Christianity and Cruelty
A Twoness, never acceptable
June 15, 2019
WEB Du Bois wrote: “One ever feels his twoness--an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.”
Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois
We are all often of two minds: glad we got the new job, worried we are not as ready as we asserted during the interview. We may remember bringing home a new baby thrilled to be parents, but now faced with the reality. We are left wondering what have we done? Some of us have experienced being the outsider, whether the new kid in school or simply not from the same place and status as the in crowd. Dr. Du Bois expresses the condition of permanent twoness. An African-American is fully American, but not fully accepted as equal in the society or culture. African-Americans therefore experience a lifetime of twoness.
Those of us who try to claim Christianity also experience twoness. We all try to carry the Spiritual experience of worship into daily life. We seek to be like Jesus in our lives, not simply profess Jesus in our words. We also feel inadequate at achieving being Christ to the world. This natural twoness of being less perfect than the perfect we desire is not my point. A life story of our minister today caused me to reflect on what a proclaimed Christian cannot find acceptable.
He had started kindergarten, but an illness kept him out of school most of the year. His parents decided to enroll him in a Christian school the next year. All students were in the choir and participated in the music program. The choir was to have a party after the concert. The teacher pulled him out and made him sit alone. He was left in a room by himself not allowed to be a part of the party. His parents had not been able to attend the concert, and this was his punishment. This seems cruel, unwarranted, and un Christian. A life lesson taught in a Christian school.
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
What is often promoted as Christian is nothing of Jesus, nothing of being a Spiritual follower. Maybe the teacher was a rigid enforcer of rules. Maybe the teacher held a grudge against this student. Still whatever the circumstance a fully Spiritual Christian cannot be cruel. An empathy, a natural compulsion to love someone else is essential. Every follower seeks to help others experience and live a life of love in the world. This is the only method of discipleship. Being in connection is to bring compassion. Love is synonymous with Christian. Cruelty is not love.
If we look honestly at Christians in history, we are often cruel. This manner of claimed Christianity is not a simple twoness. It is not a life of sometimes not being loving. Jesus cursed a fig tree rather inexplicably, maybe simply a moment of frustration, maybe an object lesson, who knows? No, this Christian cruelty is much deeper an engrained twoness. It is claiming Jesus while leaving a fully Spiritual life abandoned outside the door. This is the cruelty of Christians at Salem burning and drowning witches. Christians condoning slavery as good for the slave. Christians converting nations at the point of the sword, Christian schools beating the Indian out of conquered Native Americans. It is also Christians spreading ridiculous lies because of their pro-life zealotry. Somehow many Christians, those most prominently identified as Christians in America, retain an engrained cruelty. They are loving when in connection with the like-minded, they offer compassion on terms they define. These passionate Christians give everything to God, but never come closer to being Jesus manifest in this world. Their actions define cruelty. They are compassionless to God-created souls. They spurn those who challenge their pre-conceptions or threaten their safe gated vision of America. Too many of us can only be love filled Spiritual followers of Jesus when in an emotional free flowing worship. The engrained twoness of our daily Christian lives cannot accept the messiness of reality. The challenge of walking an uncertain path clinging only to a faith in the Spirit of Jesus causes us to turn away.
Where the cries of the lost & hurting are drown out in praise & spectacle.
Christianity cannot be cruelty. ...
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This can be the sign of an oasis or a gated community
