Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Unacknowledged Prejudices Part One
About one year ago: Here I am again, worshipping with one of the most caring and wealthy congregations in the United States. Here I sit, beside my good friend and roommate. The stadium seating leaves bruses on my arm; my friend is half-again as large as I. We talk about race and gender in church and they give money to projects designed to help minorities; I am proud of that. Not only that but they donate their time to helping the homeless; I'm proud of that too.
These are, by all accounts, good people . . . at least to people of average stature. I look around. There are only three people in the panorama of my vision, halfway back in this two-thousand member congregation, who are either naturally large or overweight (the others have been driven off); too big for the seats, worked in-between the arm-rests, inch-by-inch, they painfully observe the severe asceticism pressed on them by the thoughtless architecture of a church who would be mortified to see this through my eyes: through the eyes of a friend who empathises with pain. But shouldn't anyone who immitates the Messiah empathize with those in pain?
I ask several people in the congregation, but they say things so like what many say about African-Americans and education, or Arabs and racial profileing, or Mexicans and the language barrier . . . "It isn't like we intended for it to be discriminatory. We are going to build a new building, so we decided that we'll wait to buy new seating." Perhaps this translation will help clarify the situation: "We never thought about avoiding discriminatory architecture (except for the handicapped, legally we have to do that). Currently, we think our new building is more important than doing what is right. When we build that, then, we'll do what is right." Others said, "We could put in benches in a section." Translation: "We can let the fat people have their own section."
I don't want to throw stones, they are a wonderful and generous congregation . . . a wonderful and generous congregation, when it comes to people like them. I love them and I like them, and I'm proud of many things that they do, but I am ashamed of their seating. They bemoan the small numbers of racial minorities in their midst, but they never thought about their exclusion of people of larger stature.
These are, by all accounts, good people . . . at least to people of average stature. I look around. There are only three people in the panorama of my vision, halfway back in this two-thousand member congregation, who are either naturally large or overweight (the others have been driven off); too big for the seats, worked in-between the arm-rests, inch-by-inch, they painfully observe the severe asceticism pressed on them by the thoughtless architecture of a church who would be mortified to see this through my eyes: through the eyes of a friend who empathises with pain. But shouldn't anyone who immitates the Messiah empathize with those in pain?
I ask several people in the congregation, but they say things so like what many say about African-Americans and education, or Arabs and racial profileing, or Mexicans and the language barrier . . . "It isn't like we intended for it to be discriminatory. We are going to build a new building, so we decided that we'll wait to buy new seating." Perhaps this translation will help clarify the situation: "We never thought about avoiding discriminatory architecture (except for the handicapped, legally we have to do that). Currently, we think our new building is more important than doing what is right. When we build that, then, we'll do what is right." Others said, "We could put in benches in a section." Translation: "We can let the fat people have their own section."
I don't want to throw stones, they are a wonderful and generous congregation . . . a wonderful and generous congregation, when it comes to people like them. I love them and I like them, and I'm proud of many things that they do, but I am ashamed of their seating. They bemoan the small numbers of racial minorities in their midst, but they never thought about their exclusion of people of larger stature.
Comments:
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Well said. The issue has kept me form attending at least two congregations locally.
# posted by 
: 5/24/2006 9:04 AM
: 5/24/2006 9:04 AM
THis is an interesting post. The church is very good at meeting people's needs outside of church, but inside they are unaware of what keeps people from attending. Very interesting.
I hope no one minds if I forward a few responses from people who commented elsewhere:
Kathy wrote: Ty Frost!
I couldn’t agree with you blog entry any more if I’d written it!!
It attests to the love extended by the members of the unnamed congregation that some of us suffer through pain and discomfort each time we have to sit in those horrid stadium seats.
My poor injured back screams and hollers at me for half a week, rests for couple of days and then comes the next torture session. Yipes. Surely am happy that about half the service time is spent standing while singing, greeting, etc. giving a rest from the seat’s torture.
Mike wrote: . . . Ty and Kathy - The unnamed church whose identity we are so carefully protecting — — does have a ways to go with making the building more accessible for larger people. The whole auditorium needs to be redone. We were so thankful that in the last renovation we were able to finally become handicap accessible.
Kathy wrote: Thanks, Mike
One clarification though, it isn’t so much a case of size [huh? ] as it is a case of physical limitations, in my case at least. Getting in and out of those seats with a compromised back is a real challenge. But I wouldn’t trade the unnamed congregation for all the more accessible seating in town.
Buddy wrote: . . . As a large person, 5′10″ , 310 pounds squeezing into small auditorium seats is tough, but so is sitting on airplanes, buses etc. Thanks to Ty for his empathy.
elisabeth wrote: Ty, we need to have a bond election in our churches to vote in pews . . . .
Kathy wrote: Ty Frost!
I couldn’t agree with you blog entry any more if I’d written it!!
It attests to the love extended by the members of the unnamed congregation that some of us suffer through pain and discomfort each time we have to sit in those horrid stadium seats.
My poor injured back screams and hollers at me for half a week, rests for couple of days and then comes the next torture session. Yipes. Surely am happy that about half the service time is spent standing while singing, greeting, etc. giving a rest from the seat’s torture.
Mike wrote: . . . Ty and Kathy - The unnamed church whose identity we are so carefully protecting — — does have a ways to go with making the building more accessible for larger people. The whole auditorium needs to be redone. We were so thankful that in the last renovation we were able to finally become handicap accessible.
Kathy wrote: Thanks, Mike
One clarification though, it isn’t so much a case of size [huh? ] as it is a case of physical limitations, in my case at least. Getting in and out of those seats with a compromised back is a real challenge. But I wouldn’t trade the unnamed congregation for all the more accessible seating in town.
Buddy wrote: . . . As a large person, 5′10″ , 310 pounds squeezing into small auditorium seats is tough, but so is sitting on airplanes, buses etc. Thanks to Ty for his empathy.
elisabeth wrote: Ty, we need to have a bond election in our churches to vote in pews . . . .
Hey Ty!
I have been a lurker for a while now and thought it was time to say hi and that I really like your blog! I read Gina's too and you guys are funny!
I have not found any blogs from my generation of the Vancouver youth group except for Jared's (thanks to your link). I guess I am too old! I love reading the ones I have found like yours!
Have a great day!
Suzanne
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I have been a lurker for a while now and thought it was time to say hi and that I really like your blog! I read Gina's too and you guys are funny!
I have not found any blogs from my generation of the Vancouver youth group except for Jared's (thanks to your link). I guess I am too old! I love reading the ones I have found like yours!
Have a great day!
Suzanne
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