This is quite possibly the most important article a Christian can read to start 2012 off. Let there be a true Christ-centered revolution in the church this year! Our goal is that at this time next year, the message of bigotry and hate will only be associated with a select group of “the church” and the body of Christ will be known as a refuge to the oppressed.
Pieces of the article are below, but we encourage you to read it all.
From http://www.justbie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Lady-Gaga-Free-As-My-Hair.jpg
From Richard Beck:
Well, Lady Gaga calls her fans “monsters.” Or “little monsters.” And by that she means freaks–the odd, the weird, the lonely, the rejects, the nerds, the castoffs. And you can’t help but wonder, in light of the gospels, about that demographic. In my book Unclean I have a chapter on monsters. And I’ve written about the theology of monsters on this blog. Consequently, Lady Gaga’s use of the label “monsters” caught my attention.
Because as I’ve written, the category “monster” is charged with ambivalence. On the surface the monster is a normative threat–a defilement, a degradation, a location of moral and communal harm. Thus, monsters are expelled from community. And yet, most monster stories suggest that the monster is often a scapegoat. That the monster is more victim than victimizer. Underneath, if we could but see it, the monster is one of us.
When Jamey Rodemeyer heard his peers, in person and online, say “Why don’t you kill yourself you queer?” (a fair summary of the stuff he was dealing with) I can’t help but assume that he thought that the Christian church supported and endorsed those sentiments. Because even if Christians weren’t directly involved in the bullying we certainly were complicit, if only in our collective silence and apathy. “Let the gays protect gay kids,” our collective silence declares, “and we’ll take care of our own.”
And that breaks my heart.
Who will protect the little monsters? Who will speak out for them? Who will welcome them? Who will weep for them?
I know Lady Gaga will.
What about the church?
Read the article here: http://www.sojo.net/blogs/2012/01/09/gospel-according-lady-gaga
