We made it to the weekend, friends. I hope you have a wonderful Saturday, here are some thoughts that may or may not help you mentally prepare for difficult family gatherings during the holidays.
Much love and move βοΈ,
Glenn || PATREON / BUY ME A COFFEE
In Mark 15 Jesus had just been on trial before Pilate and the soldiers are now seen stripping him of his robe, placing a crown of thorns on his head, and mocking him by calling him the "King of the Jews".
I imagine they are laughing at him.
Maybe pointing at him.
Spitting on him.
Imitating him.
"Oh look at me, The King of the Jews! I'm so strong and I'm so amazing and yet I can't even save myself!"
The scene is actually quite childish if you think about it, almost like a few 5th grade bullies on the playground picking on a 3rd grader - taking his lunch, hanging his jacket on the monkey bars where he can't reach it, making fun of the way he talks and walks, etc.
Jesus' response?
Mark's Jesus doesn't say a word.
In his book "Radical Transformation" Alexander John Shaia makes an incredible observation, he says that "Mark uses the ugliness and childishness of this scene - and Jesus' complete lack of response to it - as an illustration of the crudeness and brutality of temporal power contrasted with he maturity and dignity of the Spirit."
Temporal / worldly power.
VS.
The Spirit.
This struck me today because lately I've watched on Facebook and various social media platforms as a lot of my more progressive thinking friends have taken CRUDE and BRUTAL beatings from the more conservative, Evangelical branches of Christianity.
I have one friend who is in seminary. They're transgender and studying to be a pastor and their TikTok page is literally LIT UP every single day (by Christians) with some of the nastiest and vulgar comments I've ever read.
I have another friend who is an author and every time he posts something (EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.) the same 5 of 6 people (Christians, also) post hateful, negative comments and admit that they just go there to "stir up trouble".
Another author friend who is attacked by the "Bible-Bros" on Twitter EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
I've watched other friends be mocked (by Christians) for their concern over issues of social justice.
Others have been dragged through the mud (by Christians) for their love of LGBTQ people.
I've been told that the Devil has control of my life and that I'm on the fast track to hell.
What I'm saying is that I've seen so many people put on trial by Christians, dragged to the courtyard of social media, and humiliated in the most vulgar and childish of ways ... all in the "name of love" and in the "name of Jesus" and in the "name of defending the truth".
What struck me this morning is that this is little more than a display of temporal or worldly power.
Right?
The Evangelical Church in North America (the more conservative branches, to be specific) is a System of power. And what I mean by that is that when people in the US think of churches in America, it's the Evangelical model that (not always, but) very often comes to mind.
"Believe these things or go to hell."
"Jesus died for your sins."
"God and country - vote red or we're all gonna be dead."
"Disagree with us and we'll outcast you."
"Gays are going to hell."
I'm at a place in my life where if I tell someone who isn't a Christian that I am a Christian, I also need to tell them I'm not "that kind of Christian".
The reality is that it's a powerful System that seems to get stronger and louder and more vulgar by the day. It gets tons of attention from the media, tons of spotlight from megachurches and loud mouth pastors, and its gatekeepers are known to rally the troops through books, podcasts, the pulpit, Twitter, etc. to "defend (their version of) the truth" at all costs against the Devil-infested Progressives.
(**NOTE: yes, not all Evangelicals or Conservative Evangelicals or churches or Megachurches are like this, I know. No need to remind me. I'm not talking about individual churches and whatnot, I'm talking about the System as a whole - the System is broken.)
Alexander reminded me this morning that this display of "power" is merely a display of "worldly power" and since it's worldly power there is no need for you or for me to rise to the its level in an attempt to match its tone, its volume, or its intensity.
Instead, we can follow the model of Jesus.
Yes, we can speak up when we need to speak up. (We should.)
Yes, we can flip tables when people are being oppressed by the System. (We should.)
Yes, we can go toe to toe with a Pharisee who is using their power to shame an outcast. (We should.)
BUT.
When we are dragged before the crowds and we are thrown into the courtyard to be humiliated by the Soldiers who have been rallied by the Gatekeepers of the System ... we can shrug, smile, and nod as we tap into the Spirit within us and around us and choose to respond from a place of peace and stillness all the while knowing that the loud display of "power" before us is little more than worldly and temporary and weak.
We can choose not to comment.
We can choose not to provide our perspective.
We can choose simply "like" or "laugh" at a comment without paying it anymore attention.
We can decline comment at the Thanksgiving table.
We can excuse ourselves and go to the bathroom when Uncle Ted puts us on trial for our thoughts about LGBTQ inclusion.
We can choose to leave the family gathering early and take the pumpkin pie to go.
Heck, you can just flat out decline the invitation and order take out!
What I'm saying is that if you are being attacked today by family or friends or churches, if you have been dragged into the courtyard and put on trial for your beliefs and evolving thoughts about God and faith, if you have been mocked and laughed at and shamed ... know today that you don't owe the powers that be an explanation - you have the right to remain silent just as Jesus did, and who really gives a rip what they think.
You are loved, accepted, and embraced just the way you are ... wherever you are on your journey.