Harmless Parody or Anti-Christian Humour? You Decide...

If you are using this OMG Blog then you probably are using other internet sites such as Facebook or MySpace (if you are a parent, you should certainly have a basic understanding of how these sites work, as you can be sure your kids are using them and posting photos and messages to them!).

I started using Facebook a couple of years ago. Initially, I was a regular user, and joined in with my friends in posting lots of photos and videos of my life and posting links and references I found enjoyable or provocative. As an example, I have posted a number of videos from the United Church Wondercafe, such as the "E-Z Answer Squirrell" (which I still love!), and list on my profile I am "Christian" and also am in a same-sex relationship and "engaged" to André Bernard.

Some time ago, I found a video on YouTube titled "Gay Scientists Isolate Christian Gene", which I found rather amusing as both a Christian and a gay man. I posted a link to the video on my Facebook page. Shortly afterwards, I essentially forgot about it.

Before I continue, I want you to watch the video in question, below:




What was your reaction to this video, as a Christian? Did you find it offensive or anti-Christian? Were you in fact offended? Did you find it somewhat or generally amusing? A clever parody of the "fuss" over whether there is a "gay gene" and what some people in the Christian church would want to do about it?

I've chosen this as my OMG Blog topic, because recently I received what I will call a "reminder" that the video was posted to my Facebook page - and a serious challenge to my sense of identity as a Christian.

We hear Linda each week refer to all of us as "lay preachers" and we discuss the difficulties we can experience in being "out" as Christians in what seems to be increasingly a non-Christian (or religious) world.

An acquaintance of mine from law school who I have as a "friend" on Facebook, responding to a post about a recent illness I experienced, must have spent some time reviewing my Facebook pages, and found the video. The following is the message I received:

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"Hi Sean, I was a bit disappointed to see your link to the above video. As a Christian, I practice respect for every human being and stay away from anything that attempts to place people into artificial "groups," divide them from other (so-called more desirable) "groups", and then ridicule that group. That's actually how Hitler was so successful.

It's indeed unfortunate that as a gay man, who probably has been subjected to people's unfair judgement in your life, you now perpetuate the same thing. I know that I have been subjected to unfair judgement by many being a Christian, but I am not then going to turn around and do the same thing to them. Where does that get any of us as inhabitants of this planet? And where does it end?

I guess I expected more from you as a human being and a professional. I can assure you that even though you are ridiculing a group that I am a part of, I won't do the same thing to you.

P.S. Glad to read that you are feeling better. Food poisoning can be nasty."

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Obviously my friend was offended and felt personally demeaned by my posting of the video on my Facebook page, and drew a distinction between us. I had to take a few days to sit and reflect and challenge myself on why, as a Christian, I found the video "humorous" rather than "offensive".

I think the best way of explaining my experience and reflection on the issue is to post the reply I sent to my friend, which I hope will provide some thoughts and reflection for you in considering the issue of humour vs. ridicule:

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Thanks for writing. I've taken a few days to contemplate a response, as frankly your message took me somewhat by surprise, in both substance and tone.

Your message immediately makes a distinction between us, by stating "As a Christian, I practice...", as if we are in different groups.

If you actually read my profile, you would see clearly that I am also a Christian - I am getting married in July in a Christian (protestant) church that is inclusive and affirming, I have been an Elder and a Session member of my church, and I sing as a Tenor in my church choir. The post immediately below the "Christian Gene" video is the "E-Z Answer Squirrell" video from Wondercafe.ca of the United Church. That is partly why the same-sex marriage issue meant so much to me, personally and professionally. So, my appreciation of what I find is a humorous parody in that video does not come from a place of "ridicule" and difference. I simply don't see it that way at all. Frankly, I think it illustrates quite effectively that the position that many Christians do hold on the "gay issue" is plain silly.

Now, let's discuss unfair judgment. With the greatest amount of respect to you and whatever your personal faith or theology may be, as Christians we cannot escape or deny the fact that the mainstream Christian Church has for too long practiced more than "unfair judgment" against gays and lesbians - and in many places around the world, still does. Persecution is an appropriate word. Where does it end? A very good question.

We obviously see that video in very different lights. I don't see it as overt ridicule of Christianity or those who identify as Christian. Far from it. I see it, as a gay man, as a humorous parody of the right-wing, conservative theology and position on "homosexuality". It is a reversal of groups to highlight - with humor - the ways that certain groups excuse what otherwise is simple bigotry and discrimination, and in many cases can bleed into physical intimidation and persecution.

Now, understand me when I also say that I am the first to recognize there are elements - large ones - of the gay community that are very anti-Christian and ridicule "religion". In fact, there are elements of society, period, that are this way. However, as a gay man, who as you put it "probably has been subjected to people's unfair judgment", I understand and empathize with many who hold that view. Many gay people have been ostracized from spiritual and religious life by "the Church" and subjected to truly terrible forms of discrimination and even physical violence (see "www.godhatesfags.com" for an example of one form of "Christian love" in action).

Things are starting to change, and there are certainly a growing number of churches out there who truly embrace Gods love of diversity and inclusion of many different groups, and I am glad you appear to have the same approach. BUT, the truth is that many gays and lesbians have responded to rejection BY the Church with rejection OF the Church, and unfortunately, spiritual life. That also is starting to change, thanks in part to many courageous Christians who reject orthodoxy and conservative theology and actively practice inclusive faith in their everyday lives.

In closing, your last paragraph is the one that frankly causes me most concern (aside from the Hitler reference). I'm not sure why you felt the need to question my professionalism, but regardless your comments imply - with the greatest amount of respect - that we must be in different groups (i.e. gay does not equal Christian).

I do regret that you were so affected by the video and felt personally ridiculed. However, I hope you can perhaps understand my views on the matter, even if we do not agree. I hope you had a peaceful Easter.

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What are your thoughts? Does the video cross the line into ridicule? Do you feel personally offended as a Christian? Or do you see it as humour or parody?

As Christians in what could be described as an increasingly hostile world, how sensitive are we OR should we be to such expressions of "humour"? Are we too relaxed or accepting? Should we be more offended or vigilant?

I look forward to sharing in your discussion of these issues through the month! Let the debate begin!

What do you think? Please click the comments link below and post your opinion.

Cheers,
Sean

Towards an economy of inclusion

Corporate social responsibility is buzz phrase of our time and indeed of my generation. Fueled by consumer demand (and I'd like to think genuine interest in justice), corporations large and small are applying an ethical lens to their work. I think all of us can think of a dozen examples off the top of our heads (The Body Shop, Shell, MEC, the move toward fair trade/organic coffees at many retailers, and so on).

I don't believe it's entirely altruistic, but it is a gesture and indeed a movement in the right direction. Both Sean and I were struck by a recent video advertisement floating around the Internet for an Argentinian bank. Take a look...



In this advertisement, an older man approaches a woman on the street who is the proprietor of a hairdressing salon. The woman identifies herself as female though is biologically male (i.e., she is a male-to-female transgendered person). The older man has recently learned that she received credit from a bank to open and run her business, and that same bank gave him a loan to buy his car. He states that this fact gave him cause to think about his discriminatory and hateful actions against her all these years. He apologies for this a gives her a beautiful carving. The scene pans to the two saying farewell and the text, "Your life changes when there is a bank disposed to change. You have a life... you have a bank."

This ad strikes me on many different levels. First, it mainstreams a highly stigmatized segment of our society -- those who identify their gender opposite to that of their sex (biological). As someone who is gay, white, upper-middle-class, and a professional, I certainly appreciate that the gains made for those of us who do not identify heterosexual are not equally shared among the spectrum of sexual and gender identities, least of whom are those who identify as transgendered. This ad is poignant in that it challenges the public at large to think about this type of discrimination in our everyday lives.

But I'm also struck by the fact that this is being used to sell... A bank is using inclusivity and its interest in gender- and queer- justice to sell its banking services.

Is this yet another rung on the ladder of capitalism? Or is it an earnest step towards an building an economy of inclusion? What messages does it leave you with? And what can we learn from this as a church and church community?

What do you think? Please click the comments link below and post your opinion.

André

On the Buses

I am a virgin blogger, I admit it. Also, this is St. John’s virgin blog posting. It is a spot designed to create safe space for dialogue about ‘edgy’ spiritual and religious issues. So, for our first discussion there is no better one taking place in society than the ads that have been placed in bus shelters (or not, in Halifax’s case). The first ones appeared in England, then quickly spread throughout the United States and Canada.

The three that seem to be most provocative are:

1) There is Probably No God. Now Stop Worrying and Enjoy Your Life.
2) Why believe in a God? Just be good for goodness’ sake.
3) You Can Be Good Without God.

The United Church’s response to the first one has been to say, “There is probably a God. Now Stop Worrying and Enjoy Your Life.” While there is no question in my mind that God means for us to live a life of abundance and therefore gratitude, what gives me pause with both statements is that they seem very flippant. They belie the fact that some things should be worried about like war, hunger, disparity and environmental degradation. It should be “There probably is a God. Now enjoy your life, but worry sometimes about the big things.”


Concerning the second and third statements, being good for goodness sake is fine. You can definitely be good without God. I have met many fine atheists and was, in fact, one myself for many years. However, being open to the presence and power of God makes being “good” take on many other dimensions.

Prayer, in particular, provides a challenge to being good, a guidance that makes me move beyond my own human preconceptions about what is “good.” Believing in God and being part of a faith community that wrestles weekly with what it means to be “good” also challenges me to broaden my outlook as I dialogue others with whom I often may not agree. We can all be “good” contemplating life sitting on our living room couches, but sitting next to “old so and so” while lovingly disagreeing with them really is where the rubber hits the road.

Finally, I fundamentally disagree with Halifax Regional Transit Authority not allowing the ads to be in their bus shelters. Free speech is foundational to a democracy and atheists or humanists have every right to say there is no God. I welcome the debate. Anytime we get people talking about God over the water coolers in their workplaces and around the supper tables is a “good” thing.


What do you think? Please click the comments link below and post your opinion.