Why I Hate Religion

Why I Hate Religion but Love Jesus



“Church is not a museum for good people but a hospital for the broken” from the spoken word poem titled “why I hate religion, but love jesus”

Not sure what this young man's name is name but his YouTube username is bbal1989

Some of my artwork on grace.

What are your thoughts on the church, church or religion?  Do you agree with this video? Disagree with parts? Why?

Hands

Sarah Kay is a spoken word artist. She is the founder and co director of Project Voice, and organization promotes the use of spoken word as a form of self-expression. Spoken word is so often a powerful form of speaking truth (spiritual, religion, political and historical). 


Click here to watch Sarah Kay perform Hands

Lyrics to Hands:

People used to tell me that I had beautiful hands
told me so often, in fact, that one day I started to believe them
until I asked my photographer father, “hey daddy could I be a hand model”
to which he said no way,

I don’t remember the reason he gave me
and I would’ve been upset, but there were far too many stuffed animals to hold, too many homework assignment to write, to many boys to wave at, to many years to grow.

We used to have a game, my dad and I about holding hands cus we held hands everywhere, and every time either he or I would whisper a great big number to the other, pretending that we were keeping track of how many times we had held hands that we were sure, this one had to be 8 million 2 thousand 7 hundred and fifty three.

Hands learn more than minds do,

hands learn how to hold other hands, how to grip pencils and mold poetry, how to tickle pianos and dribble a basketball, and grip the handles of a bicycle how to hold old people, and touch babies , I love hands like I love people

they’re the maps and compasses in which we navigate our way through life,

some people read palms to tell your future, but I read hands to tell your past, each scar marks the story worth telling, each callused palm, each cracked knuckle is a missed punch or years in a factory,

now I’ve seen middle eastern hands clenched in middle eastern fists pounding against each other like war drums, each country sees they’re fists as warriors and others as enemies
even if fists alone are only hands.

but this is not about politics, no hands aren’t about politics, this is a poem about love, and fingers.

fingers interlock like a beautiful zipper of prayer.

one time i grabbed my dads hands so that our fingers interlocked perfectly but he changed positions, saying no that hand hold is for your mom.

kids high five, but grown ups, we learn how to shake hands, you need a firm hand shake, but don’t hold on too tight, but don’t let go too soon, but don’t hold down for too long, but hands are not about politics, when did it become so complicated.

I always thought its simple.

The other day my dad looked at my hands, as if seeing them for the first time, and with laughter behind his eye lids, with all the seriousness a man of his humor could muster, he said you know you got nice hands, you could’ve been a hand model, and before the laughter can escape me, I shake my head at him, and squeeze his hand, 8 million 2 thousand 7hundred and fifty four.

What is your favorite line. I like how she addresses politics, says hands are about love and then goes back. What spiritual references do you see in this poem? 

Is Hip Hop Religious?

Well this question has caused some great debate in my African American Religious Culture class.  Instinctively many people do not think that hip hop is/or can be religious.  I understand why people don't think that hip hop is a religion or even religious; however, there are some pretty strong reasons why hip hop is often seen as both a religion and religious (even secular rap) part of life, especially when we use Charles Long's definition of religion (I will post some on this and add a link soon). 

There is a really interesting book at the library. (I read half of it last year but never finished it.) Its called “The Soul of Hip Hop: Rims, Timbs and a Cultural Theology” and it argues that “yes, hip hop is a religion.” It starts with a brief history of hip hop and then breaks down the theology into a theology of suffering, community, the hip hop Jesuz, social action and justice, and the profane. It relates these areas back to the Bible and religion in general. The book finishes with the hip hop missions (which I never got to). From what I remember, it compares hip hop to church and some of the artists being like pastors. It also talks about the vulgarity as being a necessary, and real, aspect of life for kids in the ghetto.

The Soul of Hip Hop (pt. 1)


Another example of how hip hop could be a religion comes from slam poets and a few artist that have performed in Laramie (Saul Williams, Slam NUBA and Mo Brown). It seems like some of them immerse themselves in it so deeply, it is a major aspect of who they are beyond just music but in a deep spiritual sense as well. The workshop with Slam NUBA was kind of about how art comes from the soul and truth.
Blog post about Slam NUBA and workshops

Another Slam NUBA video


Adrian Molina (Mo Brown) and Saul Williams also have work that incorporate religion and spirituality.

Research for Possible Graphics project

After all this research, I think I will do another poster series, or some other graphics/art project, on African American history and culture.

Some possible topics could be:

1. The importance of African American hair and its history.  Why people started relaxing their hair.  Why it is seem today as good or bad.
- Black is Beautiful
- Intro to Black Hair  - Coil Review
- My Natural Hair Journey

2. Various activists
- Assata Shakur
- Marcus Garvey
- Sojouner Truth

3. African music, art and poetry.  Though I have not posted much here are some artists, I found interesting.
- Slam NUBA
- African American Reading List   (Secret Life of Bees, From Strength to Love, Black Power and Black Theology, and Bullets (from Slam NUBA))
- For Colored Girls (should be added to my reading list)

4. "Black is Beautiful," "Black Pride" or "My Black is Beautiful." One of the main issues that I found on this topic is the debate between relaxed and natural hair and what it says about an African American woman.
- My Black is Beautiful


5. African religion and spirituality
African Spirits in the Diaspora

6. White Privilege and Light-Skinned Privilege (you get some for ex. I don't get followed at wall mart but still cant see myself in a wedding magazine to see what a dress would look like on me.) This topic could also talk about how all (most) people have privilege and how to use those privileges to stand up for others.

7. I am not sure how this would be used in a project, but the importance of Black Liberation Theology.


These are just some possibilities for research that I can use in future graphics projects...

African America Reading List

The Secret Life of Bees
By: Sue Monk Kidd

I worked at a church camp one summer and one of my campers gave me this book. It was the grandmother of three of the children (it was a family camp).  This book is about strong black women living in the 1960's dealing with life and racism.  I remember that I really liked the book but don’t remember much.

Book Review
Movie Trailer



Another clip of the movie and an interview with Alicia Keys.  I had no clue that she was in The Cosby Show.  Either way I have always love Alicia Keys...



From Strength to Love

This book is compiled of sermons from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They are incredibly powerful.

When reading this book you can really see how it is black theology.  MKL Jr. addresses African Americans and standing up to the white man with love an peace. 

When I was reading it I was really excited that I could see parallels with James Cone (which makes sense).















Black Power and Black Theology


James Cone

James Cone takes his theology from the Christianity of Martin Luther King and mixes it with a little Malcolm X.  We are starting to read one of his other books in my African American Religions Culture class.  It should be a good controversial read (considering I am going to school in Wyoming).

More information on James Cone








You Tube Video


What Obama’s church says about Obama is that he has deep roots in America’s history and his hisoty different from that of the average white person.  We are one America with the same history but denying that different people had very different experiences in that history is complete ignorance.  I think that the fear is that many people are afraid to admit that this historical difference still has major impacts in society.  Cone should also be seen as a art of the time period. 

God is the God of the oppressed.

Bullets by Suzie Q Smith

This is the next book on my reading list...

I have heard one of these poems performed love and loved it. The main aspect of slam poetry that I love is how it is usually socially active and intelligent. It is a powerful form of art that can, and will, change the world.

What books would you add to this list?

Slam NUBA

I attended The Good Mule Conference last weekend. One of the sessions included a workshop with the group Slam NUBA. The group was incredibly inspiring. We discussed writing from the heart and using art as a form of activism. My favorite poem was by Suzie Q and was about black beauty. I am having a hard time finding it (it is in this book but not online anywhere) but here is some of her other poetry. The first in this video was one that she performed for us.

Suzie Q
The second poem does include some swearing.

One of my favorite quotes from Suzie Q was that her “goal is not to make you hare [her] beliefs but to make you understand, to see, just for a moment.” This is so beautiful because that is what activism, and art, are all about. You want to educate people about an issue but your end goal is not always to agree but rather to both come out as better, more well rounded, and socially aware individuals.  If a piece leads to dialog, that is often more intriguing and beneficial than a conversion of ones beliefs.

In response to her second poem, I think I will be posting about God not being on sides (hmm I will either take the “God doesn’t pick a country” argument or the “what race is God topic?” Maybe I will write a post on both theories).

Bobby LeFebre and Ayinde Russell were the other two poets in the conference. I love how Bobby uses Spanish. It is so beautiful.  I remember when I asked my Spanish prfessor where a rule (I think about a stem change) came from and his response was "por que es mas bonita, es no fea como Ingles ."

Both of these guys had poems for their wives which inspiring as well.

The three of these performing artists were so full of soul and wisdom.

Bobbly LeFebre

I didn’t get to see either of these poem live.
Click here if the video doesn't play.

The passion and humor is great!

Ayindie Russell

We didn’t hear this one either…

We saw at least part of this. I don’t remember the “We rise together part” but do remember him singing “we are not alone.” Either way, I love it when people break out in song.

Click here if the video doesn't play.



I am curious to know where NUBA comes from. Does anyone know? or are you going to make me do all the work? :)