or across the street to the park for the Easter Egg hunt.  Sometimes I wondered what would have happened to Jesus if only he had planned an Easter Egg hunt for the children.  Would they still had beaten him up and killed him?  The thought of that made me kinda sad.  I mean really...  What would have happened if only he had organized an Easter Egg hunt for the kids.  I reasoned, "The grown up people appeared so happy watching us hunt down all those colorful eggs.  And, everybody knows that Easter Eggs taste better than a regular ole eggs.  So instead of telling the kids stories and sitting them on his lap with a bunch of sheep laying around, he should have had an Easter Egg hunt!"  It just made more sense to me.  If he had done that, instead of getting dressed up to go hear the sad story about the people crucifying Jesus, we could have heard about the multitude of Easter Eggs he made appear for the children and the grown ups.  He would have been crowned the Easter Bunny and not the King of the Jews!  I'm jes sayn...

But seriously, all across this land and abroad, Christians everywhere are singing, "Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest," in celebration of Jesus' "triumphant" entrance into Jerusalem.  The expectation being the establishment of the new Kingdom.  A Kingdom that is otherworldly, inward and all around us.  Churches are preparing for Easter Sunday Festivities, Easter Egg hunts and the yearly, "Seven Last Words" Service.  Each observance is meant in praise of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice for our eternal salvation.  That's all well and good.  But for me, I no longer have the luxury of a fanciful imagination that youth affords.  Consequently, it's all so very neat, so very clean and so very pretty.  A man was lied on, conspired against, beaten almost to death, nails driven through both his wrist and feet, and mocked as his life slipped away.  Why?  For what?  Because he dared to question the religious leaders and traditions of his day?  Because he dared to recognize the sacred worth of each and every human being?  Because he walked with and talked with women as freely as he did with the men?  Because the poor, the lame, the widow were at the forefront of his mind?  Because the "haves" had no greater standing or importance than the "have nots?"  Because he dared to encourage others to live and love as God has loved us?  Because he dared to be present in the life of others suffering - taking it on as his own?  And finally, because he instructed us to be kind, just and to actively fight against oppressive doctrine and rule?

When I think about it, indeed, "sometimes it makes me tremble, tremble, tremble."  If the way we treat each other today is any indication of what we have learned from his death, I fear today's social, cultural, political, religious and spiritual leaders would do the same as before.  Quiet as it's kept, save a few exceptions, in many ways, we crucify him daily.

"Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
                                                           (Negro Spiritual)
© Dorinda G. Henry, 2011

THEOLOGIA HABITUS EST! 

"As With A Woman"

"...  Did you know somebody almost got away wit me/
me in a plastic bag under their arm/
me dangling on a string of personal carelessness/..."

Hello there!  Did you miss me?  You had better say "Yes!"  I missed you sumptn terrible.  Okay, here's the skinny....  "Somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff!"  For real! they almost walked off wid alla my stuff!  If you are like me and you use your computer for EV-ER-Y-THING, and suddenly, some smarty pants with way too much sense for his/her own good invades your computer space and leaves a nasty little bug that threatens to separate you from all of your stuff - then you understand exactly what I mean.   I was temporarily knocked down and my computer had to spend some time at the "clinic" to get the nasty bug out of its system.  But "Sofia home now..."

Yes, it has been a few weeks since my last post and since I know you all have struggled through the very exciting and engrossing book of Leviticus, you also know that it has been misused, misinterpreted and exploited by prejudicially motivated Preachers, teachers, lay-leaders and social and political activist seeking to justify the denial of human rights protections to same-and-both-gender loving people.  Yes, here it is, one of the most overly used, misused, misinterpreted and misunderstood text thrown about to condemn others; "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination" (Leviticus 18:22).  Lord today!  Do you know how tired I am of hearing that scripture?  I mean really.  Every time I hear it, I am struck by the sleepy monster and instantaneously nod off!  I know some of you think and maybe even hope it bothers me and for that, but I'm sorry to disappoint you.  Because it simply does not.  Hear me when I say, "not much ever bothers me."  I told you, I ain't never scared.  And by they way, did I ever mention to you that I went to seminary?  Yes?  No?  Well I did, and one of the most memorable lessons I was blessed to learn came by way of an extraordinary New Testament scholar, who in one statement, blew this whole bible thing wide open for me.  He said simply, and I paraphrase - "If it's in the bible or if there is some admonishment against it, it is because it was a prevalent occurrence."  That is to say that it was a common practice.  Practices that generated cultic/holiness codes that were culturally and contextually conditioned.  They were not intended to be and cannot be binding outside the culture and context in which they were understood and originated.  

Now if we consider the text, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination," with a contemporary understanding applied to it, at the very least, it  begs the question(s); What exactly does that mean?  Does it apply to women?  Were they not laying with each other or, did it not matter?  And, could men lie with men in other ways?  Surely you know I want to and could go deeper - no pun intended - but I'll let you sit with that and enjoy the exploration all by yourself.  Send me a message and tell  me all about it.  ;) ;)

Moving right along...  Legislation has been introduced and passed.  Elections have been won and lost on the mere inference of the mysterious threat that two adult same-gender-loving people wanting to enter into a lifetime covenant with one another pose to the "sacred" institution of marriage.  If it is so "sacred," and if the aforementioned text in the book of Leviticus is one of the strongest religious arguments for depriving individuals of their human rights and privileges, where is the legislation banning divorce?  Why is it so easy to end a marriage?  I haven't heard of any legislation being introduced banning bald-headed men from becoming Priest or approaching the sanctuary either.  And while I'm at it, where's the legislation restricting anyone, for that matter, with any manner of skin blemish, or physical deformity or handicap from going near the sanctuary (vv. 21:16-20)?  Hell I think I might run for office just to introduce legislation that would ban anyone from approaching "a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness" (v. 18:19).  It might save somebody's life!  I'm jes sayn...  All of these and more are listed as abominations.

But seriously, much in the way society, church, family structures and yes, even kindred spirits converge to steal away pieces of us with little to no care of the void they leave behind,  so too is their use of the bible.  They carelessly hurl about some callous and hateful quip about something they know little to nothing about.  Such has been used to harm and to keep a free people shackled in chains of misguided accommodation and a strict adherence to tradition - tradition many have no clue of its origin.  The bible has also been used, misused and even defiled for selfish, political, sexual and economic gain.  Though wounded and shattered, as it is with women, I'm still standing - reclaiming all of my stuff - including God and the sacred text.  No longer may they be used to hurt or to harm others in the name of God or the Holy Spirit.  I'm weary of the lies.  Haven't you heard?  I've taken me back!

"... I'm spattered with mud and city rain/
no I didn't get a chance to take a douche/
hey man/
this is not your prerogative/
I gotta have me in my pocket/
to get 'round like a good woman should/..."
                                           (Ntozake Shange)

© Dorinda G. Henry, 2011

THEOLOGIA HABITUS EST!