Existential Punk

Radical Inclusivity

Outlaw Preachers speak often about Radical Inclusivity and welcoming ALL to the table. i do not think it works. One, i am queer, and inviting people who hate and despise me makes it not safe for me to be there. Two, someone will always be excluded and those who hate and despise others already self-exclude in my honest opinion. Fundamentalist Christians already have a place at the table and church communities that support them and love them. WHY invite them to the Outlaw Preachers? WHAT is your motivation? To convert them to your way of thinking? That is an agenda and not very honest. Otherwise, you are inviting people who perpetuate violence to an already disenfranchised group of people. Often, Queer people do NOT have a place at the table, and by inviting people who do not wish to be invited is wrong in my opinion. Often these fundamentalist Christians rip apart the Outlaw Preachers and do not wish to be involved with them. WHY in G-D's name would you want to include them then? i do NOT understand this mentality. G-D is about love and love has boundaries and is tough sometimes. It says "NO!" to bad behaviour and sets some tough boundaries. What i see in the Outlaw Preachers is "ANYTHING GOES"! i am NOT about this mentality and have pulled out of the Outlaw Preachers. i have no intention of being a part of something that welcomes hate. Too many queers stay in the closet, self-hate and self loathe, and even go as far as committing suicide. THIS is NOT ok with me to see this all happening. Many on the far right of Christianity, in their unrlenting certainty, perpetuate all this hate that contributes to queers to go through all these things. IT IS WRONG PEOPLE! It must not be tolerated. i am so sick of the platitudes and idealism of LOVE WINS! Hate STILL exists and is not going away.

Adele & Peter: Queer & Christian: Conversation 5: 'Claiming To Know Christ...So Unloving...'

Peter says this, 'In this 5th segment of my interview with Adele, she makes some especially poignant remarks that I think you'll appreciate.

When the online attacks from fundamentalist bloggers were at their peak on www.Queermergent.com, Adele thought:

“If I weren’t already Christian, I wouldn’t want to be Christian…

“Who are these people who claim to know Christ and love Christ, but they are so unloving and unkind and ungenerous.'

 

Peter & Adele: Conversations On Queer & Christian - Part 1

On my recent trip to Oregon, my dear friend, Peter Walker, and i made a video of our conversation about being Queer and Christian. Peter is editing them and we are posting them in a series of short clips. Here is Part 1:

Starting With Our WEAKNESS. . .

My good friend Peter (www.emergingchristian.com) and i are beginning a cooperative blog series of posts writing about what it means to argue from a position of weakness. We resonated deeply with and were inspired from my dear friend, author/thinker/lecturer/philosopher, Pete Rollins:

______________________________________________________

What we tend to do is… whenever we are in an argument I will argue from the place of strength, the strongest part of my argument, and direct is at the weakest part of your argument. And you will in turn take the strongest part of your argument and attack the weakest part of my argument. And what I really want to do is to enter into dialogs where I can talk about the weakest part of my argument and you can talk about the weakest part of your argument. and I can accept and celebrate the strongest part of your arguments and visa-versa.

Peter Rollins, from a Nick and Josh Podcast Interview

_____________________________________________________

i think Rollins hits the nail on the head. We like to hammer people with our insights, revelations, and opinions without really listening to the other person(s) even though we say we are listening. Thus, we end up being narcissistically focused on our own strengths and relish in the weaknesses of others we are in conversation/dialogue with at the moment. i agree with Peter when he says, 'This is probably less about egotism, and more about the brokenness and insecurity of most people. We protect “our weak” by overemphasizing “our strong.” And in doing so, we’re not being entirely honest, are we?' That is what narcissism is, being broken and insecure, which as imperfect human beings, is a big part of our DNA.

i am like Peter and definitely have weaknesses built into me. i tire of inauthenticity and hiding, even though at times that is easier and are masks i will put on to protect myself. Yet, because i am tired of hiding my weaknesses, i'd like to share them with you. As Peter says, 'This demands a difficult level of vulnerability and transparency. It means you’ll have an opportunity to attack where I’m least “defended.'" ' So, we have decided to take the leap and reveal and share our weaknesses with you for the sake of open dialogue/conversation.

i quote what Peter says so eloquently:

'In turn, you have strengths that may frustrate me, confound me, or directly refute something about my beliefs! But they are strengths, nonetheless. And by ignoring or underestimating them, I don’t just weaken my particular “position” (we must get beyond these adversarial identifiers) but I also underestimate and even undervalue your worth, and the complexity of your experiences that have led you to where you are.'

Over the next couple of weeks, Peter and i will be co-op blogging on our own weaknesses, on the strengths we find in opposing DIFFERING viewpoints and belief systems, and we will be reflecting on why this is such a radically different way of dialoguing!

YOU are invited to join us at either...

* www.ExistentialPunk.com OR
* www.EmergingChristian.com

Think Different!

'Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.'
    - Think Different at Wikipedia

Lately i have been getting a bit more visibility because of starting Queermergent back in January. A lot has been a great and joyous experience with much love and support. Yet, not all has been as positive because many very conservative Christian right wingers have been brutal in their attacks and criticisms of me and some very dear friends. i just want to clear the air a bit. First, this is my blog and my musings, rants, thoughts are all my own, and where i often process what is going on inside my soul. i do not claim to have life all figured out nor do i try to change minds. What i like to do is process my inner conversations here on my blog. i may say something today and change my mind tomorrow, next week, next year, five years from now, and so on. Or i may not change my mind on something. That's my prerogative. What i do attempt to do is challenge all of us, including myself, to think differently and to be open minded. Second, i do not represent or speak for the emerging church and/or Emergent Village. The views, opinions, thoughts, rants, musings, etc. represented here at Existential Punk are my own except where referenced by a link.

Caryn Solly, an atheist who attends Jay Bakker's Revolution Church in NYC, has this to say about being open-minded that really challenged me:

'As a left-leaning Democrat, I have often found that people misuse the words “open-minded.”  It’s a term often used to describe a liberal point of view.  Political liberals have strong opinions and often aren’t willing to budge on them.  That’s OK, and good even.  We all feel that way about many things in our lives, like the value of family or how human beings came to be on this Earth.

However, this is not what open-minded means.  To be open-minded is to free yourself from yourself.  Are you open to changing your mind?  Are you willing to let in new ideas and weigh them against what you currently think?  Are you willing to walk a new path if you find that a new idea has merit?  I find a lot of inspiration in science, and the scientific method is a process of open-mindedness.  Scientists draw conclusions from data, not the other way around.  This is what open-minded means, and to me, it is an essential part of a true spiritual journey, no matter where you started walking.'

i find that i struggle at certain times to be truly open-minded but i aspire to be, and Caryn's comments reminded and challenged me to be even more open to all this. i allow comments on my blog that disagree with me and i think a lot about what people say to me, hard or easy. What i really struggle with are those people who focus on what they believe to be wrong, un-Biblical beliefs of others, criticize those beliefs, and never focus on their own lives, what they believe in or what they might be experiencing in their own faith journeys. They rather judge others and deflect from themselves. In other words, they care only about looking at the speck in the eyes of others rather than focusing on the planks in their own eyes. We all have issues but what i find maddening is when people have an answer at every turn and don't really listen to others. This happens on both the left and the right, liberal and conservative and all the places in between. We are human and no one is immune. Yet, those who have an answer for everything and can't admit they could be wrong drive me crazy!

i am not out to convert people to my way of thinking. i do have opinions and certain beliefs. i could be wrong about many things, but i live my life as authentically as i can. i am really a lot like the definition of Apple's 'Think Different' campaign! My detractors can vilify me, disagree with me, quote me, but you will never silence me. i want to be about pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, and help to push the human race forward with the help of the Divine rupturing my soul. So, i challenge ALL of us to THINK DIFFERENT!

Shalom!

Comment Of The Week

Ok, here is the comment of the week that came to Queermergent that i deleted. At first it sounds like it is a nice comment but then it turns south. These kinds of comments are just plain sickening. i just do not understand how Christians like this think they are extending the love and grace of G-D to people. It is one thing to disagree but it is defintely another thing to write something perverse like this. i am not one to judge whether they are a Christian or not as that is up to G-D, but comments like this would definitely not make me want to know G-D if i were not already a Christ-follower. What are your thoughts?

'Thank you so much for your inspirational story about how love indeed wins. I'm much like you. My relationship with my mother has been increasingly one of deep longing. She fostered that love for years, and we know that our love is of God---no matter what others say. You were brave to come out, and I hope one day I can come out in the same way. (I'm just not there yet.) You are a true inspiration to all of us LGBTQI.  Praise God and thank you. Jesus loves you.'

Comment Of The Week

i am going to start showcasing a comment a week or so, whenever i get mean-spirited, Un-Christ-like comments over at Queermergent. Today's comment:

'OK, so you have turned away from the path of Christianity; that’s fine.

Your belief that, “That homosexual actions are not sin in the context of a monogamous relationship.” is in direct opposition to the tenets of Christianity; you can’t believe as you do and truly be a Christian.

On the other hand, I believe that those who call themselves Christians who denounce homosexuals instead of denouncing homosexuality have also fallen from the path of the religion, since, “hate the sin, but love the sinner,” is a core tenet of their religion as well.'

Where do these people get off speaking to me this way? At least the commenter left a real web address. Again, i delete these comments, as they are not fruitful for safe and honest conversation for the LGBTQ community. i just learned the other day that the phrase, which i only ever hear in regards to homosexuality, 'Love the sinner, hate the sin', is not in the Bible, but was said by Gandhi. Who is this freaking person to judge whether i am a Christian or not. He is NOT G-D! Why don't these people mind their own P's & Q's, talk amongst themselves, and leave us queers alone? i don't come to their sites and tell them how un-Christ-like they are in their beliefs. Do these people think that their words and actions would propel people who do not know G-D to want to know G-D? It is so unloving and hurtful.

Some Christians Royally Piss Me Off And Make Me Sad!

i sometimes get really mean and hurtful comments here and at Queermergent, which i delete because they do not help the conversations along. i find them hurtful and un-Christ-like. Many times i am like a duck with water rolling off its back and move on, but sometimes my humanity shows and i get downright fucking mad and hurt. Why can't people honestly engage and listen to others instead of spewing all over those they disagree with on matters of theology and Biblical interpretation. i believe there is plenty of room for different views because no one has the monopoly on truth and all that G-D intends. Why can't we agree to disagree and still love one another. Then these people wonder why the LGBTQ community react the way we do. Jesus says we are to love G-D and to love others as we love ourselves. i do not see this happening very often within Christian circles. This saddens me and pisses me off. Here is an example of a comment i deleted from Queermergent:

"I am glad you are joyful now, Queermergent. Enjoy  the time of joy you have now while you are still living on earth. This is the greatest heaven you will ever have. You won't be on earth for more than a few more decades, but at least you will have had a taste of heaven before you spend the rest of eternity in hell for your gay campaign against God. Hell sucks. All smart people flee from it and do whatever it takes to avoid it."

i don't post this to get a series of circular arguments going but to show what i deal with at times. i would treasure your prayers that i not allow these kinds of hurtful comments to worm their way into my soul and bring discouragement, depression and destruction. Sometimes i feel like thoughts like these are best left unsaid but these people think they are being faithful to their interpretation of scripture. They believe they are being loving. i do not find this loving as i do not interpret the scripture in the same way as them. To me this is not edifying.

Any thoughts?