Thursday, March 13, 2008

This post is not edifying in fact it's to purposefully disturb you!

I've been struggling with what I should do with my blog. My brother said it's not edifying so they don't read it anymore. Which is feels like hearing someone say "Hey I found your journal or those personal letters you write to zuzu and I read them because they were laying out. But now, I am not going to read them because they aren't edifying." What? I have this blog to collect things and so my feelings spill into writing not cutting. It's therapy.

Plus, sometimes we shouldn't be edified we should be disturbed! My boss tells a story of a local church who refused to play a video on human trafficking because it is disturbing. He says he went through a time of thinking about why we need to be disturbed sometimes. Yes, spread the love. Yes, edify. Yes put love notes into the world! But things like untruth, hate, prejudice, racism, and injustice towards anyone is disturbing! Sometimes we need to be disturbed.

Ready to be disturbed? I saw this on biologicalinks. It is being reported that the Oklahoman lawmaker who spoke so harshly against homosexuals has a gay son, Jesse, whom she and her Baptist preacher husband have disowned. She says in this video gay people commit suicide because they are gay. No sweetie, gay people commit suicide because their families and friends disown them, and because many of us even try to change who we are and can't and so self hate comes. There's a ton of untruth in this, but my point isn't to refute her untruth because there are people in the blogosphere doing that, but rather to say what if this was your mother and you were gay?

My family has been surprisingly better than I expected. AND my preacher father and mother have not disowned me. They love me. No this one christian does not speak for most christians but, from reading this church marketing blog why do you think 16-29 year olds think the church is:
  • Anti-homosexual: 91%
  • Judgmental: 87%
  • Hypocritical: 85%
  • Old-fashioned: 78%
  • Too involved in politics: 75%

biologicalinks said: "I guess for a woman to whom being a Christian = “no way gay,” then her son being gay MUST be the result of some vast school/government conspiracy to indoctrinate children. Surely it couldn’t be that her church-reared son could be gay… well, just because he’s gay. She needs a reason beyond what her mind and beliefs can compute"



Also here's the new "For the bible tells me so" trailer. Sorry for the hyper long post... :)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those videos are extremely disturbing, thank you. It made me sad to see how people have taken the gospel and spread such extreme hate and judgement when the basis of who God is is love. If only we would get it.

Love to you today...

Casdok said...

Yes they are disturbing. It is very sad.
In some way gays and disabled people get treated the same. My father disowned me for years because i didnt put my son up for adoption. And my family hardley ever mention C.

Random Reflections said...

I think people blog for a range of reasons and for it to be edifying is never necessarily a prime motivation. I don't think that makes it wrong though, I think it just shows that people are multi-facted and maybe need places where they can just process things.

Challenging videos, but also clearly show that those stereotypical views are themselves being challenged. Maybe that's a sign of hope and progress...

ChicagoPioneerGal said...

1. I find the word edify disturbing. My own "church baggage" I guess - - some sort of hint of self-righteousness or judgement in there somewhere.

2. Isn't edification in the eye of the reader - - they get to choose whether they are "edified" by your postings?

3. I have found great hope for myself by your courage in talking about your struggles. I've also found a safe place when questioning certain childhood church beliefs - - I've been so thankful you've aired some of that, because I need to!

titration said...

Thank you louise, casdok, rr, and chicagopioneergal for your comments. On this post especially I find feeling heard and having people who redefine edifying and disturbing a gift.

chicagopioneergal your three points were so edifying to me. (hee hee, LOL) Really though they were. :)

Michael said...

Who the FUCK said that a blog has to be edifying? Your blog is whatever the FUCK you want it to be.
Sorry I'm angry about this.