While I was strolling along down the sidewalk the other day, a young woman sitting on the curb said: “THIS lady looks like a Jesus-lover! Hey! Do you love Jesus?”
First off, I’m not entirely sure what it is about me that resembles a “Jesus lover” (or what that entails, really). Certainly she must have missed a few of my tattoos. At any rate, what I resent is being asked deep theological questions when I’m on the move.
DO I love Jesus? I don’t know. Which Jesus? The one who threw a righteous, radical “eff you capitalist bastards!” tantrum in the Temple? The one that liberal Christians like to depict as a hippie love-fest rebel of a guy? Weeeell….that Jesus is just all right with me I guess. Sure. Why not? How’s about that Jesus that other folks depict as a psychotic, obsessively mean person who takes immense pleasure in skipping my demon-worshipping head across a lake of fire? Not so much!
And what do you mean by love Jesus? Does it mean I worship him? Does it mean I worship him to the exclusion of others? Do I have to worship something because I love it? Is to love something automatically to give it praise and thanks -to worship (condition of being worthy, honor, renown)? What is the difference between love and worship? Those be some groovy-ass deep questions, man. I can’t sum them up in thirty seconds. I can’t sum them up in thirty lifetimes.
The thing about Jesus is that he’s more and less than what people seem to make of him. The thing about religion is that it’s kind of….complex.
So how am I supposed to answer that question when I’m half way down the street already?
I’m sure I’m being pissy, but aside from the irritating fact that we live in a culture that privileges one religion so much that people feel comfortable making offhand “rah-rah” statements about their religion on the street at passersby without worrying about any kind of backlash, I have to say that it made me pause for a moment to reflect on how the oft-repeated fact of our hyperdrive, soundbite culture has affected our religious interactions with each other. Passive entertainment and passive culture breeds passive religion? Maybe. Maybe.
Like life, beauty, community, and wholeness, religion is not a sound bite. Religion is not a pep squad cheer. Religion is deep, and complicated, and messy, and strange. There are no fast answers. You can’t sum it up in 30 seconds or less, which is why I’m always flustered when someone asks me “what Paganism is” and expects a commercial-length answer.
You wanna know if I love Jesus? Sit me down – I’ll talk to you for five hours. I’ve got time for that. You wanna yell at me from the curb as I try to go about my business? You’re not seeking dialogue – you’re soliciting a validation of religious privilege and a high-five. And I really don’t have time for that. Funny thing, time.
sravana said,
October 3, 2007 at 9:46 pm
so… what did you say to her?
Michael Bright Crow said,
October 3, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Sara,
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are so on target with this!
“…the oft-repeated fact of our hyperdrive, soundbite culture has affected our religious interactions with each other. Passive entertainment and passive culture breeds passive religion? Maybe. Maybe.
“Like life, beauty, community, and wholeness…. Religion is deep, and complicated, and messy, and strange. There are no fast answers.”
I don’t have time for the high-fives either.
Once, way back in Walhydra’s ancient history, when she had just dropped out of seminary and returned to work on her old college campus, she was stopped by a new Campus Crusade recruit.
He started with the stock lines.
Fresh out of theology school, Walhydra said, “Yes, but the Greek words in that verse can also mean this… and this… and this….”
The recruit said, “Oh, I hadn’t thought of it that way. Thanks.”
He went back inside to the Campus Crusade training workshop. Walhydra walked on down the street, shaking her head.
“Poor kid,” she thought. “They’s have to completely de-program him.”
Blesséd Be,
Michael
gospelpagan said,
October 4, 2007 at 12:40 pm
LOL. Sravana,
I smiled and waved and said “Not really, but thanks!” which I kinda hoped would be taken as friendly and as truthful as it can be for a .5 nanosecond comment, but I got told to go to Hell anyway. Further exemplifying why drive-by interfaith dialogue really isn’t possible.
-S
gospelpagan said,
October 4, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Michael –
I never ceased to be astonished at the oceanic depth of religion, and how wonderful it is that there are always new depths to be explored. Biblical languages, for instance, open up whole new vistas!
Thank you as ever for you comments,
S
Jordan Stratford said,
October 10, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Well you can “love” Jesus the same way you can love Socrates or Robin Hood or Spongebob Squarepants. So the easy answer is “yes”. I don’t think it means you have to marry the guy. They’re all currently experienced as personified literary devices anyway, so you have some wiggle room.
But if someon sitting on a curb asks me if I’m a Sara-lover, I’m going to yell “FUCK YEAH.”
gospelpagan said,
October 11, 2007 at 2:28 am
LOL….Thanks, Father.
As ever, I say “aw, pshaw!”
-S
charity said,
September 16, 2009 at 10:49 pm
I have been looking around a lot, looking for an explanation of the phrase “Isis Isis, Ra Ra Ra”. I do know who or what they are, but what does it mean?