Give Me a Freakin Break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Soft Prophecy vs. Hard
By David Bunker
In a world of hype and packaged spontaneity I am not surprised that GodMen is being engaged by many whose only reference point is an article or website cruise. As they say...its all good. I am not surprised, either, by the spirit of religiosity and Phariseeism rearing its ugly head.
Tony Campolo's famous s-word display actually cost him speaking engagements as those booking such events wanted to make sure that no one is offended. There are many things that are offensive in this world. They differ for many people but historically profanity has always been considered taboo. Let's ask ourselves what is really profane? Is it more profane to see absentee fathers, to see whole generations lacking any male leadership, to see men walking away from their spiritual destinies and legacies because we do not want to offend someone's opinions on profanity?
It is clear in Scripture that Christian men should be careful with their speech. What being careful means I am sure is open to debate. But let's ask ourselves if there is a difference between what is profane and what is vulgar. It is our goal as godly men to make sacred what is considered "of the world or profane." What is vulgar comes under the spiritual mandate to not mention in public or private for that matter without the proper context and setting.
I think our struggle here is that we are so caught up in the legalisms of speech and propriety that men in power can use for control and shame such that men down the food chain will kill their own to make sure they stay on the side of the power. Have you ever been in one of the discussions where everyone is distancing themselves from the "disowned one?" Something inside our darker selves allows us to cut people off because we don't think they talk right or talk like we do. We end up being offended at the wrong thing.
The appropriateness of "cussing" is open to debate but the issue of speaking honestly in the appropriate place is really what the church needs. There is way too much propriety at the risk of truth telling. This is why the 12 Steppers had to show the church how to really repent. No one wanted to really say what was going on. Are we going to continue to farm honesty out to the therapeutic community or secular men's movement became we do not want to offend someone over the wrong issue?
People are dying world wide because of the aids pandemic, being mutilated & murdered in
One of the reasons a guy like Bono has stayed outside the Christian world by in large until recently is because we have people dismissed for seemingly minor moral infractions when a world is dying both literally and spiritually. For me, the GodMen weekend was a wakeup call to the Church. It was as weekend full of caring men who are willing to risk being open and honest at any cost. If that offends a few people so be it.
Let's wake up here and discuss what is really going on. One only needs to cursively take a look at prison statistics to see that men (especially minorities) need help. If we offer some idiotic diatribe about profanity we might as well call ourselves "kindergarten cops." I am never amazed (never) at the silliness that is birthed in our souls when we hold ourselves over others deepest needs with religion and regulations that anyone can do in the flesh if they so choose. That is why religion of that kind is death and not life.
Regarding the debate of tactics and the nature of engagement regarding the problem of men and the Church, bring it on!!!!! But if the discussion degenerates into some self righteous discussion of how holy we are by not using certain words...count me out. This is not to avoid bringing my speech under the Lordship of Christ. It is to make sure I get what really grieves the Father and what is real and utterly profane in this world.
It takes much love and care of men to wade through the response regarding what is going on with men and the Church right now. The separation of "the men from the boys" will ultimately not come down to language. It will come down to taking the risk of speaking into each others lives, standing along side a brother when he really needs you, and exposing your own sin so that you (I) do not become the very Pharisee we seek to expose.
