Going out of the way to be uncomfortable (Smells Like Spirit column)
(Originally published in PULP)
Im a sucker for nearly any reality show in which participants undergo a radical transformation. I love the big payoff at the end of the Biggest Loser season; I watch American Idol like a tweenie fan; and Im man enough to admit Im a total sucker for a makeover.
Thats why, when Morgan Spurlock, creator and star of the documentary film Super Size Me, started a new TV series called 30 Days, I was hooked before I even saw the pilot.
The show follows the same sort of immersive, autobiographical documentary style as his film, placing people in situations unlike their typical environment for a month and watching how they respond, generally with some thread of social commentary at the core. In the first show, he and his girlfriend got minimum wage jobs and tried to live below the poverty line, with very sobering results.
But we pulled up on Netflix two more recent shows from the first season, both of which I think should be required viewing in all Christian churches. The first placed a traditional evangelical in Dearborn, Mich., to live with a Muslim family in a heavily Muslim neighborhood for 30 days. The second sent a good ol boy from the Nebraska farmland to live in the Castro district in San Francisco, commonly known as the gayest place on the planet.
In both cases, the men came in with strong preconceptions about or against the groups with which they were to cohabitate, judgments generally originating from the media, popular stereotypes in culture and of course, their churches. By the end, both men, though not divested of their original faith, were radically reoriented in the way they thought about people they thought they understood.
No, the farm boy didnt come home in leather chaps or with a suitcase full of sex toys, and the evangelical didnt toss out his Bible to make room for his Quran (but he did put them on the shelf next to each other). Both seemed to fear as much would happen, simply by opening themselves up to a different experience.
What the show demonstrates most importantly is twofold: Most of the most painful divisions between us as individuals and groups originate in fear, and direct personal relationship is bigger than that same fear in most cases.
So how do we go about allowing for such important transformation to take place out front in front of a camera? It seems that we have to go out of our way to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations. Not a natural inclination, and certainly not a popular angle for churches desperate to fill their pews and coffers with happy congregants, but if were seriously about the business of social healing and reconciliation, what other choice do we have?
Sure, lots of churches offer mission trips to help out in places unlike our home towns, but, often, those sorts of service projects where we feel we have something of value to bring to those were helping, and not the other way around are an inherent setup for an imbalance of power.
Also, the sort of change were talking about doesnt seem to take place in a weekend, or even in a weeklong trip. Its been said that it takes doing something 21 times in a new way before old habits are broken. So maybe a minimum of three weeks is required.
Of course few, if any, of us has three weeks to give up in order to travel somewhere with the explicit goal of being changed. Its against our nature to seek unfamiliarity and to consciously look for things to challenge our worldview, let alone using every bit of vacation we have to do it. So yeah, Im a bit of an idealist, and theres potential in the idea.
Every community has its share of diversity, be it economic, cultural, sexual or otherwise. Part of the whole intent is not just to be more willing to seek out direct engagement with different types of people, but to do so in the spirit of openness, acknowledging that perhaps our views could actually benefit from being stretched a little.
Consider yourself a little homophobic? Sit in on a few Equality Alliance or PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) meetings, or grab a cold one at the Pirates Cove, Pueblos only openly gay bar (that I know of, anyway).
Consider yourself to be agnostic or atheist? Go to church for a few months, not to become un-atheist, but to learn more about the thing you supposedly dont believe in. Love your evangelical church? Check out a pagan festival or a Wiccan gathering, if theres one open to the public.
The key question is: What can it hurt? Worst case, your preconceptions and objections are confirmed. Best case, you learn something, and maybe so do the folks with whom you engage. And if youre really so worried about the potential change that may take place in yourself, maybe its worth wondering what the basis of your beliefs is in the first place.
After all, if a few encounters with the unfamiliar can bring your house of cards crashing down, it sounds like the raw material may not have had the soundest integrity to begin with.
So, Ive been working on this book about postmodern male identity for some time called BE A MAN, and Brandon, a colleague of mine, passed along the text of a recent Dockers ad campaign theyve labeled the Man-ifesto. Heres the ad content:
Once upon a time, men wore the pants, and wore them well. Women rarely had to open doors and little old ladies never crossed the street alone. Men took charge because thats what they did. But somewhere along the way, the world decided it no longer needed men. Disco by disco, latte by foamy non-fat latte, men were stripped of their khakis and left stranded on the road between boyhood and androgyny. But today, there are questions our genderless society has no answers for. The world sits idly by as cities crumble, children misbehave and those little old ladies remain on one side of the street. For the first time since bad guys, we need heroes. We need grown-ups. We need men to put down the plastic fork, step away from the salad bar and untie the world from the tracks of complacency. Its time to get your hands dirty. Its time to answer the call of manhood. Its time to wear the pants.
And heres a revised version/response from a blogger known as Heartless Doll, which I think kinda rules:
Once upon a time, men didnt have anyone questioning their shit. They wanted to be congratulated for opening doors and walking across streets. Men were in charge because they kept everyone else down. But somewhere along the way, women wised up and were like, these dudes are fucking assholes and wed like some freedom and autonomy now, please. Somehow, dance music and delicious coffee made it so that men couldnt wear the official pants of middle management, left stranded on the road between ageism and misogyny. But today, there are questions scholars, feminists and other people who speak truth to power would like some answers to. The world does not sit idly by as activists fight against the actual evils of the world while some pants company complains about coffee. For the first time since bad guys, we realized that the heroes were often the bad guys. We need grown-ups who dont whine about dance music. We need men to not be ushered into oppressive gender roles and to eat salad if they want to, and ladies, too. Its time for everyone to get their hands dirty. Its time to answer the call of gender equality. Its time to wear whatever the fuck you want.
Parts on and two of my three-episode chat with Brandon Gilvin, my co-creator and co-editor of the WTF? (Where’s the Faith?) young adult books series are now posted. Episode one is about the context of Young Adult culture in today’s culture and a bit about how in the hell we were ever given the opportunity to create a book series together.
The focus in the third episode is on the first book in the series, coming out in February, 2010 (Chalice Press) called Oh God, Oh God, OH GOD about faith, sex, sexuality and embodiment among young adults.
We also talk about the challenges, fun and risks involved in producing a potentially “controversial” series of books.
Check out both podcast episodes, as well as all archived podcasts, by searching “PIATT” on iTunes and other podcatchers, or BY CLICKING HERE.
Smells Like Spirit
By
(Originally published in PULP)
Ive been co-editing a new book series for Chalice Press, a Christian Publisher connected to my denomination, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Yes, thats really the denominations name, including the parentheses. Dont ask why.
Anyway, I recently traveled to
We Disciples seem to have a thing for parentheses.
Obviously, the title is provocative, which is purposeful. The series, created by young adults, primarily for young adults, is intended to speak to them where they are. This includes addressing a lot of things in a lot of ways that most folks in church have never been comfortable doing. So the relatively cheeky title does serve a purpose beyond unadulterated obnoxiousness; its supposed to break down barriers.
True to form the first book, due out early next year, is about faith and sexuality, and is called Oh God, Oh God, OH GOD! Trust me, youre not the only one whos a little bit amazed we even got that one past the editorial board, but kudos to them for having the barnacles to print it.
So youd think that anyone aware of the connotations of both the series title and the first book would have at least a basic idea of what they were in for coming to one of our workshops. But my partner in crime and co-editor,
The room got pretty quiet for a minute. Then, thank goodness, we really started talking, which was the whole point to begin with. It should be noted that he didnt just blurt out blowjob for no reason. He actually was making a point about some college girls who came to his counselor girlfriend some time back to ask her which was worse: kissing a boy or giving him a blowjob. This, they said, was a conundrum because kissing a boy is so intimate.
The point was made that there is more brushed under the rug in faith communities than is talked about with care, thoughtfulness and candor. A few people never lost the look of shock from their faces, but no one left. Maybe they just wanted to see what we would say next, but to their credit, they hung in there.
Afterward, I had several people come to me and thank me both for the books and the discussion. People confessed everything from personal struggles with pornography addiction, to eating disorders, and the level of honesty became nearly overwhelming.
It was clear that people have been dying to talk about these kinds of things with people they can trust, who wont judge them, but who will listen and respond with compassion and love. Though this was only a small step, its amazing to think that saying a word like blowjob in a faith-based workshop could be such a cathartic and healing experience.
As they say, God works in mysterious ways I guess even through a couple of heretics like us.
I traveled recently to Lees Summit, MO for an event where I was leading some workshops, speaking and such. On Sunday night, I got to close out the evening with a concert for a couple hundred very welcoming folks. It was probably the highlight of the weekend for me.
I love getting to share music and spoken word with people, and though some of the stuff I introduced may have been a new experience for many in attendance, they all seemed to have a good time.
Check out the podcast by searching my name on iTunes, playing it on the streaming audio player on my website (www.chrstianpiatt.com), or hit the link below to go directly to the podcast site.
http://christianpiatt.podbean.com/
All episodes of the podcast, including the concert, are free. Let me know what you think.
Peace,
Christian
Great news! Chalice Press has approved the first two titles for my proposed BANNED QUESTIONS book series.
The first two titles are:
BANNED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE
These are both due out in 2011, and I am currently working on the first book about the Bible.
I have a new Facebook Group where we can discuss these topics, generate ideas for upcoming titles, and where you can propose questions youd like to see in the books.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE BANNED QUESTIONS BOOK SERIES GROUP
I look forward to your input as this exciting new series takes shape.
Peace,
Christian Piatt
I posted part two of the Big Fat Jesus Head podcast series last night. you can catch it on iTunes and other podcatchers of course, or go right to it with this link:
http://christianpiatt.podbean.com/
Also, if you have not already signed up for my new free monthly E-Zine, Faith Portals, just go to www.christianpiatt.com and drop your email in the box at the top of the home page.
Christian
Ive recently released two CDs on CD Baby, iTunes, etc. One is my acoustic singer/songwriter stuff, and the other is a spoken word and jazz improv project, called Saint Trio. Though you can pull samples from CD Baby, iTunes and Amazon MP3, theyre only 30 seconds long, so I thought Id post a full track, since some folks may not be used to this kind of stuff.
The piece I selected is called Hair, which is a tribute to my ongoing, complex relationship by body hair. Its definitely my more humorous stuff, so dont expect the same goofiness on the whole album, but this seems to be the most popular piece when I perform it.