SAY THE WORD . . . .
"We had a great conversation yesterday about the word “socialism.” Some said, understandably, that it is politically unwise to use that word. That may be true politically, but I am not a politician. As a minister my first duty is to break trances.
As a minister I tried for years to advocate for LGBTQ people. The congregation nodded comfortably so long as I spoke in soothing euphemisms. Eventually, I realized, if I really loved the people I was speaking to, I needed to disturb the peace by saying the actual words “homosexual,” “lesbian,” “gay,” “bisexual,” and “transgender.” As soon as I began to say the actual words that triggered people, I had charges filed against me within the denomination. People disagreed, but now they understood what I was trying to say. Now there was a chance of real understanding.
Remember the wounded white privilege that erupted when activists began to say the words, “Black Lives Matter?” Because much of our prejudice is unconscious, avoiding certain words can result in a false sense of agreement. As long as white people reserve the words “racist” or “white supremacists” for people with hoods on their heads we can remain in a trance where everything is understood through a vocabulary that hides how we are privileging ourselves over others.
For years I spoke about respect for women’s rights, but until I used the word “abortion” from the pulpit, we were in false agreement. As long as I confined myself to words that were comfortable within the patriarchy I wasn’t really doing anything to break the trance.
Please feel free to disagree with me, but I believe capitalism is a trance in this culture. I can’t think of any other reason why good people would consent to poisoning the drinking water of poor people with our waste. I can’t imagine any other reason we would shrug off an estimated 68,000 people who will die each year from lack of health care in the richest nation on earth. I can’t think of any other reason why we are sitting by passively as our planet is turned into a desert in the name of “moderation” and “incremental change.”
When we can’t say certain words, we probably can’t think certain thoughts. If we are triggered by the word “socialism” that should tell us something. By only using words that are comfortable within the framework of capitalism, we are reduced to using a vocabulary that measures the worth of everything by its exchange value, not for its intrinsic worth.
It is better for people to understand what we are saying and get mad at us than to forge a false agreement by agreeing to never really say what we mean. We have to love each other enough to risk losing each other’s favor. We all want a better world, but we can only get there by breaking our trances, and to do that we have to say the words."
Jim Rigby - Minister at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Austin TX
15
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I see this post as a veiled political campaign for Bernie Sanders. The reason I say this is because Mr. Rigby conflates socialism with environmental and healthcare justice as if some implicit bias against the word socialism is standing in the way of enacting immediate changes. There are many ideologies across the political spectrum globally that recognize the existential threat posed by these social injustices. In the U.S. all Democrats, most Moderates, and even a percentage of Conservatives recognize that immediate change is necessary. Therefore, in my opinion, all of the major candidates running for president except one would act as swiftly as Bernie if elected to that office. We all know who that one candidate is.
kensmile4u
Level 8
Feb 26, 2020
2
I assume you mean Trump?
@TomMcGiverin Yes, Trump is a trance that must be broken!
I didn’t think it was veiled.
@skado He never mentioned Bernie by name. That's why I thought it was veiled. Here is a list of other Democratic Socialist politicians who he could have been referring to.
@kensmile4u
Are they running for president?
@skado No, Mr. Rigby never mentions whether he is talking about a specific election or just a paradigm change. That's another reason I thought it was veiled.
tRuMp is going to yell that word (socialist) from the rooftops from now until the election. (If he is on a rooftop would someone please , well, never mind)
It is interesting that in posting an article about knee jerk reactions, you get some! I don't think people even looked at the article for more than a half a minute before they judged it and fired off. As a nation we are not in post traumatic distress. We are in trauma!
Kenoaks
Level 6
Feb 26, 2020
5
I love this guy! what an articulate commentary on white privilege and being straight and brave enough to get out of the trance. It is the only benefit I see from the Trump administration is it put flood lights on the illusion we have been in that was fertile ground for him and others in power to flourish. Really great. Thanks for sharing this.
gigihein
Level 8
Feb 26, 2020
4
This eloquent essay explains fully why I have always spoke my mind instead of buying into the dominant mode in my state of practicing the phony communication style of "Iowa Nice"...
TomMcGiverin
Level 8
Feb 26, 2020
3
Just out of curiosity . is there some specific reason you keep pushing your priesthood on an agnostic site ? The vast majority of us began with a solid decades long , upbringing in religion , we gave it a LOT of thought , and have reached our conclusions rejecting it .We came here because we rejected it and wanted to have friends where we would not have to deal with religion or the religious folks trying to press their beliefs on us again . So , I respectfully ask you , why are you here pressing your priesthood on us ?
Cast1es
Level 9
Feb 26, 2020
0
He didn’t. I quoted him. I’m not a priest. He doesn't know I posted his words on this site.
This isn't a religious post - it's a political post, posted in the "Politics" section. It doesn't mention any religious concepts or beliefs.
I felt this was political and he may be religious, but talks about being brave. It is a humanitarian commentary of a man. I am here and. on religious, but not anti religious. Martin Luther King was a minister, but his legacy was more than a dogma. It was a out social justice.
I wonder when Jim Rigby will come out of his "god bothering trance"?
I do agree with his calling a spade a spade philosopy though.
FrayedBear
Level 9
Feb 26, 2020
0
Some however do use shovels!
It is politically unwise to use the word “socialism” only because most people do not understand what it is. Most Americans think socialism is communism! It is not. Until most people understand they will vote against their own best interest and remain under the boot of their capitalist exploiters.
dare2dream
Level 7
Feb 26, 2020
5
Yes, the complete moronic stupidity taught within our educational system!
The private school and so called charter schools are more guilty of such horrific stupidity!!!
Simple why are you on a Agnostic site as a Jesus lover???
You think you have the impunity to invade and preach your brand of intolerance religious obstructionists fascism here!!!
Members of your so called flock are doing just that the poisonings of our environment, our culture, our ethics, and foremost your lack of civility to force your obstructionist republican fascism on those you deem inferior!!!
It is your religious cult of domination why we are being told by your type women can not control their bodies, why education has been turned into a low paying way of life were a degree is not worth the paper it is printed on!
You are a disgrace to your love of Jesus, your lord, your god(s) and the mystical nonsense you are hyping here!!!
of-the-mountain
Level 9
Feb 26, 2020
0
That's what I started to think too but then I saw agnostic skado was quoting Minister Jim Rigby. Notice the quotation marks I first missed.
@dare2dream
Does not matter it was presented as fact from the person who posted it!!!
Shame shame on them!!
You always have a headline stating what it is about and usually why!!!
Not “say the word....”
It is a pure misrepresentation of what and who posted it!
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