So, I've been reading Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution. It's a really interesting book, one of the finest examples of Evangelical writing I've ever read. Here's a guy who is definitely advocating a form of fundamentalism, but one why I'm not diametrically opposed to.
Claiborne is obsessed with the idea of radical love for all people, nonviolence, and fighting for justice for those in poverty. Not so shockingly, that old book the Bible has an incredible amount of support for a faith like Claiborne's, you know, what with the thrust of the prophets and the Gospels being largely about the need for humanity to “walk humbly, love justice, and do mercy.”
He, like me, is a failed protestant in a lot of ways. Reading his story about how he became disenchanted with the self-righteous, in-looking, materialist bullshit of American Christianity, well, it all rings true. Far too often American Christianity is about becoming the greatest, the best, the strongest. American Christianity loves to jump in bed with the ideas and ideals of the Military-Industrial Complex. American Christianity loves to worship our nation and the power of our nation as a god instead of that homeless rabbi, the one who got lynched for speaking the truth in love so much that it pissed the whole world off.
American Christianity's got some problems, and Claiborne sees those. What I really like about this book, though, is that it isn't simple a critique of the problems. Dude actually takes the time to suggest alternatives to the current system, alternatives based on the teachings of Christ and the prophets.
But now, before we go too crazy talking about how awesome this book is, I want to talk to you for a minute about the reasons that it really scares me. Dear reader, I am afraid of Evangelicals. There, I've said it.
Evangelicals, not all of them certainly, not Fred Clark, not Jim Wallis, not my dear friend who introduced me to this, but many, maybe most, legitimized the politics that lead to the deaths of a million innocent Iraqis. Many Evangelicals work every to reinforce systems of oppression that lead to the rape of murder of folks like me. Many Evangelicals spend their time trying to rebuild all those chains that Christ broke that day up on the cross.
They scare the shit out of me.
And I know, I know that it is probably a sin that I have not yet been able to forgive that body of American Evangelicals for what they've done, what they continue to do. I know that in some ways I let them continue to do harm in the world, do harm to me by not find forgiveness for them. But friends, I'm sorry. The things I've seen, the ways in which I've seen people treated. It has hurt me, it has hurt my family, it's hurt this world.
I want to find more love and forgiveness for them, but it's hard. There are so many American Evangelicals who I do love, who fine and wonderful people. They give me so much hope, but when I think about that wider group, all those folks who fought for Prop 8, who spread rumors about Obama being a Muslim, who put out letters accusing trans folks of wanting nothing more than to get into women's bathrooms for the purpose of rape, sometimes I don't know how I can love and forgive all of them, the idea of all of them.
I keep trying to love and forgive Evangelicals one at a time, but I don't know if that's enough.
So when I read a book like this, no matter how smart and cool it seems, I don't entirely trust it. That's just the truth. I keep looking for the razor blade in the apple. I keep waiting for Claiborne to admit that despite his ideas about radical love, radical welcome, the God of losers (Man, I really like that term), I keep wait for him to say, “But you know what? Gays and queers? God still hates them. I'm not talking about God being the Lord of those kind of losers. I meant the other ones, the ones who are just too righteous for this terrible materialist, queer-infested planet.”
But now, Claiborne never comes out and attacks queers. He attacks the rich, the powerful. That's fine and good, and I'm down with that. He had beautiful, wise things to say to about poverty, the ways in which society separates people so that systems of oppression can continue without burdening the consciences of the powerful. His talk about the One Church, the Universal Church is moving and lovely. I share many of the same dreams of over coming the silly, petty barriers that separate us. He has many, many good ideas and ideals.
But, it scares me. He mentions transsexuals once in this book. He uses us as an extreme example of how everyone from transsexuals to SUV drivers are welcome in the body of Christ. It's a positive welcome, but at the same time, I don't know how I feel about being used as an end marker for the bottom side of the scale of weird.
I don't know. This book really is about the love God has for people on the bottom, and transsexuals tend to find our way there are some time or another. Like I talked about in an earlier post, I know that being trans knocks me out of, or at least down in, the game of the world, the constant ratty mission to become the greatest or the best. I think that that, for me at least, can be a blessing. And I think that from what is written here, Claiborne might seem to go along with it, but...
Look, I just wish he had come out clearly and voiced his support for queers. I know that this book was aimed at the Evangelical establishment, that the idea here was to offer all those bright beautiful young Evangelical kids a chance to follow God in ways that weren't just worshiping their own power or the power of their country, and I know that if this book took too much time to support queers those young Evangelicals would far, far too scared to read it, but...
Still, I wish Claiborne would say that he didn't hate me. It's hard to listen to someone talk about the love of God, but know that no matter how fine their words about forgiveness and welcome are, that they might still be willing to turn on you. I just wish he was clearer on that point.
Posting to let you know, I gave you an award!
Posted by: whatsername | May 04, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Hi there. Just came across your blog, and I thought maybe I could clear up a little about what's bothering you about Shane Claiborne. You say you want him to say that he doesn't hate you and that you want him to clearly support queers. I totally get that. The thing with Shane is, that's not his platform. It's not a main talking point for him. He's much more concerned with loving people, regardless of who they are or what others think, than giving some arbitrary seal of a approval of anyone. I think that's what makes him so different from other evangelicals, and it's hard for people to wrap their heads around, since all we see are the Joel Osteens and Pat Robertsons. Here is a link I think you will enjoy (don't mind the old guy, he's of an old school that I hope the Christian church is moving away from) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkWk1ATYHno . Anyway, just wanted to give my 2 cents. Hope you like the video :)
Posted by: Heather | May 11, 2009 at 07:29 PM
Not getting the fireplace cleaned out before the winter actually kicks in.
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