Equal Rights and Electric Guitars...

So, I'm sitting here, with my living room being invaded by 11 year old boys, and my counter tops covered in delicious and high calorie goodies fit for any boys' birthday party, and I'm the only adult...trying to find a place to call my own...for the next 24 hours... (What did I get myself into?) :-)

As I hide, I'm thinking a variety of thoughts, as I also try to manage the ensuing madness in the other room, the pizza's cooking in the oven, the dog trying to decide if she's brave enough to encroach into the other room, and the cat...well, the cat is NOWHERE to be seen... Hmmm, to be the size of a breadbox...I can see the advantages!

The main thought I have is this, today at church I was once again given confirmation that this is the church for me... Aaron and I have been attending Peach United Church of Christ for about 2 years now...but always as "visitors"... I haven't yet made the leap to become a full-fledged "member". Why? Well, making commitments are always decisions worth taking one's time. Granted, I've loved this church since the very first service we attended, and this year I've even volunteered to teach Sunday School twice a month. So, yea, maybe it's time I made my commitment 'official'.

So, what was it about the service today that reconfirmed my commitment to Peace? Today, and really, this whole upcoming season of Lent is and will be dedicated to promoting and advocating for social justice. Today, we had a beautiful and very honorably done service dedicated to the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr. It was beautiful. Not only was it a nice remembrance of a powerful leader and activist, but the service called to us...well, at least, it called to me. Thank you God that my heart is open to hearing your messages!!

During a beautiful song, up on the screen were black and white photos of activists, some marching, some singing, some listening, some praying. Some being attacked, some being sprayed with water hoses... Every one of these activists fighting for justice. Fighting for equality. Did they know that today, in 2010, we'd still be struggling? Did they know that today, there would still be people who believe in a hierarchy of race and 'God-given' privilege? It's sad that all humanity can't feel in their heart the same epiphany I felt many years ago...

As a white American, I've grown up in white privilege. I knew nothing different. And I didn't understand the big deal... Why can't we all just get along?? I'd say... If only it were that easy or simple.

Then, as I grew older, not only was race a 'hot topic' social battle, but homosexuality joined in the controversy... To be a white Christian American girl, who just wanted peace, harmony, and couldn't understand why people would choose to judge and fight others, I just didn't get it. On one hand I was being told that to judge another race was wrong...but hey, according to the Bible, it's ok to judge people if they love someone of the same gender... Huh?

Of course, by this time, I was already questioning my own faith, beliefs, and relevance of Christianity in MY life... I remember sitting in a Sunday school lesson one time. We were looking in our little books at a particular lesson. There were a variety of pictures of different instruments on the page and the assignment was this, "Which of these would be found in church?" Of course there were things like an acoustic guitar, a piano, a flute, someone signing, drums, and an electric guitar. I said to my teacher, well, all of these could be found in church. She looked at me as if I had committed a mortal sin! "I don't hardly think an electric guitar belongs in church! Do you?!" Well, needless to say, the shame and confusion I carried with me from that simple little interaction was enough to make me seriously question the relevance of Christianity in my life. Why not an electric guitar? I listened to rock. Wasn't I welcome? Of course, justice prevailed, and about 1 year later, Pop-Christian music became more mainstream, and yep, you guessed it, electric guitars came right along with it! Phew! I felt vindicated!

So, as the battle of homosexuality began its rage, I again asked, "Why not homosexuality??" Ok, so the Bible states all that about "a man shalt not lay with another man..." But lets face it, the Bible WAS written by men. Men aren't perfect. Societies AREN'T perfect. How can I judge someone with disdain for simply loving someone of the same gender? How can society judge a man with disdain simply because of the color of his skin? To me, it seems so simple. It's like the electric guitar...we're just struggling with antiquated thinking... (Ok, so my analogy is weak and VERY simplified) but still, huh??

I had an "Ah-ha" moment a couple of years ago. I realized that we are all connected. Call it Karma, reincarnation, Buddhist enlightenment, or the spirit of connectedness with nature, like in the hit movie Avatar, but I feel like there is no such thing as individual rights. If I dare to limit the rights of any single person or group of people, I am limiting my own. God chose me to be me. He chose you to be you. He chose my grumpy neighbor to be my grumpy neighbor, and the sweet lady at the check out to be that sweet lady. But very easily I could be you, you could be me, he could be her, she could be him... No one is more important than another. No one is better, worse, less or more valued, OR less or more loved by God. We just are. And we are good.

Granted, some of my friends criticize me by saying that I either am really truly judgmental and not just admitting it, or I'm not judgmental enough. "What about rapists, murderers, those who abuse children?" They'd say... "Don' t you judge them? Or are they ok too?" ...Uh, WHAT??! What kind of comparison is THAT?

...Sigh...There is still a long way to go to get people to understand that first of all, homosexuality isn't a crime against humanity, any more than being heterosexual is, or being black or Hispanic, or a man or a woman... And second...judging someone for their behaviors that hurt others is DIFFERENT, and necessary. Judging someone for being human is not.

Now, I've never really considered myself to be either Democrat or Republican. I'm not politically minded, nor do I care to get into the 'boys club' of politics... But I heard someone say once, whats so bad about being liberal?? After all, liberals were the ones who fought for women's liberation, racially equality, and today, equal rights for GLT. Yea, I don't know whats so bad about being liberal. But then again, hard core Christians claim to be Republican. Does that mean that if I choose to ally with the Democratic party, I'm not Christian?? Phew, no wonder non Christians look at us with looks of disgust... What a mess...

So, I have no easy answers to this ongoing dilemma of People of color versus white people, heterosexuals versus homosexuals, Democrats versus Republicans, acoustic versus electric... But I do know that I'm going to follow Jesus. Jesus broke down the barriers. He taught me to love my neighbor, the Samaritan, the beggar, the tax collector, the woman who looks different than me,the man who thinks differently than me, the teenager who dresses differently than me, the couple who live differently than me. Jesus makes it easy. Just know, accept, love. A great quote from "The Shack" is this, "Knowing is the skin of love..." Wow! Just take a step, get to know. Ignorance is not knowing... Ignorance keeps us from love. Ignorance keeps us from following Jesus. Come on friends, KNOW!!!!

Dear God,
This prayer is for those who have given their heart, soul, love, sweat, tears, and lives for equality. You created us equal. But we as sinful humans have divided ourselves due to power, greed, and fear. I pray that you continue to give strength to those who work for the liberation of your people. And also, I pray for those who have the desire for power, greed, and who live with fear in their hearts. May they be healed by your Holy Spirit. May we all be healed, and love each other as Jesus taught us. AMEN!

Peace Friends,
~Erica