reyes-chow :: FAITH

How to tell people they sounds racist

Yes, I am in Asia and should probably be blogging about that, but I ran across this vlog by http://www.illdoctrine.com/ and well, you'll see. Well worth the 3:00 of your time.

Musings on race in a post-race America

[image: chrisjfry]

While I have posted more specifically about race and church in Does Race Matters When Pastoring?, lately more general thoughts on race have been swirling around my head. It there have been many alerts as of late that have passed across "my desk" addressing issues of race in the church, politics and culture. Now with the election of Barack Obama this week, the shifts in the demographics of the electorate and the historic nature of an African American person being elected, race has once again taken center stage in American politics . . . at least for a night.

First a personal note . . .

When the announcement, "Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States of America" rang out, I wept, I cheered, I prayed.  Our world has changed.  OUR children's view of what is "American" will never be the same.  And not just here, but around the world.  While he is clearly not just a person of racial designation, we must not, for one moment, underestimate the symbolic nature and corresponding power of having a person of color as president.  The memories of what my grandparents went through as they struggled through injustice in this country came flooding back and a wave of gratitude swept over my spirit. From the days when my Filipino grandmother in Alabama struggled with where to sit on the bus because no one knew if she was white or black to anti-miscegenation laws repealed just decades ago that would have prohibited my White wife from marrying this Filipino man, at least a few layers of historical injustice were pealed back to reveal a reality of pure joy.  As the results were was announced I felt, if not just for a moment, a promise was fulfilled.

At some level I still cannot allow myself to REALLY believe it.

But in honor of those White, Black and Brown folks who have fought the good fight and have lived up to God's intentions for humanity, thank you.  Your sacrifices, struggles and perseverance were not and will not be in vain.

But . . . and isn't there always a "but" especially when it comes to change that seems too good to be true?  Unfortunately in this case, yes.

As we revel in the magnitude of the election, let us not be so naive as to think that we have somehow become "post-race" as a culture and world.  We still have a long way to go as a world and society before we can, at any level, claim we have "solved" racism.  Now please don't get me wrong, I am trying mightily not to give into the confining cynicism of the world.  I am only trying to be wise as I try to hold onto the compelling nature of my faith, the hope and new life that Christ offers.

I think the biggest issue/concern I have right now is the idea that this generation is somehow so past race that we no longer need institutional safeguards against systematic and institutional injustice.  I strongly believe that we would be foolish to begin to toss out the proverbial baby with proverbial bath water and now claim that we have succeeded in the defeat of racism simply because we have elected an African American president and/or all the generational assessments about race that has punctuated the political discourse.

But let me start on a positive note.  I will not only acknowledge but I wholeheartedly embrace the intent of my statement above because this idea is not totally off.   The glimpses of truth for me lie in a few observations about our this burgeoning culture that would say, yes, lets dramatically change the way we deal with issues of race.

Technology and the Flattening World - With the growing ways that we simply engage today, there is no doubt that interactions between different ethnic groups creates a greater understanding of and exposure to different cultures thus breaking down fears and misconceptions.  This can only be good.

Open Source Technology - Open Source, the idea behind Wikipedia says that over time, we will collectively determine the truth and that the community will correct and police itself along the way. I very much agree with this and see it happening all around within certain groups as we move towards some collective truth.  This is goes beyond methodology, but an understood way of being in a healthy and thriving community.

Numbers - The sheer population percentages are a changing.  Combine this reality with the ease of interactions that technology brings and all of a sudden we are all living in multi-cultural America at some point every day.  Whether or not we as individuals can actually deal with the increased pressure of cross-race interactions, they will only continue to increase.

And here is the, "yes, but" section of this post.  In a vacuum and a confined demographic we may indeed be pretty darn close to not just getting beyond race, but downright embracing the joyful complexity of race.  But we do not live in a vacuum . . . so here are my rebuttal statements . . . to myself?

There is no such thing as a cultural blank slate - Not everyone is playing the same game and has the same historical worldview as those who are redefining our cultural experience of race.  In fact, I fear that the idea that "the next generation is over race" will be used as a tool to justify ongoing or prolonged situations of institutional racism.  Sure, if the system is made of up people with this worldview about race, maybe there is some merit, but that is just NOT the case.  For the most part our cultural, religious and political institutions are still made up of and lead by those for whom institutional safeguards were originally intended to monitor and protect.

Corporate sin is real - As much as I believe in Open Source culture, I am not willing to give up my belief in the ability for a body of well-intentioned people to unintentionally oppress those with less power or who live on the margins of society.  While I believe that God has great intentions for us and that we will most often choose a path of grace, I think evil and human brokenness are just too strong to simply think we can or will be able to ever fully be corporately self-regulating.

We are solely defined by race - Not that we were ever REALLY able to be defined by one thing, I think it is safe to say that issues of class, economics, gender, sexual orientation, geography, age, etc. now muddy up the pursuit of racial reconciliation.  Now that there is simply a greater number of ethnic groups located in a growing complexity of lifestyles and situations one's race is no longer the sole determining factor of one's reality in the world.  While we may indeed be getting closer on issues of race, to lay upon that one descriptor, the determination of the presence or absence of institutional injustice is far too simplistic.

Okay so now what?  Oh that's simple ;-)

1. Admit that issue of race today is far more complex than, "this generation is post-race so let's get rid of all civil rights inspired mechanisms of protection."
2. Admit that while we are experiencing race differently today, institutional racism still exists, albeit in different and more nuanced ways.
3. Admit that some of the structures that have been built up over the years in order to protect may have outlived their time of effectiveness.
4. Embrace the opportunity and challenge to talk about and deal with issues of race in new ways, with new vernacular and new institutional approaches.
5. Listen to the next generation telling us that there is indeed a new day.
6. Live in hope.

See wasn't that easy ;-)

Lastly, I end with one a clip that I have commented on before, but is easily one of the greatest speeches I have ever heard and one that makes me believe that our nation is ready to approach issues of race differently.  This was then candidate Barack Obama's speech on race given in the midst of the controversy about his relationship with Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright.

If you plan on leaving nasty, racist and profanity-laced comments . . .

["Scream" image: Dean Terry]

I have been thinking a great deal about race as of late.  Language about being "post-race" in the church and society these days has really been bubbling up some thoughts for me.  I WAS going to finish off a post about the current state of race in the church and society in light of the Obama election, but then this AM was greeted with really nasty comments left on my various blogs.  I hesitate to lift it up, but as I began thinking more about the subtleties of race today, these comments just kept coming to mind so I figured, meh, I would blog a bit to vent and share some of my inside voice.

I will not take the time to share the specifics of the comments - and they have been removed and sender blocked -, but they were clearly directed specifically at me as an Asian American, a Christian, a pastor and the Moderator of the PC(USA).  Now I realize that this somewhat comes with the territory and these comments are in no way representative of most folks, but it did give me a moment of pause to think that this person's voice and intentionality to know who I am and what I do is certainly indicative of some part of our cultural and national psyche around issues of race, religion and culture.

Sad really.  But yet one more shock back into reality.

Again, I am going to reflect more fully - and thoughtfully - on race in a future post this week, but for this I just want to leave some advice to those who may choose in the future to leave such comments and expect that they will be left for others to read.  You can always read my Comment/s Guidelines, but in case that is too much of an effort, here are some tips*.

1. If you are going to use profanity, at least be creative about it.  Using the eff word as an adjective is the easy way out.  It takes a stealth like wit to weave together expletives in a way that elicits respect and awe.  I have many a friends who can do it without a second thought if you want references.
2. My children and family read this blog, so please be sure to note on your comments if you would mind me coming into your home and damning you to an eternal life of fire and hell . . . which seems like overkill.  Plus you certainly don't want to get on the wrong side of Momma Bear.  It is not pretty when you do.
3. And finally, if you choose to use derogatory words for me or my ethnic background, the effect is lost when you get my ethnicity wrong.  If you can't tell, just play is safe and just pick on "Orientals" as a whole ;-)  For future reference, I am Filipino, Chinese and whole lot of coffee.

Okay . . . so I know this might not be the most pastoral way to respond, but I do think that often times we laugh in order that we do not cry.

* Just in case my oh-so-nuanced snarkiness masked it, let me be very clear and say that no comments will be tolerated that I feel are not offered in good faith and left in order to build up the great community.  Disagreement welcomed, hate need not apply.  My blog, my rules.

** Just because I thought this was priceless.  [h/t: abbykk]

Bill Moyers' interview of Jeremiah Wright

If you have not seen this interview it is REALLY good.  Moyers is kind of goofy at times, but Jeremiah is solid solid solid solid.  You can see all the of clips over on the PBS Site, but here is a taste from youtube.

Asian Week begins monthly column on Asian American religion and spirituality

UPDATES 04.20.08 - Column posted on Asian Week's Site.

Asian Week, self proclaimed "Voice of Asian America" has got some schmuck to write about religion and spirituality in the Asian American community.  The first column, as part of the "Beyond Borders" series by your truly was published in the April 18th edition.  Is has not made it onto their website yet, but I think things will get smoother as the series develops.  Beyond Borders will tackle some non-traditional topics in the Asian American Community: homosexuality, religion, youth and Black-Asian issues.  Asian Week is located free around the city.

My first column was basically asking folks to be open to the complexity of Asian American spirituality just we are with the Asian American experience as a whole.  Funny that it was edited down to not be as snarky as I usually am.  Oh well.

In any case I also asked folks to submit ideas for future columns and I would try to address them there or on the new Beyond Borders Blog, so if you have some ideas, feel free to leave them here.

Follow-up to Center on Asian American Ministry lunch

Much love and thanks to Virstan Choy for inviting me to be part of a series of lunches hosted by the Center for Asian American Ministry at McCormick Theological Semianry.  It was quite fun as talking with seminary students always is.  With enough Indian food to feed a small army, we settled in for some good discussion.  Thanks folks for hanging out a bit and talking about ministry and call.

I was basically asked to reflect on the my calling/experience of being a racial ethic person that has pastored churches that are not traditionally racial ethnic in it's roots, self-awareness or reality.

Here is a little recap along with some parts that we just never quite got to.

Questions to ponder as you approach the possibilities of pastoring a congregation that is of a different racial ethnic reality:

Who are you? // Claim and be comfortable in your own skin and context: ethnicity, gender, theology, class, etc. AND be able to articulate that reality to those around you in ways that are real.

Who are they? // If not, racial ethnic, know what the homogenizing culture is of the community AND have a nuanced understanding of the positive and negative realities of the common culture.

Who are we? // Understand the  complex implications, obstacles and possibilities, that your particular cultural context brings to the community your serve.

Out of those questions, if you can't do this, well . . .

• Assume the best of people and move away from initial responses of suspicion.
• Make no assumptions about people's experience with issues of cultural diversity and race.
• Articulate issues of race in ways that are best heard rather than using old-school vernacular and making over arching generalizations about people's experiences of race.
• While challenging issues of individual and institutional racism be able to humbly understand and have compassion for the experiences of the majority.

Resources

• Blog Post: Does Race Matter When Pastoring?
• Blog Post: Characteristics of a Postmodern Pastor
• Book on knowing your past: America Is in the Heart: A Personal History by Carlos Bulosan
• Book on generationsl shifts: Party Crashing: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence by Keli Goff.
• Book on the-post-something: A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McClaren
• Listen to a song that gets the racial debate: Everyone's a Little Bit Racist from the Broadway Musical Avenue Q.

Watch: Barack Obama's Historic Speech on Race.

MBCC Mii Jesus raising a ruckus.

Oh now we gone and done it!  Our 2008 "Come and Follow Mii" postcard has totally blowuptuated in the gaming world.  They laughed, the cried, they defended and they mocked.  And in the end I think it is pretty awesome that an small idea born at the end of a book group over bubble tea and laughter has created such a level of conversation.

Unlike many at MBCC, I am not a gamer, so these websites - and much of the vernacular used within them - is totally foreign to me.  Still the blend of thoughtfullness, passion, anger, judgment, humor and insight was fascinating.

Here are three sites w/comments worth taking a look at or you just need to google "follow mii" or "mii church" and you'll get a bunch of links.  [Ongoing List]

kotaku.com
gonintendo.com
digg.com

You really have to read the comments yourself, but here are a few highlights that show the breadth and depth of the reactions.

On the color of our Wii Jesus // omicron1

Also, on racial issues: Jesus' human body would have been similar in race to his Israeli parents - neither white nor black, per se, but a sort of deep tanned skin color - sort of like the Mii above. However, as we really don't have any photographs of Christ's Bar Mitzvah, it has fallen to various church elders to reconstruct Christ's visage in their own mind's eyes and transcribe it to statues and paintings - thus we have black Christs in Africa and white Christs in Europe. It really doesn't matter either way, to be honest.  

On MBBC's irreverace // Chibi Forte

Can you say “emergent”?  “Seeker sensitive”, perhaps?  And, obviously, “irreverent”?  Really, this whole idea of “Churches being relevant to the culture” is driving me nuts. Can’t we just stick to sermons that are preached exegetically and reverently and go from there?  I mean, I would begrudgingly let them pass muster in a few areas on their website (membership classes, membership not equaling true conversion, lack of clown communion, etc.), but the sheer irreverent attitude and the pathetic mission statement disgusts me, frankly.  I’ll keep listening to my John MacArthur and John Piper, thank you.

On the intent // OnLegendary86

It's not sacreligious dude. Jesus was a man who had fun and danced and drank wine. There is nothing wrong with some cool advertising that makes people look at Christians and think of church differently.

There are many observations to make from the comments, least of all the passionate and strong opinions that are shared about the church and Jesus.  There seems to be both a reverence and repulsion about the church as well as assumptions about what kind of community MBCC is.  Again, fascinating.

In the end, like our website, if it offends you at that level, MBCC might not be a place where you will be fed.  But . . . if you could take it for what it was, a playful attempt at wit and welcome, MBCC might be a place for you.

Again, fascinating.

the promise of our ideals . . .

I just listened to the speech on race delivered today by Barack Obama.  As I listened to his words, I could only think about Esther and her calling, for such a time as this.  The time, the person, the context, the words.  All seemed to come together today.  This speech was in all aspects, moving and will sit with me for quite a while.  I was particularly moved by his appreciation for the struggle, past and present when he talked of the movement towards a more just America.

And yet words on a parchment would not be enough to deliver slaves from bondage, or provide men and women of every color and creed their full rights and obligations as citizens of the United States. What would be needed were Americans in successive generations who were willing to do their part – through protests and struggle, on the streets and in the courts, through a civil war and civil disobedience and always at great risk - to narrow that gap between the promise of our ideals and the reality of their time.

The thing that moved me the most was that he was able to deal straight up with the complexities of race.  He captured the complexities of the realities of race, while speaking with a directness that, I suspect, will speak to people across the many lines of our society.   I have never heard a politician speak so much to my experience and understandings of such an overwhelming reality. 

You can read the entire transcript [here] or watch it in it's entirety [here].  It will be the best 37 minutes of your day.

[image: Alex Brandon/AP]

Too old for an ethnic identity crisis

If you have not heard of this new blog, Stuff White People Like, you might be living under a blog rock.  I have been seeing this blog being referenced all over the freaking place.  I figured, OK, let me go and see what the big deal is.  After all, I have 3 1/2 White people living in my house - well make the 3 5/8 of you count my 1/8 Spanish blood, but that's for another day - so I should know, right?

Oh no!!!!!!

I may just be White.

Or at least we are now defining all upper-middle-class educated urban hipsters as White.

This is freaking funny!

And true.

Welcome to MBCC.

Jokes people, jokes ;-)

10 Minutes to remember dreams unmet and dreams realized

This morning, our family listed to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech delivered in Washington DC on August 28, 1963.  After listening to this again, it reminds of how far things have come, but how far we still have to go.