| A few months back, I had the displeasure of taking a walk through Library Mall on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus and seeing a demonstration of sorts organized by one of the local Christian agencies in this area. There were several individuals on the mall, who had been there for several days prior, shouting out different statements and Bible verses about what "thus said the Lord." On this particular day, there was another man out there, standing with a huge sign he was holding up for passersby to read. It had to be at least 7 or 8 feet high, with words and lettering in all different colors boldly printed across its surface. With the same silent audacity as those words he stood there, letting us all take in the following: JESUS REJECTS FAGS RACISTS PROSTITUTES LIARS HOMOS QUEERS ... Now, normally I ignore folk standing out in Library Mall yelling out to the general public just because ... well, because it happens quite often, and while I have been known to gather there for exciting cultural activities from time to time (the Hip Hop Revival, sponsored by Elements of Change edutainment organization is one event that comes to mind), everything that's yelled out by people standing around on Library Mall ain't exactly what I'd call extremely important and useful information. On this particular occasion however, I couldn't help but notice this man standing there; the sounds around me I was able to tune out ... but the visual made me pause, just because it was so big of a sign, and so long of a list. I don't remember the whole thing, just because I really couldn't stand to finish reading it all, but as I was walking past I couldn't help but give him the most confused look I had in my arsenal, before I finally kept going toward my final destination. My confusion didn't come from his zeal, as I'm familiar with the Good Book's charge to go out and spread the gospel to those who don't know it, doing what we as Christians can ('cause yeah, by now you might be able to tell that I'm a Christian. :o) to draw people to Christ. What I was trying to understand was the message he was bringing, his perceived message of truth to the masses. I mean specifically, I just had one question that, if I had more courage about it, I would have walked right up to him and asked: If Jesus really was the type of person to reject all those people, then why would anyone want to be around Him in the first place? I mean surely this man had to see the logic in a God that people would actually want to be around, right? Surely he had to know his argument was a misguided (to say the least) right? No, I didn't say anything to him, but in hindsight I almost wish I did, if for no other reason but to build my own understanding of my faith (or, list of things NOT to say when witnessing. (LOL). Seeing him did make me think about my life as a Christian though, and the hurdles that befall someone of the faith attempting to spread the gospel to those who don't know it. I've been a Christian since the age of 12, and I must admit that I have never been as fervent, or even vocal, about sharing Christ with others as that man and others like him have been. It has been my opinion in the past, without going into it too extensively, that the evangelism of Christians is almost tantamount to that of Liberal White People: there's way too much that has happened in the name of our respective populations throughout their histories to accurately assume that getting those negatively affected to all of a sudden accept you outright is an easy task. So, on the whole I've made it my point to be open to discussing my religion if someone asked, but for the most part, leaving the outreach part of it to pastors and folk like ol' boy in Library Mall. People like him -- who are on fire about God and really want to draw others closer to Him, but who have somehow received a completely warped and inaccurate way of looking at the faith -- are what hold me back, because they are so pushy, and so rude, and so stereotypically indignant and extreme in their message-giving. I've seen it in him, as well as other images of Christians that have been taught over time Christians doing missions in the "savage" world, Christians donning creepy white hoods in their spare time, Christians calling people out of their names in the name of promoting "Family Values," reality television (Wife Swap, anyone?), the Internet, etc. I've heard what people think -- that we're overbearing, unrealistically strict, self-righteous and condescending -- and often the first one to "backslide" on the very rules we try to impose on others in the name of "evangelism." I don't blame the unsaved for thinking this way; at the same time it's frustrating, because it reminds me of how it feels to be Black and see someone else Black messin'; up somewhere out in public: like when I open my mouth and confess my devotion to Jesus Christ as my Savior, all of a sudden the opinions and attitudes of people like those I'm referring to get transferred to me. It's a weird conundrum; however, it's not one I can't solve, if I keep in mind Jesus' highest quality exhibited while he was on Earth -- that of humility and love. People like that man on Library Mall still annoy and anger me; however, I think I'm at the point now where I understand better that I can't let the misguided actions of others keep me from doing what I know I have been put on this earth to do. Just as with those messin' up Blackfolk that I come across each day, I try to remind myself that the zealous are in the family of God just as human as I am, and that me being judgmental of the judgmental is a direct exhibition of the very thing that I'm annoyed by -- the inaccurate manifestation of God&'s word. And when I run across people like ol' boy I try to conjure up the famous words of my late grandmother, "All you can do is pray." I think I'm gonna say something to dude next time though -- perhaps ask him where he thinks he may fall on the list. Hopefully we can get some conversation going among believers, you know ...? |
| Random Order/ Tracie Gilbert Confronting three-letter words (Part 2) |
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