[Wondergirl]

In this morning's newspaper (selected paragraphs for brevity):

Most of us live at the intersection of so many different boundaries — geographical, sexual, political, linguistic, racial. These intersecting identities offer us the opportunity to connect with each other on many different levels. Diversity forces us to move out of our comfort zone. The more you interact across different cultural platforms, disabilities, and social and sexual groups, the more you are forced to see things differently.

We must see people beyond labels; otherwise, we fall prey to what Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie calls the “danger of a single story.”

Edouard Glissant, a writer from Martinique, said: “Thought of the other is sterile without the other of the Thought.” In other words, merely accepting that differences exist is not enough to generate deep change in our thinking. He calls for “aesthetics of turbulence,” which breaks assumptions and forces people to think differently, where each is changed and changes the other. The process is not easy, but through the process of adjustment and readjustment, we create a new hybrid culture.

Perspective taking, or looking at the world through the eyes of another person, and advocating for others are a few of the important tools to we can use to step up for each other.

Accepting and embracing diversity means paying attention to the lone voice that disagrees with the rest. As the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

[jlisenbe]

So Athos and you will now be embracing white evangelicals and the MAGA groups in the cause of diversity?

I used to ask the pro-abortion "escorts" at the abortion clinic (Now closed, thank God!) if they would allow us to speak to the ladies entering the facility in the cause of allowing diverse opinions to be heard. They were not open to the idea. It seems that diversity is generally only called for when it involves conservative views being questioned.

[Wondergirl]

So Athos and you will now be embracing white evangelicals and the MAGA groups?

I'm a registered Republican and a member of an evangelical Protestant denomination.

How will you accept and embrace diversity?

[jlisenbe]

You haven't attended that church, according to your past statements, in twenty five or so years because you didn't like what they were preaching, and I'm pretty sure you haven't voted republican in the last thirty or forty years, so I kind of think you are much less than serious in your commitment to "diversity".

In my case, I worked in minority schools for about half of my career in education, was administrator of the year at one of them, and participated in that school achieving the highest academic level in the state. I also attended and worked on staff at the first multi-racial church in our city for twenty five years. How's that for participating in diversity???

But to be clear, I'm all for calm, rational discussions between differing groups. That seems to occur but rarely.

[Wondergirl]

You haven't attended that church, according to your past statements, in twenty five or so years because you didn't like what they were preaching

I haven't attended since 2005 because I'm in a wheelchair now and homebound. I was getting visits from the previous pastor until covid changed life as we know it. The current pastor was one of my students, and he is busy searching for normalcy. I also stay in touch with my home church in western NY.

I'm pretty sure you haven't voted republican in the last thirty or forty years, so I kind of think you are much less than serious in your commitment to "diversity".

I voted for people in both parties in the midterms. I researched each candidate as to strengths and weaknesses, and voted for the person, not the party.

In my case, I worked in minority schools for about half of my career in education, was administrator of the year at one of them, and participated in that school achieving the highest academic level in the state. I also attended and worked on staff at the first multi-racial church in our city for twenty five years. How's that for participating in diversity???

Didn't help a bit apparently.

But to be clear, I'm all for calm, rational discussions between differing groups. That seems to occur but rarely.

It works in my neck of the woods.

[jlisenbe]

Might want to check out the link below, and then rethink this answer. "I haven't attended since 2005 because I'm in a wheelchair now and homebound. I was getting visits from the previous pastor until covid changed life as we know it. The current pastor was one of my students, and he is busy searching for normalcy. I also stay in touch with my home church in western NY."

The manefestation of a bigger problem - Page 17 (askmehelpdesk.com)

"The declining membership is because it's too literal and conservative, stuck in its ways, and outdated in its approach to younger people. For those reasons and more, I long ago left it."

The search feature on this site is pretty good.

[Wondergirl]

I had left but returned (this congregation had originally been established with the help of my paternal great-grandfather, so I feel a connection) when a sane, open-minded pastor who wasn't divisive was called to serve.

[jlisenbe]

I feel a connection) when a sane, open-minded pastor who wasn't divisive was called to serve.

If you really believed in diversity, you would have stayed with the old pastor with whom you had differences. You didn't return until you got a pastor who agreed with you, and so uniformity triumphed over diversity. You could have followed the advice of your article.

He calls for “aesthetics of turbulence,” which breaks assumptions and forces people to think differently, where each is changed and changes the other. The process is not easy, but through the process of adjustment and readjustment, we create a new hybrid culture.

So much for the "aesthetics of turbulence".

[Wondergirl]

If you really believed in diversity, you would have stayed with the old pastor with whom you had differences. You didn't return until you got a pastor who agreed with you, and so uniformity triumphed over diversity. You could have followed the advice of your article.

The old pastor was divisive because he was querulous, crabby, quite boring, and should have retired. He wasn't doctrinially divisive.

Evangelism has to do with spreading the Gospel. It is too often done incorrectly.

[jlisenbe]

This is what you said two years ago.

too literal and conservative, stuck in its ways, and outdated in its approach to younger people.

Now you say it wasn't doctrinal. I don't believe that. You just don't value diversity. The ole "aesthetics of turbulence" only seems appealing when read in an article. Living it? Different story.

Don't feel bad. It's true for all of us. It's why I don't belong to a Catholic church or a Mormon church. They are too far off into the weeds.

[Wondergirl]

This is what you said two years ago. Now you say it wasn't doctrinal.

It was HIS doctrine, his version, when it came right down to it.

[Wondergirl]

To reiterate: Most of us live at the intersection of so many different boundaries — geographical, sexual, political, linguistic, racial. These intersecting identities offer us the opportunity to connect with each other on many different levels. Diversity forces us to move out of our comfort zone. The more you interact across different cultural platforms, disabilities, and social and sexual groups, the more you are forced to see things differently.

[jlisenbe]

Perhaps your old pastor, that you refused to practice diversification with, was preaching from the Bible rather than using WG's ideas. This that you posted and claim, I suppose, to believe is exactly what you refused to do with your old pastor. In fact, you just got mad and left. Is that the diversity you claim to support???

Diversity forces us to move out of our comfort zone. The more you interact across different cultural platforms, disabilities, and social and sexual groups, the more you are forced to see things differently.

[Wondergirl]

Perhaps your old pastor, that you refused to practice diversification with, was preaching from the Bible rather than using WG's ideas. This that you posted and claim, I suppose, to believe is exactly what you refused to do with your old pastor. In fact, you just got mad and left. Is that the diversity you claim to support???

I had no idea what LGBTQ+ meant and neither did he.

Id love to know what you think are WG's ideas, and how are they unbiblical. But that's not the reason for this site.

[jlisenbe]

I had no idea what LGBTQ+ meant and neither did he.

Then why did you bring it up here?

[waltero]

We must see people beyond labels; otherwise, we fall prey to what Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie calls the “danger of a single story.”

I was just thinking about this. Seems now, more than ever, people are wanting to identify.

Where are the Christians and to whom do they identify with? Then we have the rest of the World. We have the "single (Bible) story" and then we have all the other books...consider yourself a book...there are no other books!
We either Identify with Jesus or we identify with everything that is not in Jesus.

Watching the two of you go on as you do, makes me wonder about you...It is not Biblical.

Teachers, Intellectuals who read the "single story" only read it with the desire to teach...you are teaching (through your actions, here) your own story, how you see it, and what you have learned...write a book, then you will not be in Danger of the "single story." Identify with your intellect...missing the Heart. Saving faith comes out of the Heart, not the mind.

[jlisenbe]

Walter, I gotta tell ya. Sometimes you don't make sense, and this is one of those times. There are no other books. Really? There are MILLIONS of other books.

[waltero]

Write a book, pick a book, and identify with it...any book.

If you choose the Bible, there is no need for any other book. Oh, but I need to read this one to give me a clearer picture of what it is I'm looking at. No! Look at Jesus. Keep your eyes on the Cross. You can not know life through somebody else's eyes.

It's like allowing Science to dictate your understanding of the Bible. "The Bible needs to line up with science" (right)...wrong!
I don't know how the early Christians did it, having no other books influencing them...there are no other books...you don't need them.

I'd rather have an "out of the Mouth of Babes" experience than read 57 books. You would know what I'm talking about if you have ever experienced one of those moments.

I have to wonder why the bunch of you go on as you do. He wore a brown robe - no it was red - no It says it was brown - know it said it was Red - no, I think it might have turned red because it had blood on it - no I'm pretty sure that was spilled wine...on and on it goes...Your intellectual minds are exasperating. Allegory, parable, literal. It is all parables, allagories...Let the Bible live to you (literally).

[jlisenbe]

OK. This is the SECOND one of those times. What in the world are you talking about?

[jlisenbe]

having no other books influencing them

The early church had books aside from the NT that they felt were profitable to read but not authoritative. The Shepherd of Hermas was one, but there were several others.

Walter, do you ever listen to sermons? Do you realize that listening to a sermon basically amounts to reading (listening to) words outside of the Bible?

You would know what I'm talking about if you have ever experienced one of those moments.

I've had that experience many times so, for this case at least, I do know what you are talking about. I've also experienced that while listening to preaching or while reading Christian books. I suspect you have as well. The Holy Spirit speaks in many ways. Don't believe that? How do you explain the call to Ananias to go and baptize Paul? He didn't read that in the Bible. How about preachers being called to preach? Their individual call was also not in the Bible.

I think you are imagining a problem here that actually does not exist. The Bible stands completely in a class of it's own. All other books, sermons, articles, etc. are subject to it competely.