There are those who expect colleges and universities to provide something called a "safe space." By the use of the word, "safe," our minds think the term refers to physical safety, but if that's the case, we are oh, so wrong.
WHAT'S A SAFE SPACE?
A safe space is a geographical location on campus where students can feel safe ideologically, emotionally, and good all the time. A safe space is a bubble which
insulates students from the views of people who are different, ideas which upset them. The location provides psychological protection. Brown University provides a safe space with cookies, coloring books, bubbles, Play-Doh, calming music, pillows, blankets, and a video of puppies. These items are for students, ages 18 and beyond.
An uncomfortable idea could be anything, written or oral, such as an argument against abortion, an informal conversation which expresses the view that the federal government should not be involved in health care. Words written on a sidewalk with chalk in support of a candidate for office may so upset a student they drive him or her to a safe space. One student, upon hearing her professor say,"I'm against abortion, but it is permitted under the law," became upset; she began to cry and fled the classroom.*
A safe space is the result of the idea that people have the right to absolute emotional comfort at all times. Is that "right" in the Constitution somewhere? James Madison would say, "No, we didn't put it there."
Once in a safe space, no one will express an idea which offends you or makes you feel uncomfortable. In a safe space, there's no debate, no arguing to defend your position, and no exchange of viewpoints. In the words of academia, there's no one in a safe space to trigger you.
NO BUBBLE FOR THE BELIEVER
But for the Christian living in the Kosmos, the world arranged by Satan to leave God out, there's no such thing as a safe space. Jesus didn't provide us with one. As a matter of fact, He deliberately commanded us not to try to live in one, isolated from those who hold different viewpoints. Monasteries and nunneries weren't His idea.
When did Jesus command us not to live in a bubble? (Glad you asked.) He did so in one of the most famous statements He made, one inscribed in our churches all over the world--the Great Commission,which literally says: "After you have gone (aorist participle) disciple all the nations . . .," It has the force of a command. So, then, we're to go to the nations and nations certainly have different opinions than we do.
By saying, "After you have gone," (with the force of a command) Jesus is telling us to deliberately go out of our way into areas where we confront different viewpoints. That doesn't sound like a safe space, does it?
BUT I WANT MY BUBBLE
Yet, there's the tendency to construct our Christian safe spaces. How so? If you don't want to go to a gym where there are unbelievers, there are Christian aerobics and weightlifting classes in our churches and on video. If you don't want to play on a team in which a non-Christian might be the pitcher, the center, or the coach, there are church softball and basketball leagues. There are cafes and bowling alleys for church people only.
If you feel like you're missing out on all the fun, in Illinois, there's a Christian night club, called "Club Jesus" where you can dance and drink non-alcoholic beverages called, "Repentance," "Faith,"and "Virgin Mary." While enjoying your glass of Repentance, you can listen to rap, jazz, and poetry. (The club is somehow justified by Ecclesiastes 3:1, and from that verse, the owner of the Jesus Club says, "God wants us to have fun.")
But, getting back to the safe spaces, Jesus didn't build one for us. He sends us out into the Kosmos of clashing viewpoints, all of which leave God out. He commands us to go into places where they don't understand us. He sends us into locations where people hate us. He propels us out where people think we're fools and what we're saying is foolishness.
The book of Acts contains one example after another of the Apostles and those early day Christians deliberately placing themselves with people who clashed over and over with them. Like the Sower in the parable, obeying the Great Commission doesn't just happen accidentally, the planting of the seed is deliberate.
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*The professor was giving an example to the class of how we may disagree with a law, but we're to obey it. The student went to the dean; the teacher was dismissed.
Most Christians prefer their safe space. This is the biggest flaw in the church today - Being Spoiled -- Yes, being spoiled, by staying insulated from viewpoints that are uncomfortable and different and hard to deal with. When confronted with a different view that is uncomfortable, most Christians arrogantly judge, condemn, turning their backs and walk away - leaving that person feeling rejected. Have you ever had anyone in the church condemn you, reject you, and walk away? Or worse, throw you away? It is the most painful hurt anyone can do to another person, and the sad fact is that it is very, very common in the church today.
ReplyDeleteMany, many people have left the church because of hurts inflicted on them there. Christians love to bludgeon with their own self righteousness knowledge, and what they consider the unacceptability of others. However, for those of us who have experienced this type rejection, and then run to the arms of Jesus for comfort, we learn first how wrong it is to do this, and how much we are loved. We must realize our acceptance is as stable as quicksand in the hands of the fallen and the flawed. And we must learn to look to God for our assessment of ourselves and our acceptability. Second, we learn how important it is to reach out in witness to others, and to teach the difference in God's love and acceptance compared to the love and acceptance of man. Then, third, we must learn to confront wrong thinking with Grace, and then to teach people out of Love rather than condemnation and rejection. Being a Christian is not meant by God to be a safe existence. It is meant to be a humbling, and sacrificial existence.
To be hurt, rejected, and alone is the greatest gift and the greatest blessing God can give us. But like all blessings, after we are blessed by growing closer to God and getting to know Him better, we must be willing to be sent out into the uncomfortable world, to experience the evil of the world so we can confront it, teach truth, and help Jesus save it.