08.25.05
Posted in life, grad school at 12:31 pm by
Now SHOULD be the time that I blog about twice or three times a day. After all, I just got through a ‘hell’ week with school and whatnot. What makes a ‘hell’ week, you ask? Well, I was, for the first three weeks of August, TA-ing (that’s grad school lingo for ‘being an underpaid lackey for) a grad class on Leadership and Communication through the Management department at MSU. The last week was probably the worst. It included, on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, about 5 hours of oral exams each day.
Now, some of you are thinking to yourselves, “You just had to administer the oral exams, imagine how the students felt.” Well, let me assure you that administering oral exams sucks like a hoover. Then when we were done giving the exams, I had, on Friday, my thesis proposal defense. That went well. I passed (or at least I got the requisite signatures on the requisite forms) with flying colors.
I’ve been relatively silent about the content of my thesis. Frankly, it’s not the sort of thing that folks here probably tune in for. Yet, because a couple of you have asked, I’ll nutshell it for you. Basically, I’m studying the kinds of communication behaviors that enable individuals to emerge as leaders of groups in a variety of settings. So, yeah, like I said, it’s interesting to me, but not regular fare for folks fascinated by issues of culture, religion, and loudmouthed jackasses who can’t help but seethe hate toward leaders of foreign governments who they’d like to see assasinated.
Anyway, that’s what happened last week. And, given the rigor of last week, I’d have thought I’d have more interesting things to write about. Yet, today I find myself spinning my wheels. One thing, though, that stuck with me from the last weekend is a conversation I had with my Dad about a story he overheard.
It seems that in a discussion about race in the Christian Reformed Church (my denomination) an elder (one of a member of the top leadership teams at a particular church body) was heard to have said:
I don’t have any problem with black people…I think everyone should own a few.
I have a few thoughts, some more vindictive than others. I’ll list them here:
- It’s a good thing I’ve been finding myself drifting toward non-violence, because otherwise I think I’d be tempted to enact some pretty awful forms of Church punishment on this bastard. Perhaps a stockade out in front of the Church, maybe a public flogging, or maybe (ala’ Die Hard: With a Vengeance) we just send this guy into Harlem with a body advertising board that publicly says what he said to fellow church members, and, you know, see what happens.
- Probably more troubling than the fact that the guy said what he said is that people probably laughed when he said it.
- It’s pretty sad when the Church doesn’t take seriously statements like this.
- Oddly enough, another thought that popped right to mind is that this guy is walking evidence for having women in office. If the state of bureaucracy in the Church has so deteriorated to the point that assholes like the one in question are in leadership, I think there’s no question that any woman could do JUST as good a job as this character (if not better.)
- In the same breath, I don’t like this argument for women in office because it assumes that men, if they’re behaving properly, are more suited to office than women. I don’t believe that at all. But, the above argument SHOULD (not that it will) satiate even the most strict ‘no women in office’ folks.
- This guy is a caricature. The more heinous racism in the church is the fact that people like this, that beliefs like this dickhead’s, can exist without serious ecclesiological (is that the right word, Greg?) reprimand.
- Ex-communication, I really don’t think we use it enough.
- This fellow had better hope to hell that no little ones are being influenced by his mouth, that millstone thing (i.e. Matt. 18:5-9) sounds like it sorta sucks.
- I’m sure pretty much no one disagrees that this guy’s an asshole. Everybody, I’m sure, is nodding their head (if not at every point, then at the general tenor of this post that this moron’s behavior is fucked up.) Yet, other less obvious (and possibly because of their ‘under-the-surface-ness’ more serious) forms of racism thrive in the Church.
I’m sure I could think of more things to spout off about. But, I’m just making myself more and more angry all the while. No sense in that I suppose.
ADDENDUM: Nobody take this the wrong way, please. (Mainly because I’m 90% joking…okay 95% joking). But, I’ve been noticing an odd influx of individuals with the first name ‘Steve’ visiting and commenting on the site. Now, God herself only knows how happy we are to have you around. But if you wouldn’t mind posting your last initial (and linking to your blog if you have one), ah…yeah….that’d be grreaat. ‘Specially you Chastian…you subversive little bastard. 
Permalink
Trackback URL »
http://www.badchristian.com/2005/08/25/a_few_assorted_thoughts/trackback/
Posted in life, grad school at 12:31 pm by
Now SHOULD be the time that I blog about twice or three times a day. After all, I just got through a ‘hell’ week with school and whatnot. What makes a ‘hell’ week, you ask? Well, I was, for the first three weeks of August, TA-ing (that’s grad school lingo for ‘being an underpaid lackey for) a grad class on Leadership and Communication through the Management department at MSU. The last week was probably the worst. It included, on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, about 5 hours of oral exams each day.
Now, some of you are thinking to yourselves, “You just had to administer the oral exams, imagine how the students felt.” Well, let me assure you that administering oral exams sucks like a hoover. Then when we were done giving the exams, I had, on Friday, my thesis proposal defense. That went well. I passed (or at least I got the requisite signatures on the requisite forms) with flying colors.
I’ve been relatively silent about the content of my thesis. Frankly, it’s not the sort of thing that folks here probably tune in for. Yet, because a couple of you have asked, I’ll nutshell it for you. Basically, I’m studying the kinds of communication behaviors that enable individuals to emerge as leaders of groups in a variety of settings. So, yeah, like I said, it’s interesting to me, but not regular fare for folks fascinated by issues of culture, religion, and loudmouthed jackasses who can’t help but seethe hate toward leaders of foreign governments who they’d like to see assasinated.
Anyway, that’s what happened last week. And, given the rigor of last week, I’d have thought I’d have more interesting things to write about. Yet, today I find myself spinning my wheels. One thing, though, that stuck with me from the last weekend is a conversation I had with my Dad about a story he overheard.
It seems that in a discussion about race in the Christian Reformed Church (my denomination) an elder (one of a member of the top leadership teams at a particular church body) was heard to have said:
I don’t have any problem with black people…I think everyone should own a few.
I have a few thoughts, some more vindictive than others. I’ll list them here:
- It’s a good thing I’ve been finding myself drifting toward non-violence, because otherwise I think I’d be tempted to enact some pretty awful forms of Church punishment on this bastard. Perhaps a stockade out in front of the Church, maybe a public flogging, or maybe (ala’ Die Hard: With a Vengeance) we just send this guy into Harlem with a body advertising board that publicly says what he said to fellow church members, and, you know, see what happens.
- Probably more troubling than the fact that the guy said what he said is that people probably laughed when he said it.
- It’s pretty sad when the Church doesn’t take seriously statements like this.
- Oddly enough, another thought that popped right to mind is that this guy is walking evidence for having women in office. If the state of bureaucracy in the Church has so deteriorated to the point that assholes like the one in question are in leadership, I think there’s no question that any woman could do JUST as good a job as this character (if not better.)
- In the same breath, I don’t like this argument for women in office because it assumes that men, if they’re behaving properly, are more suited to office than women. I don’t believe that at all. But, the above argument SHOULD (not that it will) satiate even the most strict ‘no women in office’ folks.
- This guy is a caricature. The more heinous racism in the church is the fact that people like this, that beliefs like this dickhead’s, can exist without serious ecclesiological (is that the right word, Greg?) reprimand.
- Ex-communication, I really don’t think we use it enough.
- This fellow had better hope to hell that no little ones are being influenced by his mouth, that millstone thing (i.e. Matt. 18:5-9) sounds like it sorta sucks.
- I’m sure pretty much no one disagrees that this guy’s an asshole. Everybody, I’m sure, is nodding their head (if not at every point, then at the general tenor of this post that this moron’s behavior is fucked up.) Yet, other less obvious (and possibly because of their ‘under-the-surface-ness’ more serious) forms of racism thrive in the Church.
I’m sure I could think of more things to spout off about. But, I’m just making myself more and more angry all the while. No sense in that I suppose.
ADDENDUM: Nobody take this the wrong way, please. (Mainly because I’m 90% joking…okay 95% joking). But, I’ve been noticing an odd influx of individuals with the first name ‘Steve’ visiting and commenting on the site. Now, God herself only knows how happy we are to have you around. But if you wouldn’t mind posting your last initial (and linking to your blog if you have one), ah…yeah….that’d be grreaat. ‘Specially you Chastian…you subversive little bastard.
Permalink
Trackback URL »
http://www.badchristian.com/2005/08/25/a_few_assorted_thoughts/trackback/
Slublog said,
August 25, 2005 at 12:56 pm
Well, I was, for the first three weeks of August, TA-ing (that’s grad school lingo for ‘being an underpaid lackey for) a grad class on Leadership and Communication through the Management department at MSU.
It always seemed more like a case of indentured servanthood to me.
Angel said,
August 25, 2005 at 1:10 pm
I was a proctor for college tests–the boredome alone could kill ya
Congrats on the thesis defense–and I think it sounds kinda neat.
And OMG my jaw dropped at that comment the Elder made. Though I LOL at:
“Ex-communication, I really don’t think we use it enough.”
Eric W (formerly just E) said,
August 25, 2005 at 8:03 pm
Okay, the guy’s a jerk and needs to go away, no doubt about that.
Did your dad take that guy aside and talk to him? Did anyone?
One of the big problems I have with “seeker friendly” churches are that they use “tolerance and acceptance” to avoid confrontation with brothers and sisters who need some admonishment.
We all need to call out inapropriate behavior (in the correct manner) when we see it in other believers. We’re told to do that.
—
Brandon - sorry for not following name protocol in previous comments. I was unaware of your requirements. -e
Snoop said,
August 25, 2005 at 8:06 pm
ok… maybe I am a geek, but i am actually interested in hearing more about your thesis… it sounds fascinating.
Eric L. said,
August 25, 2005 at 8:22 pm
Actually, I’m very interested in your thesis as well. I’d love to hear more of your insights as your research into this progresses….possibly make a category for it?
As for the CRC guy’s comments…i was surprised not to see on your list the subtle suggestion of “taking him out cuz it’d be cheaper than war” if he doesn’t get reprimanded by the denomination (or excommunicated).
meg said,
August 25, 2005 at 8:54 pm
Brandon,
It’s “ecclesiastical.”
As for the idiocy of this man, all I can say is WTF?!? THIS is the church I’m stuck with? I mean I’m honored to serve? Ugh!
Slublog (Peter) said,
August 25, 2005 at 9:14 pm
Name protocol?
Uh, oh. Did I break a rule? Damn, I hate it when that happens.
zalm (zalm) said,
August 25, 2005 at 10:09 pm
Yep, we’ve officially taken this the wrong way.
Brandon said,
August 25, 2005 at 10:18 pm
Okay, name protocol clarification. I haven’t a problem with things like anonymity or even just using letters to call yourselves.
I was narrowly making a name protocol for ’steve’s’ because there were so many of them (and I was only 5 percent serious.)
Yet, I’m glad to learn some of their names.
In answer to some questions:
My dad didn’t take the guy aside because it didn’t happen in his Church, and he wasn’t there. Though, I’d have loved to watch the fireworks if he was.
Yes, Meg, this is the church you’re stuck with. But hang in there, there’s some good shit, too.
It seems that I have a thesis ‘following’, I’ll try to get some info up about that soon.
Nicole said,
August 25, 2005 at 10:52 pm
I would love to lock this man alone in a room with my diversity professor. An African American, with dual degrees in Theology and Psychology, who is a Ordained Baptist Minister.
Let’s see him try to “own” him. Tee hee.
Leighton said,
August 26, 2005 at 3:39 am
I think the guy would be wtfpwned, or as they say in MMOs, ganked.
Steve J (zalm) said,
August 26, 2005 at 4:45 am
I think there should be more Zalm’s commenting on this site
(or at least more comments from Zalm…he’s funny)
Steve C said,
August 26, 2005 at 6:00 am
Being from the south I have had to overcome many things…subtle forms of racism is one of them. And sadly it still exists in my family to some degree, so going home is always a challenge.
I have to own up to the way I grew up and the way these forms of racism were ingrained in me. Jokes like these weren’t uncommon. I am ashamed to admit it. Yet it isn’t uncommon to encounter this type of prejudice (and more against all races, homosexuality, etc) during Christmas visits. Of course now I like to stir it up when I go home….it always makes things more interesting.
Now in regards to your thesis Brandon…I for one am not the least bit interested. Please keep it to yourself.
Steve C (your subversive little bastard.)
MMM said,
August 26, 2005 at 10:37 am
Congratulations on a successful thesis defense.
And the potential slave owner doesn’t surprise me.
To me it’s just another reason why a Church is never gonna lead me f-ing anywhere. I’ve got two legs and hands to lift. I’m walking to Jesus my own self.
So there.
Nicole said,
August 26, 2005 at 11:05 am
Yeah, the racism in my extended family isn’t even subtle. Last Christmas I actually heard, over lunch mind you, that “All those spics are comin’ down here for the free healthcare. I’m not payin’ a damn income tax for them. They should go back home.” About 4 other extended family members joined in this tirade.
This was by the man who led the prayer. I thought that I, or my husband, was going to explode. It is difficult to know what to do in those situations, especially since I live 700 miles away in grad school and see some of these people once a year now. Growing up, I saw them nearly every day.
I want to go on a tirade and tell them that they’re in for a suprise if they think Jesus was white. That what they think and do is so abhorrent. But, to be honest, I don’t. *Sigh*
meg said,
August 26, 2005 at 5:27 pm
I grew up overseas in third world countries and have had to do a lot of processing and feeling guilty for the way white privilege was assumed by me. by my family. and even by some of the nationals. You’d think that early exposure would make me more tolerant but ‘parently not.
Jacob said,
August 26, 2005 at 6:13 pm
I, for one, think you should mention your research more. There aren’t enough of us Comm. Studies folks blogging.
mep said,
August 26, 2005 at 9:07 pm
Congratulations, first of all!
You know everyone is “shocked and appalled” by what that guy said, but that stuff happens all the time by “church people” who are racist, sexist, or otherwise less “good” than they claim to be.
My sister was torn apart by the deacon board when she posed for a magazine, but half of the people in the room had purchased it and viewed it. Ewww!