I originally posted this in November 2009, but thanks to Facebook reminders, it was brought back to my attention and I have dusted it off for you.
“[People] draw this neat little circle, and everyone inside the circle is normal. Everyone outside the circle should be beaten, broken, and reset so they can be brought into the circle. Failing that, they should be institutionalized, or worse, pitied.” – Dr. Gregory House played by Hugh Laurie in the Fox series House.
There seems to be a natural instinct to seek community. We all like to experience fellowship with people who share some kind of interest or perspective or goal. Young schoolkids form clubs for a variety of purposes. Athletic activities give fine expression to this urge. College kids belong to social or service organizations, or proudly belong to the community of people who abstain from being in organizations. Beyond school and sports, anyone can observe a variety of other indicators for this instinct. Young Upcoming Professionals “network” together. People in particular fields of work form associations and leagues and societies and such. People develop such a sense of pride in their homeland that they form community around notions of nationalism and/or ethnicity. There are even examples of groups based on common race. There are forms of community based on gender, others based on age, and others based on religion.
Whatever the particular common ground is, any communal expression necessarily involves exclusion of those who do not “fit” or who choose not to comply with some requirement. A community is defined in part simply by who is in and who is out. It’s not a football team if people with no athletic skills or abilities are able to sign up. It’s not a sorority if guys are on the member list. It’s not the state’s Bar Association if accountants and plumbers are on the roll. And it’s not a Baptist church if all the congregants are baptizing their babies.
All of this can be harmless, given good circumstances. People don’t tend to have reason to boycott the local high school’s Future Business Leaders of America club. The massive riches obtained in the world of professional sports indicate that there is a consensus of support for the endeavors of professional athletes. The Young Professionals Association downtown doesn’t seem to be offending people.
However, problems can arise when the “in” crowd of a particular stripe have views which indicate that the “out” crowd are inferior or pitiable for their lack of being “in.”
Even this is not always the case. Groups do have sufficient cause at times to believe that their experience is better than people who are not in the group. We who are not in prison have a superior experience to those who are in prison. Another example is that I am among those who have visited Boston, while I have several friends who are among those who have not visited Boston, and I am obviously not a bad person for thinking they are inferior for this. And there is probably very little harm when a group of tuba players look down their noses at a group of oboe players.
But when real or perceived serious consequences are involved, it is possible for outsiders to be alienated, offended, demoralized, and even dehumanized.
You’ll have no need of me explaining how the relatively recent history of racism provides some clear examples of this. And you are surely aware of various news headlines indicating some extreme religious fanaticism leading to a serious injury and/or murder of “infidels” (outsiders deemed to be “not faithful” and not worthy of continued life according to an extremist community standard).
However, there are more common examples of outsiders being derogated.
Some abortion advocates may suggest that anti-abortion activists are Neanderthals. The return shot may be a categorization of murderer.
Some atheists may suggest that adherents to supernaturalism are weak-minded squanderers of time and energy. The return shot may be the notification that the afterlife for those without theistic faith will involve an eternity burning in a lake of fire.
Some Baptists may suggest that Catholics are superstitious and in danger of hellfire for idolatry. The return shot may be that Baptists have no connection to the historic Christian Church and are in danger of hellfire for failing to be reconciled to Christ’s ordained earthly representatives.
Some Presbyterians may suggest that a variety of other Christian denominations are in grave error for not believing the right things in precisely the right way. The return shot may be that Christian faith is not about having the correct set of beliefs in the head, and those who put their faith ultimately in their particular understanding instead of having faith in God are the ones in danger.
In the natural pursuit and enjoyment of community life, it is inevitable that a division will be created between those on the inside and those on the outside. Whether or not the outsiders in any scenario are alienated, offended, demoralized, and/or dehumanized is dependent upon the insiders’ capacity for grace, patience, and understanding.
While insiders should feel free to continue making arguments in favor of their various perspectives and experiences, they should consider that it is risky, and sometimes counterproductive and even wrong to derogate outsiders.
Think back ten years or so. There were circles that you so neatly fit into, groups that seemed to be the bar for your normal. Have there been shifts of thought or activity which have landed you in a “community” previously considered outside your realm, beyond the pale of your orthodoxy?
Thoughtfulness is the order of the day.
“[People] draw this neat little circle, and everyone inside the circle is normal. Everyone outside the circle should be beaten, broken, and reset so they can be brought into the circle. Failing that, they should be institutionalized, or worse, pitied.” – Dr. Gregory House played by Hugh Laurie in the Fox series House.
There seems to be a natural instinct to seek community. We all like to experience fellowship with people who share some kind of interest or perspective or goal. Young schoolkids form clubs for a variety of purposes. Athletic activities give fine expression to this urge. College kids belong to social or service organizations, or proudly belong to the community of people who abstain from being in organizations. Beyond school and sports, anyone can observe a variety of other indicators for this instinct. Young Upcoming Professionals “network” together. People in particular fields of work form associations and leagues and societies and such. People develop such a sense of pride in their homeland that they form community around notions of nationalism and/or ethnicity. There are even examples of groups based on common race. There are forms of community based on gender, others based on age, and others based on religion.
Whatever the particular common ground is, any communal expression necessarily involves exclusion of those who do not “fit” or who choose not to comply with some requirement. A community is defined in part simply by who is in and who is out. It’s not a football team if people with no athletic skills or abilities are able to sign up. It’s not a sorority if guys are on the member list. It’s not the state’s Bar Association if accountants and plumbers are on the roll. And it’s not a Baptist church if all the congregants are baptizing their babies.
All of this can be harmless, given good circumstances. People don’t tend to have reason to boycott the local high school’s Future Business Leaders of America club. The massive riches obtained in the world of professional sports indicate that there is a consensus of support for the endeavors of professional athletes. The Young Professionals Association downtown doesn’t seem to be offending people.
However, problems can arise when the “in” crowd of a particular stripe have views which indicate that the “out” crowd are inferior or pitiable for their lack of being “in.”
Even this is not always the case. Groups do have sufficient cause at times to believe that their experience is better than people who are not in the group. We who are not in prison have a superior experience to those who are in prison. Another example is that I am among those who have visited Boston, while I have several friends who are among those who have not visited Boston, and I am obviously not a bad person for thinking they are inferior for this. And there is probably very little harm when a group of tuba players look down their noses at a group of oboe players.
But when real or perceived serious consequences are involved, it is possible for outsiders to be alienated, offended, demoralized, and even dehumanized.
You’ll have no need of me explaining how the relatively recent history of racism provides some clear examples of this. And you are surely aware of various news headlines indicating some extreme religious fanaticism leading to a serious injury and/or murder of “infidels” (outsiders deemed to be “not faithful” and not worthy of continued life according to an extremist community standard).
However, there are more common examples of outsiders being derogated.
Some abortion advocates may suggest that anti-abortion activists are Neanderthals. The return shot may be a categorization of murderer.
Some atheists may suggest that adherents to supernaturalism are weak-minded squanderers of time and energy. The return shot may be the notification that the afterlife for those without theistic faith will involve an eternity burning in a lake of fire.
Some Baptists may suggest that Catholics are superstitious and in danger of hellfire for idolatry. The return shot may be that Baptists have no connection to the historic Christian Church and are in danger of hellfire for failing to be reconciled to Christ’s ordained earthly representatives.
Some Presbyterians may suggest that a variety of other Christian denominations are in grave error for not believing the right things in precisely the right way. The return shot may be that Christian faith is not about having the correct set of beliefs in the head, and those who put their faith ultimately in their particular understanding instead of having faith in God are the ones in danger.
In the natural pursuit and enjoyment of community life, it is inevitable that a division will be created between those on the inside and those on the outside. Whether or not the outsiders in any scenario are alienated, offended, demoralized, and/or dehumanized is dependent upon the insiders’ capacity for grace, patience, and understanding.
While insiders should feel free to continue making arguments in favor of their various perspectives and experiences, they should consider that it is risky, and sometimes counterproductive and even wrong to derogate outsiders.
Think back ten years or so. There were circles that you so neatly fit into, groups that seemed to be the bar for your normal. Have there been shifts of thought or activity which have landed you in a “community” previously considered outside your realm, beyond the pale of your orthodoxy?
Thoughtfulness is the order of the day.
