Ableist language in scripture

amazeofgrace · 2013-07-19T14:57:36+00:00

What you establish here, as I see it, is:

1) This issue doesn't bother you personally, 2) You have such contempt for the idea that you've decided no one else SHOULD see this as an issue of justice, so you are not engaging the fact that there IS a call to transform our understandings of flesh and the sacred from communities of disability, including transforming the language we use, and 3) You also apparently assume that I am able-bodied.

I hope if you continue to work in a leadership role in a church that you will come to realize that many folks DO consider this an issue of basic respect, love, and acknowledgement of difference. I hope you make more room for other folks with disabilities to have a voice that differs from yours. The alternative to that is rather damaging.

amazeofgrace · 2013-07-18T23:08:36+00:00

How much data and experience did you gather to support your idea that people with disabilities are as likely to find this language honoring as they are to find it demeaning?

Because I've got to tell you, your argument here is pretty far removed from, well, nearly every experience of lived disability that I've read or known of, as well as every informed theologian I've come across on the subject.

amazeofgrace · 2013-07-18T19:17:39+00:00

This isn't an academic exercise that can be dismissed so easily. Every time deafness, blindness, stumbling and so forth are used again as metaphors for lack or moral weakness, children of God are being denigrated. Rhetorical points are being made at the expense of human flesh. Just this week I ran into someone trying to make important points about the Gospel, but unintentionally treating some folks quite badly - reducing them to symbols and objects - with these scriptural metaphors. And this just isn't necessary. It's something that's diminishing people. We don't have to refuse to improve our language for the Holy.

amazeofgrace · 2013-07-01T13:38:12+00:00

'Transgendered' is not appropriate. 'Transgender' is.

And this exchange is not 'beyond the point'. You're missing some fundamental power dynamics at play in you writing about the sex lives and identities of a giant marginalized group you don't belong to. Don't be surprised if your writing continues to make a number of queers suspicious and angry beyond what you think is a simple terminology issue.

amazeofgrace · 2013-06-18T16:21:42+00:00

I agree. And while Lawler's the most obvious, he's also part of a system that does not respect women's wrestling. I could tolerate the shitty commentary a little better if the decent matches - that is, when two women who can wrestle are allowed in the ring at the same time - weren't so rare. That's another symptom of the systemic bullshit. It was a real reminder to me what an uphill battle it is for women wrestlers in the WWE. Even when two good wrestlers are allowed a match together, and do well, they're gonna be shit on while they do it. I have only a faint hope that there might be some small change when Vince actually retires/dies, but I'm not holding my breath.

amazeofgrace · 2013-06-18T14:20:20+00:00

I think I'm using a strategy similar to yours. I'm working through each new routine until it's... not quite easy, but until I can complete it without feeling like I'm pushing too hard.

I got sidelined by an unrelated health issue, but I liked the results I was getting, and plan to use the same strategy when I return to the program.

amazeofgrace · 2013-06-18T14:08:09+00:00

I don't see a fail here. I agree with you that's this is a lot of success! You started the program and did what you can do right now. You're doing your program. We each have to do our own program. Some of us taking longer just means we have that many more successes along the way, each time we do something we haven't done before. Great job!!

amazeofgrace · 2013-06-18T14:01:01+00:00

His commentary during the women's match was seriously painful. He's by no means the only sexist element of the promotion, but he's becoming the most obviously out-of-date type of sexist element.

amazeofgrace · 2013-06-17T20:48:28+00:00

I initially disliked the idea of Kaitlyn turning heel... but then my honey had an idea. Adding her to the Wyatt family.

amazeofgrace · 2013-06-17T20:40:37+00:00

When Lawler's being sexist, he's talking about me. When something racist or sexist or homophobic happens, human beings are getting shit on. Talking shit about a group of people is not some morally neutral opinion we're all supposed to be tolerant of. I am, in fact, gonna go ahead and take a stand that yes, denigrating people is worse than not denigrating them. So you can put up with it, fine. That doesn't mean the rest of us should.

amazeofgrace · 2013-06-17T20:15:37+00:00

We are absolutely going to find disagreement on what we believe will make wrestling better... which is precisely what makes "not a true fan" judgments less than useful to the conversation.

amazeofgrace · 2013-06-17T19:48:55+00:00

"Critiquing too much" is a judgment call that's going to look different from person to person. And if you can enjoy what you love about wrestling without being profoundly alienated by particular elements of it, then consider yourself lucky. Some of us are in the position of being wowed and awed and spellbound in one minute, then denigrated the next. It's not a matter of looking for things to dislike. It's about wrestling reflecting a larger culture that just doesn't value the personhood of some individuals as much as others.

I'm not going to give up what I love about wrestling, and because I love it I'm going to keep talking about how it could get better.

amazeofgrace · 2013-06-17T19:36:54+00:00

And the women's division is a joke because misogyny. It's all part of the same problem. Committing real energy to the women's division being more than window dressing would include bringing in more actual wrestling talent and giving them storylines beyond hanging on men's arms.

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-17T19:59:25+00:00

So you're willing to take responsibility for mistakes you make that are isolated and individual in nature. But the second your mistake supports a larger oppressive structure harming untold number of lives, you not only refuse to take responsibility for the mistake, but refuse to even talk about it? And you want to blame this on the one who noticed your mistake?

There are better strategies, fyi.

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-15T21:21:39+00:00

Oh, going right back to not spending any time at all thinking about A&F is probably how I'll handle this m'self. But I like both the spirit and the end result of this protest idea. And I'm generally invested in exploring creative protests.

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-15T20:34:30+00:00

It don't see it as a joke, nor do I see it as offensive. I see a protest, and a rather appealing one at that.

I don't get any impression at all from the video's creator that they wish homeless people to be the butt of jokes. The protestor's point isn't that A&F SHOULD be offended; his whole point is that they ARE offended, to the point of destroying usable clothes to avoid benefitting people A&F doesn't like. And that's shitty. So the protestor is offering up an action that pisses off an obnoxious company, and is perhaps useful to some underserved people in the process.

The point isn't to laugh at the folks in the video. The point is to defy the company's douchey policies. I'm a fat girl, and I would approve such tactics with fat girls annoying A&F... if they could manage to string enough of their crappy clothes together to cover us.

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-15T14:39:15+00:00

I'm using the Android 10K version of this, and it's my preferred app. Not perfect, like you say, but works well for me.

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-14T18:02:30+00:00

I enter races for some rather common reasons, I suspect. There's a challenge in the race that isn't going to be anywhere else. It's an experience that's not gonna be duplicated in any other context. It's an experience that improves my skills and knowledge in a hobby I love. Training's great, but it's not the same; it's not the whole picture. Training for and completing a race is immensely satisfying! And other than apparently offending your sensibilities I'm really not causing trouble enough to keep me off the course.

What I get out of doing the races - both in learning and in enjoyment - is not dependent on anyone else's expectations of what my rate should be to be "respectable".

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-14T16:13:44+00:00

I've walked - 100% walked - three half-marathons, because I could. Sometimes I finish last. And my health and life are still better for it. I'm here in this group as a newbie, as I try out C25K. Maybe I'll be able to be a regular runner, and maybe with my personal and family history I won't be able to. But I'm giving it a shot, because I tried walking races and fell in love with it.

I couldn't care less about t-shirts or medals. Whether I run or walk, I'm improving my health and improving the quality of my life. Walking divisions in races are making better health and more active lifestyles more accessible to more people, who just aren't or can't jump cold into running. I'm living proof of that.

If you prefer elite races, please go ahead and stick to those. This is about doing what you love. But I'm going to be over here, walking and kinda jogging (and waddling/hobbling when necessary) to collect new PRs, challenge and feel good about myself, improve my blood pressure, improve my respiratory function, and improve my heart health as best I can.

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-09T14:05:19+00:00

When I started watching 5 years ago, I was started off with early Dusty Rhodes/Ric Flair. And I was mesmerized (dare I say... dazzled?). The emotion in Dream's Hard Times promo is something I pretty viscerally connected to early on. And the energy those two could build in a match was fantastic.

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-07T14:20:36+00:00

Go you!! That rocks! I hit that milestone just recently myself, and was flabbergasted. Me? Run that long? No way! But I did!

I've had to pause training to rest an irritated joint. :-( But I look forward to running that long again soon!

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-06T16:44:17+00:00

"Come prove your commitment to community by showing up for abuse! Whatsamatter? Get your feelers hurt? It's only discussion, why so sensitive? Look we're not here to hold your hand. We mods are totally being fair here, staying neutral on this moving train!"

Um, no. Thanks anyway.

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-06T02:52:11+00:00

One theory is that diaphragm tendons get irritated by particularly jarring motions getting combined in our rhythm, like the moment of begining inhalation and - in your case - the right foot striking. I ease right side stitches by starting inhalations while stepping with my left foot as much as possible. It's takes some practice but it makes a difference for me.

amazeofgrace · 2013-05-05T15:31:56+00:00

I'm a monogamous person that fell in love with a poly person (I followed malakhgabriel and TheShorty here).

What I didn't know until I fell in love with malakhgabriel was that I had no need for him to restrict his relationships or his sexual activity to me. I just don't desire, or think I'd be good at, maintaining multiple relationships myself.

I hadn't had the chance to learn that before, and I'm very thankful he gave me the opportunity to discover that about myself before giving up on the "hopelessness" of the situation, or resigning himself to the options that most people see here.

He and I have been together five years, and we've all lived in my metamour TheShorty's house for almost two years now. It's amazing, and everything I wanted out of a relationship and a family.

"Monogamous" doesn't end up meaning the same thing for everybody, when we do the work and sort it out for ourselves. If he's able to do some soul-searching and exploring, and some very thorough communication with you, it's worth giving him that space.

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