Becoming the "L" word...
No, not a lesbian...though that would certainly make a more interesting post. The L word that I'm thinking of is "liberal". I've been fighting my slow transformation into one since I got here, but I'm starting to realize that I'm fighting a losing battle. Its sad that liberal has become such a bad word in our culture. Its sad that I feel that I need to apologize for becoming more liberal, even though by local standards I'm probably still a moderate (maybe even a little conservative).
The thing is I can't fight what I'm being exposed to here because for the most part I agree with it. If nothing else I have become a better thinker here at SFTS. I think more critically about the world around me. I think more critically about the church and about the Bible. All of this has left me with a full picture of God, not a smaller one as I had feared. Jesus has gotten bigger for me, not smaller.
I've been thinking about this subject this week because of how much my thinking has changed on the issue of homosexuality. in alot of ways I have chosen to be an ally of my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters on campus, a decision that will follow me throughout my life. At least I hope it does. I've also thought about my growing liberalness in terms of my environmental ethics class. I had been fighting the idea of changing what I eat for environmental (and ethical) reasons. The sad thing is that everything I have been learning in that class was summed up in this months issue of Sojourners and all of a sudden it made a lot more sense.
Politically, I'm registered as an independent, though I've mostly voted democratic since I've been old enough to vote (the past five years). I've alwasy liked to think of myself as a moderate. I'm just not sure if the world can afford to have moderates in it these days. Any time you stand up for anything, you get a label. Though by the Bay Area's standards I might be a moderate, when I move home, I most certainly will be considered a liberal. Possibly a flaming liberal. I think that's a label I need to become more comfortable with. While part of me would love to stay middle of the road, I just don't think things get done that way.
So, I'm a liberal. If caring about the poor, the environment, living ethically, and having open theology means I'm a liberal than so be it. (sigh)
Time to go plug in my electric car...
The thing is I can't fight what I'm being exposed to here because for the most part I agree with it. If nothing else I have become a better thinker here at SFTS. I think more critically about the world around me. I think more critically about the church and about the Bible. All of this has left me with a full picture of God, not a smaller one as I had feared. Jesus has gotten bigger for me, not smaller.
I've been thinking about this subject this week because of how much my thinking has changed on the issue of homosexuality. in alot of ways I have chosen to be an ally of my gay and lesbian brothers and sisters on campus, a decision that will follow me throughout my life. At least I hope it does. I've also thought about my growing liberalness in terms of my environmental ethics class. I had been fighting the idea of changing what I eat for environmental (and ethical) reasons. The sad thing is that everything I have been learning in that class was summed up in this months issue of Sojourners and all of a sudden it made a lot more sense.
Politically, I'm registered as an independent, though I've mostly voted democratic since I've been old enough to vote (the past five years). I've alwasy liked to think of myself as a moderate. I'm just not sure if the world can afford to have moderates in it these days. Any time you stand up for anything, you get a label. Though by the Bay Area's standards I might be a moderate, when I move home, I most certainly will be considered a liberal. Possibly a flaming liberal. I think that's a label I need to become more comfortable with. While part of me would love to stay middle of the road, I just don't think things get done that way.
So, I'm a liberal. If caring about the poor, the environment, living ethically, and having open theology means I'm a liberal than so be it. (sigh)
Time to go plug in my electric car...
You realize this means your destined to move to Oregon? :D
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:24 PM
It's okay . . . now you also have to watch The Daily Show to see how messed up the liberals are as well . . . welcome to the club!
Posted by
Reyes-Chow |
8:44 PM
Wende, let's hold off on the moving to Oregon talk for now. I still haven't figured out how to grow my own weed and I hear that's essential up there.
Bruce, while the Daily Show clues me in to how screwed up liberals can be as well, the Colbert Report helps me to stay truly fair and balanced. I do love truthiness!
Posted by
dlweston |
1:18 AM
you know, i really wish that "open minded" didn't necessarily mean "liberal." is it really so impossible to be an open minded conservative? i argue no. look at jack rogers. ok, so i only know one. maybe that's not so great of a track record. well, harold is becoming open minded and in no way a liberal. it's possible then.
Posted by
Kathryn Craven |
12:45 AM
I got in a lot of trouble for aligning muself on the "side" of the LGBT society at college even though I was very active in the college chaplaincy. I got hate mail and everything, which belied their insistence that the Christian Union were open to all. I was told I had "no right to call myself a Chrisyian" and was made very unwelcome. Fortunately the actual college chaplaincy was very welcoming.
I still don't see how such an attitude, which upsets people and drives them away from the church, can possibly be a good thing. You (as in the people who wrote me those letters) aren't showing people Christian love, aren't acting in a spirit of grace, and aren't even helping people "change their ways". All you're doing is isolating people. Grr!!
[rant over. like the blog.]
Posted by
RLS |
8:39 AM
you should have gone to my college, px. the largest organization on campus was the queer union and now the associate chaplain is a lesbian (and a presbyterian which isn't technically allowed yet - yay!)
your friend's use of crisyian or whatever reminds me of when we were tabling for the MacProtestants (school was named macalester) one year. some lovely soul came up and asked us what we protested. i told him the catholic church 500 years ago. ha.
Posted by
Kathryn Craven |
8:18 PM