Skip to main content

A Note to Readers of Purple Hibiscus and Skeptics:

"Father Benedict usually referred to the Pope, Papa, and Jesus- in that order." *Doubletake* Is this some sore sort of variation of the Holy Trinity?

As a Christian, reading Purple Hibiscus makes me uneasy. Papa, a pious Christian, physically abuses his wife. Aren't Christians supposed to be moral? Yes, I'm not close to being perfect (in fact, why I believe Jesus to be my savior), but seeing the blatant hypocrisy of Papa and many other church leaders is questionable. He may donate and be mentioned in the priest's sermons, but don't be deluded, that's not what Christianity entails.

I've seen it myself. In a Korean church full of tradition, there's a sort of order that must be kept. Bow to the pastors and highly esteemed elders. Invite church leaders for dinner. Give generously. Yet despite my performative respect I offer to such leaders, I've heard of the church politics, financial disputes, and personal stories behind facades. I hope I'm not deterring you from faith, though. The institution of religion is often corrupt (you've seen it with the Pope). But, true religion is personal faith, guided by a church's teachings. 

So if you ever decide to approach Christianity or read Purple Hibiscus, heed the dangers of a sole reliance on the church. The focus on the development of your personal relationship with God is what makes you religious, not just performance. So please don't perceive Christians as hypocritical performative abusers!

Now go on and read!

Comments

  1. I love the personal connection you make in this blog post. Performative acts are super common, whether it's in activism or religious settings, so I'm glad you highlighted the importance of having a personal relationship <3

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Seeing Age

 I sit in my world history class, peering at an array of faces on my screen. All freshmen, classmates speak with an eagerness and a light in their eyes; they're yet to be dulled by the drabness of high school. They're faces, still undeveloped and bright, remind me of children. Given, I probably appear like a sophomore (at the most) to others, but I'm surprised to see the effect of a three-year gap on our appearances. I still distinctly remember being greeted as I entered my second-grade classroom by Ms. Schwarz's guest: a past student who was now a freshman in high school. She stood heads above me, with the face and personality of an adult. Thoughts ran through my head as I looked at her in awe. Will I ever reach high school? How does it feel to be so old and mature? Now thoughts run through my mind as I sit at home, being greeted by high-pitched "hi's" and "hellos" projected through my computer. When did I get so old? Why don't I feel like a...

Fact or Fiction?

Stereotypes. They are generalized assumptions about a group of people like "Asians are smart," or "Americans are fat and dumb"-- statements we all know too well. And the thing with stereotypes is that they hold true to a certain extent. That's why they can be so offensive! But have you ever wondered how or why these stereotypes came to be? Jews, in particular, are often seen as frugal and even greedy, and in Maus , Spiegelman makes no attempt to hide that. Repeatedly, Spiegelman interrupts the chronology of Vladek's Holocaust account to allow Vladek to complain about his family's use of money. On page 116 of Maus I , Vladek picks up a telephone wire laying among some trash, and in response, Art becomes irritated and asks, "can't you just buy  wire?" This kind of reaction is understandable, as Vladek seems to reinforce such a negative stereotype.  What Art and most people don't realize, though, is that Vladek's experience...

Welcome Back

Every meeting, email, or letter begins with a greeting. "Good morning," "hello," or "dear *recipient.*" Only once an opening has been made can the intent of communication be addressed. However, though unnecessary in content, such polite phrases serve to transition and maintain friendly relations beyond just solemn work. In Korean, the staple greeting comparable to "hi" or "hello," literally means, how are you? However, no one interprets it that way or responds to the question. Despite not staying true to its meaning, it is a necessary means of easing into the meat of a conversation. Very isolated from the other employees, I often found myself asking for favors or questions at work without saying "hi" or "how are you" first. I noticed I was disrupting their work and disregarding their existence as a person and instead only seeing them as a source of inquiry. By bypassing any greeting, any conversation becomes too a...