The Party of NO!

some thoughts from the good ol' unidactyl

with added commentary from a classmate who thought it was really funny... this is what you get when you're bored in class, do drawings, and then leave said notebook open to said drawing during break. ;-)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Costumes for 2008:
Ann the Bat as Spiderman in Dark suit
Platz the Raptor as Barney
Linear Dog as Spike from Peanuts
Bottles as a Panda
Leviathan as a 1950s billboard
Unidactyl as a Unitops
Fundiebot as condemnatory

Check out UNIDACTYL on it's own site! I will be posting the comics over there sans commentary PLUS there will be some comics there that I won't post over here... like the COEXIST story line. So if you enjoy my crappy cartoons, please bookmark or subscribe to that blog and let me know what you think!! RAWK!

Privileged?

I've been reading Stuff White People Like for a few months now. The chair of the committe on diversity here at LTS recently got wind of it and asked what we thought about it... here is my response as well as a fellow collegue.

Some parts of SWPL i find really funny, others i find really insulting. i think it's useful despite that it furthers a privileged POV and it really isn't original as Jerry Sienfeld and Chris Rock have been pointing these things that white people do and like at a deeper, funnier and thought-provoking level.

after talking with a collegue about white priviledge at length she told me "i react to you because of what you symbolize to me, not how you act. your actions are very supportive of not only the LGBT community but in all communities in general." i responded "and what do we call reacting to people because of what they symbolize to us? it usually ends with an -ism attached to it."

priviledge is a double-edge sword and i think it's a very useful tool but is too easily wielded the other way and it shuts down a conversation before one can really develop. i think SWPL helps get past the intial boundaries through humor and stereotyping the priviledged.

but how useful is SWPL? Our own PA Dutch Asian (her description) Courtney Harvey, head of Leadership NOW and is pretty much the smartest person I know, had this critique of it:

Whiteness which everyone may not participate in fully but very rarely challenge.This is the important question I ask- Do you think it is better for the SWPL to exist or not? Yes, SWPL is flawed and may support Whiteness rather than deconstructing privilege and power. However, I think the very act of looking at a culture of Whiteness challenges the idea that there isn't one and that the "neutral setting" most White people take for granted has been created by upwardly mobile White people.

If I am completely honest this is the material culture I participate in. Furthermore, I don't think about privilege or power every time I get coffee, send an email on my mac or quote Colbert. I want to be reasonably critical without being completely hypocritical.

Does it do more good to participate in a White material culture without defining it
in the public sphere - to be quiet about the share of whiteness I have
bought into - or is it better to put it out there to be discussed,
critiqued and challenged. I opt for the 2nd choice.

i've found SWPL a useful conversation starter to get into the true issues. sometimes it's better to start in the shallow end of the pool and wade to the deep as some people panic when you jump right into the deep end.

what do y'all think?

Linear Dog Meets a Fundie-Bot

This one goes out to my pal Steve! Look at it this way dude, at least someone got something out of your experience! I got inspiration and you got this comic strip! yay!

Orthodoxy Check

A slight misunderstanding can go a long way. This is what I'm learning in my Church History class. I absolutely love history! It's great to find out why we do what we do and what historical origins and contexts brought these about.

Cody, who used to attend LTS but is happy at a seminary in NYC, had a high view of the church fathers. I must say, after reading the writings of the first fathers of the 1st to 3rd century, i'm highly impressed. but then came the Imperial Church and that's where i'm struggling.

in this era we see the church adopting the very thing it was fighting. the church took on the worldly power and mixed itself with imperial ideology so much that we still have this confusion today. here is where all the heirarchy, militaristic language and themes, and concern with catagories were spawned.

and y'all know what i think of categories! as Rabbi Heschel wrote "Trying to pierce the mystery with our categories is like trying to bite a wall."

Rule of Three:
Watching: King of Kong; a Fist Full of Quarters LONG LIVE STEVE WIEBE! He's got the true title, Billy is a punk! Watch the movie and email the site to state that Steve rules!!!
Listening: my Halloween rotation of Slipknot, Rammstein, and Type-O Negative
Reading: Change of Heart

How Do You Spell Hypocrit?

other references: SVS's Belief Disconnect

Forming/Transforming

Toothface has been transformed. Check out the new look!

Also added some new gadgets here at the home of DA RAWK! Instead of just a list of friends blogs, here's a tool that shows the title of the last post and when they posted it. Pretty slick stuff there.

Also added is the "Follower" gadget where you can follow this here blog. I'm uncomfortable with the word "follower" for y'all as i know you aren't buying everything i'm spouting. I chose "Fans of da RAWK!" (as that seems to be my catch-phrase) because it shows we can have disagreements and discussions here.

First week of classes down, lots of reading to do, so I'm back on it. OU Homecoming this weekend as well, looking forward to checking out Athens again and seeing our OU friends!

Every Word I Say is a Sneak Attack

we had a great intensive week here. before school officially starts for the fall term, the 1st and 2nd year classes have 'intensives'. Last year we visited churches and discovered the theological worlds.

this year we talked about family systems theory and how we deal with our emotions. facinating stuff! despite all appearences, i LOVE systems. i love looking at them, making them better, and especially critiquing them. systems can be helpful frameworks in finding connections and order in our chaotic world. Family systems theory states that "all this has happened before and will happen again" and your family is to blame for how you react and cope with anxiety. we had to do genograms (family trees with emotional symbology attached) and it was enriching and eye opening.

the only crap part of it is that we theologians can debate anything to death. the first day we had to break up into three groups and the profs wanted to watch how we did it. we went around the circle and each said our peace. it came down to either pulling names out of a hat or counting off by threes. when people couldn't decided where to start counting, everyone save 3 people voted for names out of a hat.

simple right?

nope! we then debated over how ethical our choice was, whether it was "right", was anyone left out or voice not heard?

caring souls, each of my friends here at seminary. even minor tasks take on great implications. it really came into light that there are some people who are task oriented (let's get this goal accomplished) and others who are process driven (that goal isn't as important as the HOW). Which do you see yourself?

Friends

Friends laugh at you when you think you're being clever.

These past two weeks we've met some new ones and reconnected with old ones. Some new ones are the Edens who live next door. They have three adorable daughters, a dog named Jack, and a healthy love of movies. Plus Mrs. Eden thinks i look like Edward Norton! I immediately liked her.

Mr. Eden is awesome and has helped me more fully envision Dinosaur theology. Dinosaurs believed the Picture Bible is the inspired word of God. Since dinosaurs can't read, these "Optic Gospels" would have been the only means to spread the Good News. That Mr. Eden is gonna go far here ;-)

Read The Eden's blog here and check out the shout out in this post!

Friends RAWK. That's all i have to say about that.

The Bible Is NOT A Clobbering Tool

The Bible is not a clobbering tool... even though it has been used as such. the Bible is not a guiness book of world records or an indexed compedium, nor is it ammo! The Bible is a book of mysteries. Jesus wrote nothing. Biblical authority can't be understood nor is it at the heart of the dispute. The main argument is what the readers are bringing to the texts. what are people putting onto the Bible?

For one the whole idea of how the Bible is against homosexuality or that Jews and Christians should regard it as a sin is something people PUT ONTO the Bible. The Bible doesn't say this, people CLAIM it does. They are bringing to the text their understanding of sexual preference. Ancient people had no idea of preference, nor did people really think about it until Freud started thinking about it. The actual term HOMOSEXUAL is only 100 years old. Invented in 1892 by Charles Gilbert Chaddock and heterosexuality wasn't coined until 8 years later. Prior to that was the term "sexual inversion" which referred to not just same gender relations, but also to any nonconformity to gender roles I.E. political aspirations in women or men who like cats.

So what? Well for one there is no term that is a direct equivalent in ancient Hebrew or Greek... so not only does the Bible not address the issue, IT CAN'T. it simply doesn't have the language. but there are some passages that refer to same gender sexual ACTS (not homosexuality in the modern sense). The Greek term arsenokoites is as close as one can get but it is rare and of uncertain meaning.

Mark Jordan argues that we're missing the point anyway! here we're not argue'n about homosexuality, we're actually argue'n about what the Bible says.. the argument is over how to interpret the Bible.

I would argue that Jesus did infact give us some guidelines here. Take for example the parable in the mustard seed in Mt 13:31-32. traditionally interpreted this parable is about we have the same "seed" of the kingdom, the Word of God which starts small then all the birds roost in this big tree's branches. that's such a nice poetic parable. but how would a first century jew interpret this story? In stating that this man planted a mustard seed in his garden, the hearers are alerted to the fact that he was doing something illegal. Mustard was considered a weed!! An unclean image thus becomes the starting point for Jesus' vision of the kingdom of God in this parable. what Jesus was saying is that people are always trying to weed out the kingdom of God and this kingdom will keep popping up in unexepected places.

So we need to bring this into our lives as Christians. Find divinity where it isn't supposed to be; in humor, in secular, and in our LGBT brothers and sisters. We are to form lives and see Jesus in others. Worship is a theatre of lived possibility.. and guess what? Sexual desire is in the kingdom of God! We must work to deliver the gift of erotic back to the church. The church doesn't have a homosexual problem.. it has a sexual one. We must strive to be ethical in our sexuality, whichever MODERN definition we fall under.

Post Trackbacks: For the Bible Tells Me So

Character Introduction

Here's a good character introduction. I shouldn't deviate too much from this pattern and character attributes. These characters are based on people I know here at seminary and most already know which character they are. The robot is no one person but a character of a pure fundie. The Unidactyl doesn't use words, so Uni couldn't introduce herself. But she's my symbol for the unknown and mystical forces. Other characters will come and go, but these will be the core.

The outer characters so far include:
"Bottles" a close friend
The Leviathan, another close friend and prophet.
The Marshmallow Zombie, pure evil.

Why is Satan Evil?

I don't beleive in Satan... I believe in evil, but that evil is NOT Satan.

There WAS no satan in Hebrew cosmology until the PERSIANS came (as they have a good god/evil god thing going on, the Jews had ONE God from whom both good and evil came from: Job 2:9-10, Isaiah 45:7). however, satan isn’t bad…

i don’t see a belief relavent in jewish tradition to warrent such a poor reading of Ha Satan, the Accuser and tester of Mankind (in Job). God sends HA Satan in jewish tradition to test the faithfullness of man and help God judge accordingly. God is merciful and satan is like the prosecutor in a court room. this doesn’t make Satan inherently evil.

There is no biblical record of the “fall of Satan” in oral or written tradition. it took the Christian church 200 years to come about a doctrine of ‘Satan the devil.' Unless there's a apocryphal book that i'm unaware of, I'd say that this story is completely non-biblical.

There are a few references in the gospels, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” from Luke 10:17. I think what Jesus is saying here is people with a strong faith in God cannot fail and satan falls. however, there is no tradition or hebrew understanding as Satan being evil until this line. It’s like saying “that guy is an einstien” (title). then saying “no, really, that guy is Einstien!” (name). THEN saying “i saw Einstien falling like lighting” which makes no sense.

The other famous ones from Jesus' 40 days in the desert and telling Peter to "get behind him" all deal with temptation and that's in line with the current Jewish thought about ha-satan.

Believing in Satan as evil is rather unfounded. I just don’t support for it until the gospels, and even that scholars have been scratching their heads about the purpose and lead up for this… I think it’s just another example of a duelistic doctrine no one wants to question because it’s easy and convenient.

Rule of Three:

Book: Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell
Music: Walking on Air by Kerli
Movie: Wall*E by far the most christian movie you'll ever see this year (or ever!). Inherent laziness of humans, love conquers all, and salvation by the societal misfits. It RAWKS!

Unidactyl Creates the Marshmallow

I really despise magical thinking. I'm all into MYSTICAL thinking, but not magical. What is the difference?

I have no idea how the marshmallow was created. Not one idea. So when we, as humans, come to something where we don't know how it was created, what do we do? we make up a story about it! Just like the creation story in Genesis or the creation myths in every culture on this planet. We are a story-telling species that are unique to this planet and perhaps the universe as no other animal tells stories.

So I looked it up on Wiki how Marshmallows are created, and now I know that this story is not the literal truth. I have the facts... so what does this mean for those who have to have a literal bible?

In short, their wrong... As James McGrath put it in this post

In short, they deny that the Bible is what it is. To claim that the Bible is simple when it is complex, to claim that it is clear when it is not, to claim that it is uniform when it is diverse, to claim that it is monolithic when it is pluriform, to claim that it is flawless when it is characterized throughout by the limitations and failings of its human authors - what could possibly be more unbiblical than this?

Now if i persist in my claims that the Unidactyl ACTUALLY created marshmallows despite all the evidence to the contary, this is magical thinking. If i instead say, this is NOT the literal, factual truth, but an excellent symbol that still holds truth to how marshmallows are created (which is still a stretch), then that is mystical thinking. Now comes the most important question, and one i ask as often as possible, does this make any sense?

How the T-Rex Arms Shrunk

a TOOTHFACE original

MORAL: Don't mess with the UNIDACTYL!

In the tradition of the Naked Pastor, I will be doing poorly drawn cartoons, let me know what you think of this crap!

On an unrelated note: how do you eat your food? I think this article sums up most of my snack-attacks (I eat raptor style, mainly because I I just want the screaming to stop).

Also we'll be heading out on vacation to the great state of Michigan. This means that my Myspace readers will have to check the main site for the conclusion of the Recovering Catholics Series.

The Leviathan Speaks

My personal Leviathan spoke today in a facebook note, which led me to draw this cartoon. Have you had that experience where you just ask a simple question and your friend just blows your mind? I get that a lot here at seminary... here's what M3 had to say:

I say I am Mary, and you wonder if I am the virgin or the whore...
I say I am neither—I’m a composite, conflation, combination that the past has melted into one person…from the many of yesterday…if I’m Magdalene, I’m a whore, if I’m Mother I’m a virgin. What if I’m neither? What if I’m both? What of Mary of Bethany—sister of Martha and Lazarus? Of Mary Salome? The nameless sinful woman Luke portrays? One of the authors of the Gospel of Mary? My voice is the chorus of many; my melody is a harmony of multitudes. I have become the preaching and teaching woman in the early church. The only woman given voice of proclamation in all four gospels—“I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18).

But there were many of us…women teachers and preachers. You can hear our whispers through the stories in the Gospels and the letters of Paul. Our words echo through the Apocryphal Gospel. I speak of an empty tomb and announce the miracle of the resurrection to Peter and the other twelve.

Can’t you see that I am a disciple of Jesus? Don’t you know that it is I who stood at the foot of the cross; it is I who cleansed and anointed his body; it is I who first saw the resurrected Savior? That I am the one to proclaim of his return to Peter and the others—where were the men when Jesus died on the cross? Where were they to help anoint his body? What has become Peter’s proclamation was mine. Did you know there’s a gospel written in my name? The women’s stories and voices continued after me, and I have heard them through the centuries in the book written not by me but about me. In fragments you uncovered the remnants of a tradition, of a story…a story of the resurrected Christ. A story that affirms the value of all people and the temporal nature of gender. It shows that he knew me, loved me, valued me…listened to my voice and taught me to teach and to preach.

In the story, I am the teacher, the preacher, the healer. When the others are distressed, I assure them…I remind them not to “weep and be distressed nor let their hearts be irresolute. For his grace will be with you all and will shelter you.” In this story, I hold teachings from the Savior…teachings about the soul and spiritual maturity. Stories of death and resurrection. Stories of sin and redemption. But Peter rebukes me and disputes my teachings. “Did he then speak with a woman in private without our know it? Are we to turn around and listen to her? Did he chose her over us.” In the tale, Levi speaks in my defense and reminds all that “we should clothe ourselves with the perfect Human, acquire it for ourselves as he commanded us, and announce the good news, not laying down any other rule or law that differs from what the Savior said.”

But your art, your music, your literature, your poetry have bent and soldered me into the rigid lines of your patriarchal institution…I am branded with many labels…whore, penitent, weeper, hermit, preacher, midwife, miracle worker. I have become a paradox that you’ve wrapped in issues of sexuality and sin. A Jezebel who only claims to be a disciple—the apostle to the apostles and nothing more.

What if I chose singlehood and celibacy and never knew a man? If I embraced the power of having freedom over my body? They suspected any of us who claimed that right. Said that we were defying the empire, not fulfilling our duty. If we married, we were merely property—objects to be used or abused at will. Is it any wonder we would choose celibacy? Through chastity we could transcend our flesh and loose the reigns of gender. For this choice we are remembered as whores. For this and our prophecy, our voices were lost to what you call the Greco-Roman society.

To prophecy is to break the unwritten law of culture, the code the expectation. We cannot preach as we were seen as the ones who brought sin into the world, who broke the divine order. For these reasons, we were to deny adornment and were hidden away. Our place was in doors…our place was of the home. Dare you venture to speak in public to preach and teach, you became Jezebel, a woman who “claimed to be prophetesses, who by her teaching lures my servants into fornication and into eating food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her fornication” (Revelation 2:20-22). Seen as whore merely for preaching the Gospel, for believing in the Spirit, for desiring to baptize and break bread. Our heritage bought and sold for the price of the state. You label me the prostitute. But who did the selling?

Yes, I kept company with Jesus. And my sisters offered lodging to Paul. Did you miss the names of Prisca, Lydia, Rhoda, Phoebe, Junia? The lineage of our leading is long and harkens to mothers of the synagogue. Are you not convinced that I am the voice of many…that your memory of me is an amalgam of more? Though they not be Mary of Magdalene, did they not speak?

What others have to say about gender from the Blogroll:
Confesssions of a Seminarian: Men, Few in the Pews

DeConversion: I found out what is wrong with Christianity: It’s been Feminized!

Which Sparrow is "HIS" Eye On?

I know which one mine is...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Rule of Three:

Reading: Sandman Mystery Theatre, thanks to the Shu for the find! Great pulp comic!

Watching:: Ironman, great movie, one of the better superhero movies I've seen.. can't wait to see Batman! Also catching up on heros with Cathi and Rachel, great series! Also Jesus of Montreal is a MUST SEE! Wonderful film that has the "historical Jesus" in it... WONDERFUL! RENT IT NOW!

Listening: