First, I want to thank everyone who took a moment to respond to my Wespeak and Wesleying post inviting the campus to prayer in Jesus’ name. I’m humbled by the number and variety of comments made, from the affirming “non-Christians” to my doubtful dear friend Drew (sup!) and even the belligerent anons. This is what I love about Wesleyan and my invitation was not at all intended for otherwise.
My intention was not to “project [my] values onto others” as Isaac claimed, but I can see why such a thing would be presumed. I can’t deny the ways “Christian” fundamentalism/movements/individuals have seriously hurt and offended people throughout history, and I’m not going to claim that I’m immune to that. My own family and I became disillusioned by the church we attended, and I may have had impure motives in my own interactions with “non-Christians” or even other “Christians.” If I ever hurt/disrespected you, or if you were ever hurt in this way, I am truly sorry and I hope you can find a way to peace. However, I’m not going to remain in guilt for the bad things that I or people I may (not) identify with did, and I won’t let those things or other people define me.
The invitation was not to interfaith because it doesn’t make sense for me and I don’t feel I have a right to invite people into faiths/communities I’m unfamiliar with and to which I don’t belong. I believe there are already groups doing that and props to them. I never claimed to have the be-all-end-all solution to segregation on campus. I’m just trying to do my part, hopefully inspiring others to do their own, and making myself vulnerable to others in hopes that that can be reciprocated.
The invitation to prayer to Jesus, when demystified, is simply a conversation with God. Hopefully a good conversation, in which guards are let down, revelations from hearts are revealed and attentively listened to and responded to. It’s unfortunate that Jesus got a bad rep because he’s actually really awesome, to me at least. If you’ve never actually met Jesus (or his friends), this is your chance, and maybe you should have an interaction before making any judgments. See for yourself that he’s not condemning or overbearing or as removed as you may think. (His imperfect friends hope to be the same way.) He knows what it’s like to be hated, wrongfully accused, and deeply wounded, and he challenged boundaries and social norms, hanging out with social outcasts all the time. But after a tough life on earth ending in undeserved crucifixion for the brokenness of this world, he rose from the dead to a new abundant eternal life full of peace, joy and untainted, uninhibited intimacy.
He (and I too) wants to share that with you even now in the middle of this messy world, but it’s your choice to (dis)engage. It’s not coercion from me; even Jesus can’t force you. I actually avoided the label “Christian” in my invitation because of all the homogeneity and exclusivity that it can imply. Faith in Jesus is expressed in a variety of ways, and each individual can choose to have their own unique relationship with God. Whatshername keenly observed the opportunity for the prayer meeting to “bring people of the same faith together,” but in our sameness we reject assimilation and learn to accept, yes, even celebrate differences, while being challenged by each other’s sharing. Maybe this doesn’t appeal to everyone; yea, it could get uncomfortable, no doubt, but when did comfort ever make an impact?
I’d also like to take issue with the Christian/non-Christian dichotomy. After a pretty discouraging church experience I got here as one of those way too eager frosh excited for the liminality and college-guidebook-proclaimed godlessness of this place. And on my way to becoming an atheist, God told me he loved me and asked me if I would love him back. I struggled a lot in my decision to say and keep my “yes” but he stuck by me, and here I am now, free to be my-imperfect-self, a friend of Jesus. The point being everyone chooses, even daily, to walk on a spiritual journey (with Jesus) or not. Identities are not fixed and frozen in time nor are they necessarily defined by words. They are manifested, performed, alive and constantly being remade as tensions explored in give-and-take interactions continually stimulate the imagination, potentially propelling individuals and groups into action.
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