As a Chinese-American Woman
So, this little piece will touch on a number of things. Hopefully you will be able to follow along and be able to catch a glimpse of the vision that God has sketched inside of my heart/soul, I believe from long before I was even able to speak. I draw on quite a number of things as I share because they inform who I am, how I approach situations, issues, and topics. They have helped and still are helping to shape, form, and in many cases, further “cement” my personal convictions. It has been on my heart to speak about, be in dialogue with others about education, racial relations, diversity, multiculturalism (including but not limited to ethnicity), politics, immigrants and immigration, Women, Women in the Church, Women in Society, Men, Men in the Church, Men in Society, etc. All of these elements, I believe, are interconnected and have either negatively or positively impacted all spheres and sectors of life – personal/private and even more importantly, public life.
It is in that vein that I would like to contribute, beginning with what and who I am at the core: a Chinese-American woman. Both of my parents are Chinese immigrants (mom from Hong Kong and dad from a province in China) who still work tremendously hard to this day, so that both of their children could continue to pursue their dreams with as little obstacles and hindrances as possible. I recognize that because of their life-long efforts, my brother and I are both privileged (in some sense of the word). As a Chinese-American, out in society and the public sphere, I recognize and acknowledge that I am once again, privileged … Even if it is simply because certain people hold to their own stereotypes about a specific group of people (i.e. Asians, or more specifically “the Chinese” are the some of the most hardworking people, or they are honest and have integrity more than other groups of people – I always make mention of the Chinese mafia, some people laugh and others get some kind of freaked out). I don’t necessarily think privilege is wrong, inasmuch as it is a reality (for certain groups of people). Let me illustrate: The other day, I was sharing an observation of mine with a fellow colleague and I expressed that there are two groups of people in the world – those who have “Green Paper” and those who don’t have “Green Paper”. I continued on with how at some point, the color of your skin and how you sound or how you look doesn’t even matter anymore, because what anyone sees is that universal color – GREEN (as in either you’re like me and you have green paper and lots of it, an almost never-ending amount OR you are not like me, you don’t have green paper, or if you do, you only have a limited amount of it and thus can only be of a certain lifestyle - not like mine).
This leads me into the overarching and all-consuming element that I have come to observe and experience in North America, even New York City urban, metropolitan area, that we as a country, as a nation are an elitist people. Yes. Yes, we are, and this ideology even extends into our local churches, while bleeding into the universal Church. Think of how North Americans “do” Missions and Evangelism – Many people indoctrinate others from a North American way of teaching and believing (at some point throwing in theological and doctrinal terminology like “justification, by grace through faith”, “sanctification”, “substitutionary atonement”). Those things in and of themselves are not wrong, but at times they make me think of how whether intentionally or unintentionally, Americans, we think we are somehow superior to others, that our way(s) of “doing” Christianity, Politics, Leadership, War, Marriage and Family, etc. is better, our way of thinking (placing emphasis on the individual rather than community, etc.) is better and should be the standard. When really, I am left asking, what is the standard?
I am often reminded that the standard should be what God commands in His Word. The mandates that Scripture sets forth should be the standard. Of course, every single one of us picks and chooses what we deem to be the standard. We are selective about what we include in the list that we consider “standards in the standard”. Of course, almost everyone will deny this reality to death, but the truth is, it doesn’t die. The more we try to deny it, the more it actually comes to life. It’s like Scripture says, everything done in the darkness will eventually be revealed in the light. All this to say, for me, a Chinese-American woman, recognizing that I am someone who has some sort of privilege in the society, I desire for my life to be lived in such a way that I lend not only my voice, but my presence to any individual or community who functions in the belief that “two [or more than two] is stronger than one,” and that “there is power in numbers”, or even as Scripture says, two are stronger than one, when one falls, the other can … I don’t remember where exactly it is in the Bible, maybe Ecclesiastes, but hopefully you get the point. What if we all did that, lend our voices and our presence to each other – to those things that each of us mutually agrees on being vitally important (i.e. education reform, just one of many things to use as an example).
I don’t ever want the color of my skin or the shape of my eyes to be deterrents (things that cause people to distance themselves from me) and not even take a chance to get to know “the person beyond the shell” so to speak. I also wouldn’t want to do that to someone else. Many in society as well as the Church, perhaps even in our local churches do this very thing and it alienates people. Politicians do this too, and the same effect comes about – people are alienated. This should not be the Church’s response; as it also should not be the response of individual Christians. Recognize that there are huge socioeconomic disparities among the people of this nation, this city, even within our own churches. Recognize that there are ethnic and cultural differences, differences in values, morals, and upbringings. Recognize that there are theological and doctrinal differences. Acknowledge that all of these realities exist, while mustering up all the courage, humility, and bravery that you might think you don’t have, pull up your sleeves, and let’s get to work, people! I have to tell myself some version of this every single day, lest I become all the more apathetic, lethargic, and so much more “comfortable” in my privilege that I knowingly or unknowingly drown out the voices and the presence of those around me who are either silently or not-so-silently letting me know that two or three or four or five voices are stronger and more effective than one, that the presence of two or three or four or five individuals are stronger and more effective than that of one person. I think this Collaborative Blog Project serves as a perfect illustration for this: Alone, standing as individuals, our expressed thoughts are POWERFUL. While all of our voices coming together as one has the magnitude to start a revolution and bring about change – change in our communities, our friendships, our families, our marriages, our workplaces, even within our own selves, which I think is the most important facet because change, as cliché as it sounds begins with us – you, me, you and me.
From here on out, I hope that my writing (and your writing) is a way that I, we can continually lend my/our voice(s) and my/our presence to topics, causes, and issues that God has placed on each of our hearts, and in doing so, that we’d be able to see the beautiful tapestry that God is knitting together, with the different fabrics and patches, ultimately becoming a quilt of words – filled with truth, compassion, conviction, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. That I and we would write prophetically, prayerfully, and most importantly, communally.
For Further Reading:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-d-mclaren/just-because-you-love-jesus-doesnt-mean-you-have-to-disrespect-the-buddha-dishonor-muhammad-or-disregard-moses_b_1874103.html
http://theologyofcompassion.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/the-gospel-according-to-cowards/
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithforward/2012/08/band-aids-arent-enough-progressive-christian-social-justice/
http://eugenecho.com/2012/09/05/the-amazing-speeches-of-women-in-the-conventions-makes-the-silence-of-women-in-the-church-that-much-more-deafening/
http://sojo.net/blogs/2012/09/07/6-suggestions-christians-engaging-politics
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/politics/7-things-christians-need-remember-about-politics
So, this little piece will touch on a number of things. Hopefully you will be able to follow along and be able to catch a glimpse of the vision that God has sketched inside of my heart/soul, I believe from long before I was even able to speak. I draw on quite a number of things as I share because they inform who I am, how I approach situations, issues, and topics. They have helped and still are helping to shape, form, and in many cases, further “cement” my personal convictions. It has been on my heart to speak about, be in dialogue with others about education, racial relations, diversity, multiculturalism (including but not limited to ethnicity), politics, immigrants and immigration, Women, Women in the Church, Women in Society, Men, Men in the Church, Men in Society, etc. All of these elements, I believe, are interconnected and have either negatively or positively impacted all spheres and sectors of life – personal/private and even more importantly, public life.
It is in that vein that I would like to contribute, beginning with what and who I am at the core: a Chinese-American woman. Both of my parents are Chinese immigrants (mom from Hong Kong and dad from a province in China) who still work tremendously hard to this day, so that both of their children could continue to pursue their dreams with as little obstacles and hindrances as possible. I recognize that because of their life-long efforts, my brother and I are both privileged (in some sense of the word). As a Chinese-American, out in society and the public sphere, I recognize and acknowledge that I am once again, privileged … Even if it is simply because certain people hold to their own stereotypes about a specific group of people (i.e. Asians, or more specifically “the Chinese” are the some of the most hardworking people, or they are honest and have integrity more than other groups of people – I always make mention of the Chinese mafia, some people laugh and others get some kind of freaked out). I don’t necessarily think privilege is wrong, inasmuch as it is a reality (for certain groups of people). Let me illustrate: The other day, I was sharing an observation of mine with a fellow colleague and I expressed that there are two groups of people in the world – those who have “Green Paper” and those who don’t have “Green Paper”. I continued on with how at some point, the color of your skin and how you sound or how you look doesn’t even matter anymore, because what anyone sees is that universal color – GREEN (as in either you’re like me and you have green paper and lots of it, an almost never-ending amount OR you are not like me, you don’t have green paper, or if you do, you only have a limited amount of it and thus can only be of a certain lifestyle - not like mine).
This leads me into the overarching and all-consuming element that I have come to observe and experience in North America, even New York City urban, metropolitan area, that we as a country, as a nation are an elitist people. Yes. Yes, we are, and this ideology even extends into our local churches, while bleeding into the universal Church. Think of how North Americans “do” Missions and Evangelism – Many people indoctrinate others from a North American way of teaching and believing (at some point throwing in theological and doctrinal terminology like “justification, by grace through faith”, “sanctification”, “substitutionary atonement”). Those things in and of themselves are not wrong, but at times they make me think of how whether intentionally or unintentionally, Americans, we think we are somehow superior to others, that our way(s) of “doing” Christianity, Politics, Leadership, War, Marriage and Family, etc. is better, our way of thinking (placing emphasis on the individual rather than community, etc.) is better and should be the standard. When really, I am left asking, what is the standard?
I am often reminded that the standard should be what God commands in His Word. The mandates that Scripture sets forth should be the standard. Of course, every single one of us picks and chooses what we deem to be the standard. We are selective about what we include in the list that we consider “standards in the standard”. Of course, almost everyone will deny this reality to death, but the truth is, it doesn’t die. The more we try to deny it, the more it actually comes to life. It’s like Scripture says, everything done in the darkness will eventually be revealed in the light. All this to say, for me, a Chinese-American woman, recognizing that I am someone who has some sort of privilege in the society, I desire for my life to be lived in such a way that I lend not only my voice, but my presence to any individual or community who functions in the belief that “two [or more than two] is stronger than one,” and that “there is power in numbers”, or even as Scripture says, two are stronger than one, when one falls, the other can … I don’t remember where exactly it is in the Bible, maybe Ecclesiastes, but hopefully you get the point. What if we all did that, lend our voices and our presence to each other – to those things that each of us mutually agrees on being vitally important (i.e. education reform, just one of many things to use as an example).
I don’t ever want the color of my skin or the shape of my eyes to be deterrents (things that cause people to distance themselves from me) and not even take a chance to get to know “the person beyond the shell” so to speak. I also wouldn’t want to do that to someone else. Many in society as well as the Church, perhaps even in our local churches do this very thing and it alienates people. Politicians do this too, and the same effect comes about – people are alienated. This should not be the Church’s response; as it also should not be the response of individual Christians. Recognize that there are huge socioeconomic disparities among the people of this nation, this city, even within our own churches. Recognize that there are ethnic and cultural differences, differences in values, morals, and upbringings. Recognize that there are theological and doctrinal differences. Acknowledge that all of these realities exist, while mustering up all the courage, humility, and bravery that you might think you don’t have, pull up your sleeves, and let’s get to work, people! I have to tell myself some version of this every single day, lest I become all the more apathetic, lethargic, and so much more “comfortable” in my privilege that I knowingly or unknowingly drown out the voices and the presence of those around me who are either silently or not-so-silently letting me know that two or three or four or five voices are stronger and more effective than one, that the presence of two or three or four or five individuals are stronger and more effective than that of one person. I think this Collaborative Blog Project serves as a perfect illustration for this: Alone, standing as individuals, our expressed thoughts are POWERFUL. While all of our voices coming together as one has the magnitude to start a revolution and bring about change – change in our communities, our friendships, our families, our marriages, our workplaces, even within our own selves, which I think is the most important facet because change, as cliché as it sounds begins with us – you, me, you and me.
From here on out, I hope that my writing (and your writing) is a way that I, we can continually lend my/our voice(s) and my/our presence to topics, causes, and issues that God has placed on each of our hearts, and in doing so, that we’d be able to see the beautiful tapestry that God is knitting together, with the different fabrics and patches, ultimately becoming a quilt of words – filled with truth, compassion, conviction, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. That I and we would write prophetically, prayerfully, and most importantly, communally.
For Further Reading:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-d-mclaren/just-because-you-love-jesus-doesnt-mean-you-have-to-disrespect-the-buddha-dishonor-muhammad-or-disregard-moses_b_1874103.html
http://theologyofcompassion.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/the-gospel-according-to-cowards/
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithforward/2012/08/band-aids-arent-enough-progressive-christian-social-justice/
http://eugenecho.com/2012/09/05/the-amazing-speeches-of-women-in-the-conventions-makes-the-silence-of-women-in-the-church-that-much-more-deafening/
http://sojo.net/blogs/2012/09/07/6-suggestions-christians-engaging-politics
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/politics/7-things-christians-need-remember-about-politics
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