The First Controversial Topic

I want to make an important point before I begin expressing my opinions to the public.

I am an extremely opinionated person. Not only opinionated, but passionate, which can be a dangerous combination. When I speak, I speak with confidence, surety, and very often loudly. 

But know this, I speak equally as passionate about politics as I do about pizza.

It doesn't matter the topic, I have an opinion and I will gladly share it.

That being said, I also love and value other people's opinions.

I love hearing a disagreeing thought or a contrasting view. 

All opinions are valuable, not necessarily right, but valuable. So I love to hear them.

I'll have you know I am often wrong, and I pray I'm quick to admit it.

But it is through conversation, shared opinions, and Christ's work on us that

our opinions are directed toward truth and our minds sharpened.

I find great joy in listening to and learning from others opinions and views, and I just hope 

people can listen to and learn from mine. 

So please, as I put my thoughts and questions out into cyber space, 

please know that I, too, am trying to figure this "life" thing out

and we have the opportunity to do it together;

to challenge, sharpen, and grow in our ideas 

and hopefully, in this process, draw

closer to truth. 

Freedom in Culture & Freedom in Christ

This past year, I got box braids. 

I had wanted them for years and felt that it was time.

I sought opinions from multiple friends, both black and white, to hear their views.

While all of my black friends and the majority of my white friends were all about the idea, encouraging me with the usual, "You can pull it off," some of my other friends cautioned against it, claiming that it was culturally insensitive. 

I disregarded the concern and got braids. 

I loved them.

The braids were praised by not only my black and white friends, but by multiple strangers from the black community. While I had always felt welcomed and loved from the black circles I was apart of, there was a new form of acceptance that wasn't previously experienced. 

It wasn't until recently, months after having the braids removed, that the topic of why

this is culturally insensitive came up. 

My friends (none of whom are black) graciously opened my eyes as to how

my having braids could be another form of white supremacy. After such a wonderful and eyeopening conversation regarding these cultural laws, I felt the need to explore these do's and don'ts that, because I was not raised in this country, I'm evidently completely unaware of. 

So here I am, after a plethora of conversations, YouTube videos, articles, and searching scripture, with a new found opinion on what it means to have freedom in your culture or other cultures, and how that looks while having freedom in Christ. 

With the fashion industry and culture booming with never-ending "new fads," there have been many fads put to a quick end because of their insensitivity to religion. For example, Native American headdress was a quick fad. It came quickly and left even quicker. This religious symbol was a tribal representation of the knowledge and experiences gained by leaders of a tribe, often relating to their spiritual journey. So for obvious reasons, these should not be flaunted carelessly. Similarly, the Hindu bindi became a temporary fashion statement but was quickly shamed for the disrespect it gave to those who wear it for religious identification. There is nothing wrong with finding and appreciating the beauty that these elements offer. The fault lies in respecting and understanding that, as one who does not share those beliefs, it is offensive to those who's lives were and are marked by them.

To many people, wearing Aztec patterns, Japanese robes, Indian henna, or even French berets, is not considered offensive. These things are not religiously associated and therefore people have felt the freedom to enjoy these beauties beyond cultural boundaries. 

In my previous mindset, I thought having box braids would be in that same category. But I was enlightened to realize that it is not, merely because of the color of my skin. 

Due to the historical dynamics between white culture and black culture in the United States, it is seen as white supremacy for a white woman to have box braids. There is this new pattern being recognized in this country that certain attributes of black women that were once shamed and deemed ugly are now being glorified as beautiful, but only through the influence of white women; this ranges from big lips to a big booty. Through the love and desire for box braids, I am now being accused of taking yet another thing from black women that was once shamed (their hair), and influencing this country's view of it now being seen as beautiful. 

It makes me sad that the natural beauty of black hair has been and still is being shamed. It is real that women and men of the black community are asked to change or alter that for job positions and other reasons. It makes me sad that this country is still setting a standard of beauty even though we preach the beauty of diversity. It makes me sad that the black community has always had to bend to white culture, and there has never been an open encouragement to blend the two... Three, eight, twenty cultures represented in this country.

Being the stubborn, rebellious, no chill, over-thinking woman that I am, I needed Christ to solidify the truth that I was missing in this (deeper than box braids) cultural issue. 

When it comes to culture, there is beauty in all of it. There are centuries of evolution in culture as to why certain countries, nations, tribes, and races do things the way they do. There is history beyond our recording and beyond our understanding of how cultures have come to be the way they are. The coolest thing about that is that God, in all His creative and beautiful designing, has been forming and shaping these cultures since He first placed humanity on earth. The diversity of beauty in this world is only a reflection of the diversity of beauty that our God takes joy in, and something I think He wants us to take joy in, too. I think that this fear of embracing other cultures is yet another way that sin has brought division and the lack of unity between the many represented cultures in this country and throughout our world. 

All throughout the Bible, we see how the people of God have dealt with and adapted to different cultures. In some cases it was commanded and in others it was shamed, mostly when affiliated with other religions (*important point: religion and culture, though often inter-influenced, are completely different). When it comes to being a Christian, it is really hard to determine where the lines are drawn sometimes. The perfect passage for me to get a (almost) clear understanding on this issue was from Romans 14.  

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.11 It is written:“As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,‘every knee will bow before me, every tongue will acknowledge God.”12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. 

Pretty heavy stuff, huh? It's funny how something so small as eating meat, drinking alcohol, and wearing braids is so influential to our faith and the faith of others. You wouldn't think that it's that big of a deal but it is. 

So, like I said, this ALMOST gives a clear perspective on how to respond in this and other issues. 

If I want to wear braids, I have the freedom in Christ to do so. BUT, though I haven't personally encountered any, if anyone of the black community takes offense to that and it leads them to have a bitter heart, that is not loving of me and therefore sin on my part. If something not considered sinful like braids, eating meat, drinking alcohol, causes a brother or sister to stumble, it, therefore, is not done in love. 

And this is where it gets difficult. Because no matter what anyone does today, someone will be offended, hurt, or caused to have a bitter heart. It is inevitable. But are we supposed to live our lives in the constant fear of offending others? I don't think so. Expanding on that, I also don't think we are suppose to live our lives waiting for the opportunity to be offended, either. And if we are constantly in that mind set, we are seeking a bitter heart. 

Throughout the Gospels we can see Jesus not being enslaved my cultural laws and cultural norms. When Jesus was on this earth, He shattered these cultural do's and don'ts. He showed that His love went beyond these laws. He was not enslaved to these rules, and neither are we.

Romans 14 has really changed my perspective and response to having braids. Before the desire to look into this issue, I would have had the braids done regardless of other opinions. 

But Christ has convicted my heart and opened my eyes to this idea of having the freedom in Him to love my brothers and sisters is so much more important than having the freedom in culture to wear box braids. It is only because of the freedom that I have in Christ that I really do have freedom in culture; to love, appreciate, and embrace them. But I also have the freedom to love my brothers and sisters and say no to my desires to embrace other cultures if it causes them to have a bitter heart. If I knew that I'd be in the company of someone who would have a bitter heart if I ate meat or drank alcohol, I would be cautious and sensitive to that. So I should have the same caution and sensitivity in regards to box braids. 

So, if I choose to not get box braids again, I want the world to know that it is not under a cultural law that I am obligated to follow. The choice would be out of the desire to love my brothers and sisters by not giving them the opportunity to harden their heart under my influence. 

If I do decide to have box braids again, it is because I have experienced freedom in Christ, a freedom beyond cultural laws and norms that this world is held captive to. I would hope that the color of my skin wouldn't effect my ability and desire to show my appreciation for the beauty in other cultures that I long to embrace, but unfortunately that will never be the case as long as this world is enslaved to cultural laws. 

Which leads me to wonder how this change will ever come about if some aren't willing to boldly break these cultural laws and have the uncomfortable conversations regarding this desire to be a beautiful blend of cultures. As a nation and as a world, we are quick to say we desire unity. But do we really? At whose expense can this happen? Can we love diversity, but as sinners incapable to embrace it lovingly? Will it only be in heaven that God's original and beautiful design will be seen? Or can we, in all our faults, attempt that here on earth through the freedom found in Him and in a response to His borderless love? 

Like I said, I'd love to hear thoughts and opinions on these things. All we can do is continue to seek truth in all aspects of life, and it's so much more enjoyable struggling through that together.