alexis in the city

The Antiquated Modern

Not long ago, we were having dinner with friends (yes, you really should check out their blog because they are gourmet cooks and make ridiculous food), reminiscing/commiserating about some of our  experiences growing up in the church. We were asking each other if - in light of poking fun at some of the traditions of our background - we would change anything about the religious aspects of our childhood. I responded that I would’ve changed what was talked about. I know there are issues on which my parents don’t agree with the general evangelical consensus. But what’s more than that - I know that whether they agree or disagree they have reasons for their beliefs.

I didn’t come away from my upbringing with a strong sense of the research, wrestling, and decisions behind beliefs espoused in my churches, schools and at home. There are exceptions, but in general I came away with a series of strong implications of things I should believe. Don’t get me wrong - I was encouraged to question things and my parents have been very supportive and open to discussing my faith journey but it’s something I’ve initiated as an adult.

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Opt-in Ignorance

Who are you going to believe - me or your own eyes?

~ Groucho Marx

Are you going to believe what you see or what I tell you?

~ Willie Nelson

I’ve been facing down this conundrum  recently. It’s not an ignorance due to mis-eduction or lack of information. No, to be ignorant because you have insufficient resources is forgivable. This is an ignorance that people seek out for themselves regardless of the realities around them. This is opt-in ignorance.

Here’s one example that I’m sure will ruffle more than a few feathers but which has been in the spotlight recently: the vaccination “debate” (which isn’t even a debate in the medical community …). Never mind the research done showing no links between vaccinations and certain illnesses. Never mind that the study responsible for the MMR/Autism scare has been discredited or that the doctor who conducted it may have his medical license removed. No. Because this information comes from the medical community - which, by some strange (irrational) double standard is to be completely distrusted - such research is met with an air of “your facts are no good here.”

Of course, in this instance opt-in ignorance stands to (physically) hurt more people than just the person making the decision, which is especially dangerous. It’s a strange situation where reality seems to be incompatible with a previously-established belief system, and I won’t even delve into how many of these systems are constructed.

I can think of multiple other examples of such ignorance that assail me on a regular basis, most of which on the surface don’t appear to hurt anyone but the person opting in. Dig a little deeper, though, and I think you’ll find that opt-in ignorance tends to be a culture. It latches on and often gets passed down from generation to generation, creating a different kind of danger; one where our minds, our rationale and our ability to reason are at stake. This may not be a physical death, but a death of intellect is quite a blow none-the-less.

Separation of Church and Self: why we need to keep personal political agendas out of our churches

Let me preface this by saying: I’m Christian. I emphasize this fact because what I’m about to espouse (like many of my beliefs) is not the predominant thinking within mainstream Christianity. So here’s the crux of my argument ~ I’ve stated it before but it bears repeating: America is not a Christian nation, therefore it is not the Church’s responsibility to foist its beliefs upon the nation’s citizenry, nor is it one church’s responsibility to foist its individual political convictions (should it have any) on its members. This is a commonly-held sentiment OUTSIDE of the religious community, yet for some reason too many people within it want to equate America with Israel: the chosen nation, a theocracy, a place where the laws of the Bible (or more correctly, someone’s INTERPRETATION of the laws of the Bible) should be the law of the land.

Of course, this is all common knowledge ~ one has to look no further than the nomenclature “the religious right” to see that we’ve accepted this religious infiltration into our politics and policy. (Check out “The Family” if you want a chilling look into just how inter-connected Evangelical leaders like Dr. Dobson and Pat Robertson are with the political underground.) I grew up in churches where it was no more strange to sign an anti-abortion petition in the foyer of the building than it was to sing choruses at the start of each service. And to many people within Christian circles, I would guess this idea is somewhat innocuous. But here’s the thing: IT’S NOT. By veritably preaching politics from the pulpit, the church is alienating anyone who might believe differently by essentially saying: “We are the authority on this subject, this is the correct thing to believe, and here is the correct way to vote.”

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god is not springs or bricks

“when everything gets answered, it’s fake. the mystery is the truth.” ~sean penn

i’ve had “velvet elvis” sitting around for probably six months now - i’m not sure why i put off reading it. i think because i didn’t expect it to be radical enough for me - or maybe because the title was more cryptic than some of my favorites like “everything must change” or “jesus for president.” (both i’ve written about before, here and here.)

but when the author started talking about questioning doctrines like the trinity, literal creationism and the virgin birth, i figured it would be something that was right up my alley. now before i get concerned comments or emails with lightly veiled accusations of heresy, let me explain.

rob bell explains two different ways of looking at everything that isn’t god: bricks and springs.

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the church of the lowest common denominator

when in the throws of disappointment with the traditional way of “doing church” i’m led to believe that there are two probable outcomes from my discontentedness with organized religion:

1. i get tired of “faking it till i make it” and give up on the idea of church altogether. convinced that there is no better option and unwilling to let myself be dumbed down indefinitely, i simply refuse to take part in the machine any more

2. another type of giving up, i cease to ask the deep questions. convinced that these questions can’t be answered in a church setting, i resign myself to a traditional religious experience of singing, sermon, tithing, praying. wash, rinse, repeat.

both these options frighten me to the core of my spirituality - the second perhaps a bit more than the first. i do not want to be a “good little christian” or a “nice” girl.” i do not want to toe the line. i have no desire to perpetuate the status quo - especially in light of any family i may one day have. i shudder to think of what i might pass down to future generations if i let either of these scenarios become a reality.

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