This End Down

Recently I’ve become very aware of some factors influencing the representation of Black characters in American TV & Film. Since I moved to Florida, got involved with InterVarsity, and made some incredibly gracious Black friends who’ve worked with me to help me understand how much different much of their experience has been from mine, I’ve become much more aware of the racialization of the world around me. But I don’t watch a lot of TV or movies, so that’s one arena in which I’ve stayed blissfully unaware… until recently.

Pause for a moment. Racialization is not the same as racism. I first read the term in Divided by Faith, an incredible book that gave me so much understanding and wisdom and research and fact (to add to the personal testimony I’d gained) about the race situation in America and in the church. Racialization as I read it is not the same as racism; racism is a knowing dislike of and unfair negative approximation of a person’s worth because of their skin color, ethnicity, etc. (which in our world fall under the social construct “race.”) However, many people have told me that white people who don’t get super-involved with race issues, etc. are racist. I always clashed with that. Instead, Divided by Faith presents the concept of a racialized society–one that has distinct lines drawn along the boundaries of race. More black men in prison, segregated churches, different health rates and hiring rates and educational quality, etc. So, you can exist in your happy white world, unaware of what’s going on with people of ethnic minorities, and you can think great things about them–you’re not a racist. Yet if you aren’t actively learning about and doing things to end racialization, you’re still allowing a racialized society to persist–which isn’t any a lot better.

Back to the original point: I’ve been making some comments recently on Twitter about Black characters on TV. Essentially, I like to watch TV while I design web sites–it distracts me just enough to keep from getting bored, but it’s not stimulating enough to slow down my work. I’ve been watching a lot of normal shows recently–not advanced, award-winning shows that are on the forefront of social commentary, but plain old normal shows–and I’ve noticed a trend across all of them: Black people are accessories.

It’s sad. It’s a terrible thing to admit. And, growing up, I would’ve told the person saying what I’m saying now to stop whining. But there’s something to this. In these shows I’ve been watching, the Black characters fall into a few simple categories:

• The mean girl’s follower best friend
• The drug dealer
• The young kid from the projects who’s trying to make his way out playing basketball
• The “mammy”, the homely, simple, sweet but a little sassy mother/neighbor/grandmother/landlady
• The voodoo mystic (usually African, Haitian, or from New Orleans)

There are certainly others, but I can’t tell you the last time I saw a consistent Black character with depth that didn’t fall into some strong stereotype. Smallville had Petey, but he disappeared right quick. I know there have been others–everyone can name a show with a Black president or a Black best friend. But in general, I’ve been more and more disappointed the more I see.

Obviously, this is excepting movies and TV intended for Black audiences. From what I can gather, I once would’ve been able to point to BET, but now it seems to be shirking its original intention of giving Black Americans A) real roles for the actors/characters and B) programming that meets them where they are.

Anyway, that’s where I’ve been coming from. I find that I’ve been mentioning this a lot recently, and I decided it was time to really write something about it and see if people wanted to say anything about this, teach me more, learn from what I’ve learned, or whatever else.

*Edit*: If you’re interested in learning more about these topics, two of the best sites (in my opinion) are UrbanFaith and Racialicious. UrbanFaith looks at national issues from a Black Christian context; Racialicious is devoted to all things racially motivated/striated. One note: Racialicious contributors are very comfortable with sex and some language that might make some people uncomfortable, so visit if you can handle it.

If you’re interested, first watch the video, and then read Tereva’s response she e-mailed them.

Whoopi, Sherri, and Hasselback on The N Word

As an African American woman, I would like to thank Elisabeth Hasselbeck for her empathy and concern for not only the Black community, but for the unification of humanity. As Whoopi stated in the controversial episode discussing the ‘N’ word, we do not live in the same worlds. There are prejudices that I will undoubtedly undergo because of my race, but, are we not called to correct the past wrongs of our history? I believe that Elisabeth’s yearning is for us to mend the bridges that our past has attempted to destroy, and the ‘N’ word has caused nothing but emotional strife and suffering.

I hope that the View’s audience did not walk away thinking that Whoopi and Sherri’s perspectives are accurate representations of African American thoughts and attachments to the word. How can we embrace something that has such negative connotations? By continuing to embrace the ‘N’ word, we are furthering the wedge of segregation and racism, by stating that it is ‘ok’ to make allowances for some people’s use of the word and not for others. We are also stating that is ‘ok’ for us to perpetuate self hatred, but it is not ok for others to hate us because of our skin. Can we get any more hypocritical and ignorant?

Is this the kind of world that we want our children to inherit?  A world where they are to continue living lives separate from their peers, mates, co-workers, friends, family, because they follow an unspoken rule of conduct? It’s absurd. You can NOT strip shame away from a word that has been used for hundreds of years. It is inextricable at this point. Whoopi, Sherri, listen to your female counterparts. The color of their skin does not strip them of their credibility, nor their wisdom, and desire to rectify situations that hurt our communities and world.

I’d love to do a huge amount of Biblical and etymological research into this concept, but I’m at work and need to keep working. But here’s my frustration (and yes, this is in response to the whole Lakeland Outpouring ordeal.)

We aren’t supposed to judge people. Judge not lest you be judged, Plank in your eye, and all that. People who God have used mightily in the past have ranged from those who occasionally disobey God to people who are seriously messed up–David, Samson, Solomon, Martin Luther King Jr., and plenty of other people. If you read anything about the lives of “revival” preachers and honestly about other people God have used in the past, they’re all messed up people. The gifts of the Spirit–big, powerful, crazy things–are not necessarily accompanied by the fruits of the Spirit in individual leaders. Why? Because God uses messed up people to work his will. If he didn’t, whom would he have to use? I’m constantly arguing this, and I’m constantly a proponent of seeking the good in what God’s doing, not the bad in how people are messed up.

However, we are called to be wise. We are called to discern between good and evil spirits. We are called to not be misled by false prophets. We are told there will be false prophets among us, wolves among the flock. We have a responsibility to see that the people of God are being led well, and that they are not being misled–especially away from God and/or toward oppression or bondage. And if we are wise, we will be aware of the potential for bad teaching, bad leadership, and things that don’t lead toward God.

Therefore, we have two primary responsibilities, whether or not we’re responding to a situation like this: to seek God, and to help others seek God. If the Lakeland Outpouring is a big revival that’s sparked, led, and inspired by God, then our response is to participate in any way we can and to encourage others to do the same. But if there are spirits or leaders who don’t point toward God, we cannot in good conscience sit back and say “Well, God will deal with them.” How do you think God will deal with people who oppress his people? By judging them on judgment day? Yes; however, God calls us now to draw people out of bondage and oppression and fear and the world, and if we see people in the name of God leading people away from God then we need to be the first there to stop it.

Am I saying that the Lakeland Outpouring is not God? No. I never have. My first response to it was positive; I started with the assumption that it was a legitimate move of God led by legitimate seekers of God. It’s only been through my attempts to discern wisely and Biblically and lovingly that I’ve come to see a lot of very worrying things about the man who stands in front of the pulpit throughout the entire meetings, the man who directs the movement of the meetings and controls the microphone. So am I saying its leaders are imperfect? Absolutely. But that’s a given.

God is moving in Lakeland. People are seeking God in Lakeland. Real healings (seem to be) happening in Lakeland. These things are very good. Todd Bentley is leading poorly in Lakeland (not just his past–he’s doing it now.) Some people are faking things in Lakeland. Lakeland itself seems, from friends I’ve spoken to in Lakeland, to not be affected at all by a “revival” in its midst. These things are very bad. Therefore, we need to respond wisely.

I don’t have a point. I don’t have an agenda. I don’t even have a solution for these things I’m writing. I’m just trying to figure out what my response should be. I’m not for or against the Lakeland Outpouring. I’m for people seeking God, and I’m against people being misled. I’m for the Kingdom of God coming into our world, and I’m against Christian bubbles and sensationalist church meetings that have no impact on the world around them.

Finally, a somewhat related note on the word “revival”: I put it in quotes because it’s a hugely dangerous word, one whose misuse has convinced far too many people that a true revival looks like a bunch of people in a big Christian orgy seeking God together. I’m sorry, but something that doesn’t bring about the Kingdom of God isn’t a revival. Therefore, if a revival is breaking out somewhere, I think (my personal opinion–correct me if I’m wrong, this isn’t hugely researched and I’m not a scholar in the history of revivals) that the surrounding areas should be affected. If revival breaks out in Lakeland, then the city of Lakeland should be transformed. People should see God’s glory and want to repent and then follow and glorify him. (Berry tells me that many historically significant revivals have been characterized by individuals repenting and then receiving the work of the Spirit in their lives; he characterizes revivals by three things: Repentance, Faith, and then Mission). Sinners repent, sick healed, poor restored, widows and orphans and the oppressed and aliens freed and loved. Is that happening now? No, no, and more no. Might it happen? Please, Jesus, work mightily in the hearts of those people who are desperately seeking you and move them to make a difference in that city and in their home cities. Yes, it might, and I pray that it will.

Since the days of the early church, history has led us to an unfortunate understanding of the word minister as a professional, seminary-educated leader. This leads the rest of us to think that ministry is an extra, a volunteer aspect of our lives. Kingdom resources are often wasted because those who do not do official “ministry” simply pour all of their skills and talents into self-growth, success or making money. More Christians should see themselves as ministers first in whatever job they do and seek to maximize their effectiveness as kingdom workers, regardless of position or title. [...]

If we believe that God is everywhere, there is no such thing as a secular job. We should never think of our work as being separate from our lives of faith. Any job, as long as it is not in opposition to the laws of God, can be a matrix for our real, central call–to be fishers of men and women. Work should be an act of worship, a vehicle for purpose, creativity and joy rather than simply a utilitarian act in order to secure food, housing or education.

From Following Jesus Without Dishonoring Your Parents

At church this past Sunday, the pastor was preaching about money, and at the beginning he asked everyone to raise their hands if they liked money. A lot of us sheepishly did, acknowledging that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil and that we were probably about to be told that we shouldn’t; some people didn’t raise their hands, holding out that, because of their frugality, it was somehow an indication that they didn’t like money.

Well, not my mother. She was quite comfortable with her hand up in the air, and she looked at me and laughed. “I like money!” She then proceeded to show and tell me over the span of the weekend that the reason she likes money is not for driving fancy cars, or wearing fancy new clothing, or for fancy jewelry, or for financial stability and security, but because she likes giving it away. Yes, that’s right. She told us about keeping $1 bills in her purse and the joy of handing them out to people who needed them (or just who were asking). She showed joy in being able to take care of me, often telling me that she was sad that I didn’t live at home because she could never buy me groceries or anything the way she can her other chilluns.

I don’t know why, but the joy she got from giving made a profound impact on me, almost more than any sermon on stewardship could. I just thought you might appreciate it as well. That’s all.

(She pointed out when I asked her about this post that Johannes is generous… and Abbie… and Ricke… and plenty of people I know… which is true. This is just a story about me loving my mom. )

Over the last few years I’ve gotten two prescriptions for what to do when you’re in a self-centered funk, and they’ve both proved to help marvelously. I want to share them with you.

Recently I was mentioning that night time often brings an introspective mood that often turns negative (because it’s late, and you’re alone, and Satan attacks when you’re alone, and often I’m sitting alone at my computer looking at photos or descriptions of awesome parties/adventures/missions other people’ve done). Erica said, “Yah, I know that. Go take a bike ride.” It’s great. Nature… Gainesville at night… Endorphins… Connecting to God… Seeing the beauty of my surroundings… Getting out of my stupid room and out from in front of my computer… Overkilling on the ellipses… You get what I’m saying. Take a bike ride.

Also, a few years ago I was in a significant spiritual funk and couldn’t figure out how to get out of it. I had been trying to connect to God and trying to pray about it, but nothing was working. Berry asked me, “Well, when was the last time you were on the ‘front lines’ for God?” He elaborated to let me know he wanted to hear the last time I put myself out there to help someone else; he wanted to know the last time my discomfort, concern, and prayers were for another person instead of for myself. I couldn’t think of the last time I had focused so much attention on someone else; rather, I had spent the entire time focusing entirely on myself. And that’s what it took. I think that’s an essential part of the Kingdom of God, and why we’re not supposed to defend ourselves, but we can defend others; why prayer for others always seems more effective than prayer for ourselves. God wants us to be interdependent and to focus on each other.

That’s it. Enjoy.