Roses Supposes

Recently I wrote a post about my slinking out of sunday school after an upsetting statement about homosexuality rather than speaking up during the class to show that that statement was not the only possible opinion. I have since met with the Pastor. We had an incredibly lovely three hour conversation. Many things were discussed, but I’ll just introduce a couple as follow ups to the previous post. One, the pastor agreed with me that the statement was upsetting (though I never quite knew if that was because of the content or the tone of the statement) and also knew immediately who it was that said it. Both of these agreements made me realize I was not alone. Also, the pastor had already confronted the man about his tone. Throughout the conversation, there was an undertone of consideration–should I also confront the man one on one in a Mathew 18 sort of way (if you have a disagreement with someone, confront them directly, rather than talking about it behind their back).

I have such a different conception of the Bible (at the very least I struggle with its complete inerrancy) that I don’t know if confronting the man directly would be profitable. In other words, none of my arguments would carry water with him without that kind of core agreement.

Another thing we discussed was the nature of protest. Was it a better idea to confront the man in the moment and not let the moment pass, or was it better to take time to reflect on the situation and seek out the man in private? I’m of two minds. I appreciated that the pastor did not think I had been a coward and agree with him that controlling your emotions and carefully considering your reply in such a situation is first and foremost. And I cannot agree with Du Bois (who seems to be ever present with me) that diplomacy somehow equals sychophancy. (I believe he was capable of diplomacy, but he rarely wanted to bend any of his opinions in order to get along with others in an organization. Hence his frequent confrontations with the NAACP leadership. He also described one of the YWCA women I study as suffering from the YW “psychosis” for her too capable diplomacy…i.e. she gave in too much to whites).

So in other words, I like diplomacy. I like calm answers. I don’t want to walk into conflict. And yet, I don’t know that speaking to the man in private is the best solution. I say that because it was not just the man who held the opinion. Much of the room answered his statements with mutters of approval and similar condemnation of homosexuals and Obama.

I’m writing this today also because I had a hard weekend Christian wise. Arizona seems to be fulfilling all the frustrations I shared with my pastor about evangelicals/Baptists. We went to two church services over the weekend. The first was a baptist style independent mega-church. It was their missions weekend. One of the first things during the service was a video about the state of the world. Almost with the first breath it condemned multiculturalism and tolerance as a cover for intolerance of Christians (right after that statement, it flashed a picture of Obama).

Then it went on to paint the US in fairly glowing terms and describe the horrendous conditions in every other contentinent. Clearly they were all just waiting for American Christians on their white steeds, with their shining armor, to come save them. All all the programs that the videos mentioned about the churches was just about church planting, even though the speaker talked about addressing poverty. And while he did talk about the need to care for the poor (and what an empty bible it would be without the passages on feeding the hungry and caring for the sick), the only thing specific thing he mentioned was digging wells. I’m so tired of rallying speeches that don’t actually take into account the significant *good* things other nations, races and ethnicities are doing and all the *structural* problems that have to be addressed when fighting poverty. Especially when it is all couched in this self-conscious look at how great we are for sending missionaries. (It doesn’t help, I know, that I’m skeptical of the mission project in the first place). At least at our home church, we talk repeatedly about the same groups. We know the practical things they are doing in their communities. We know that the Mexican World Vision group is working on structural change (not just building one house, so to ostracize that family from the community). Same with the major push for a focus on Aids in Africa–we talked about structural and individual solutions. About comming alongside the community, instead of overthrowing it.

I did feel a bit better when some of the rest of my family volunteered similar frustrations with the church service as I had felt. For instance, my dad noticed immediately the equating of Catholicism with Mormonism (i.e. equally cultish) and condemned it before I had said anything.

Then the next day we went to the church I grew up in. The sermon was about Elijah proving God’s existence to the Baal worshipers. And the pastor exulted in the slaughtering of the Baal priests and never addressed how this story is related to the experiences of people today, who don’t tend to experience lightening from the sky. My dad-in-law expressed frustration with the first part, again before I had said anything. So even though I am more liberal than my folks, there is at least some room for a discussion.

Finally, I talked to my former Sunday School teacher after service. Such an interesting woman. She was the first woman ever to get a Masters in Agricultural Education. Her profs put her through a 4 hour oral exam to prove that she was ready for it. She’s a strong, intelligent woman who has worked her whole adult life. Yet she is also one of the most conservative people I have ever met (as is her husband). They have very conservative notions of gender (and yet, here she is at the forefront of education)… Anyway, within a few moments of discussion, she mentioned how Obama is on a mission to destroy Christian education, and has been for eight years. Also that the AEA (American Educational Association?) has been working to doctrinate all children into secularism for a long time. I just stood there and listened. I’ve so often thought about all the conservative things I learned at her and her husband’s knees. I have so wanted to come back with a rejoinder. Yet, what she was saying just seemed ridiculous to me. I didn’t even know where to begin. Obama on a crusade to destroy Christian education? That does not jive with anything I know about Obama (who, number one, is not a crusader but a pragmatist, and who, number two, is a Christian, and who number three, has extended and continued the office for faith based iniatives (under a different name).

Oh, and the man mentioned above called Obama “evil” during his conversation with my MI pastor.

*ugh*