It must have been a science fiction tale but the idea of the Earth as a jail came up. The earth was a dumping ground for all the misfits. All the groups that couldn't get along with their own kind were sent to our magnificent blue orb. Yes the earth was all the same because it consisted of a set of peoples that were all different. The outcasts. The misfits. The queer ones.
I've been letting that term roll around in my head lately. Queer folk, not Queer As Folk, that interesting TV series (2000-2005). We had discussed this at length in our gay spirituality group some years back too, we are all queer. Queer. QUEER. No longer a term of degradation but a term of pride. Now a days it might be easily noted that it is a term of recognition of the differences we all have. We are all queer in one way or another, all different with exetricities, personal habits, talents, history, genetic makeup, orientation(s). I suppose there is no limit to what makes each one of us queer. We may have ideas based on so called societal 'norms' but it really extends in every aspect of our being.
This week has seen several friends and acquaintances having to deal with family illnesses and parental death. Every person handles it differently. One is introverted and silent, walling off everyone concerned. Effectively walling off help in the process. Someone dealing with the fact that his Mom died on Mothers day morning. This is a guy whom I consider a brother. And while I know he is not a biologic brother we now share the death of our mothers on auspicious days, mine having died on my birthday ( followed by my brother on the same day several years later). I could try to play one upmanship couldn't I ? In our differences though, he black, me white, he young, me old, etc., etc., there is an opportunity for love and support. I could use my queerness and my similarities to hold him in my heart, if not my arms, to show my caring and concern and not leave someone out in the cold focusing on the differences between us.
I do believe we are all queer, now more than ever. I also believe we have similarities that should never be dismissed. We are all human. We are all children of God. We are all called to help each other while recognizing and yes, celebrating our differences. Could we argue which color of the rainbow is best? I may like blue but lets celebrate the entire rainbow and all our queerness. Can our queerness be used to celebrate and support rather than separate and segregate?
Ezekiel 36:22-27
Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes. I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.
No comments:
Post a Comment