Sounds of Silence

Silence. Stares of discernment catapult to-and-fro across the room. Decisively making the next hand gesture, I communicated to my friend (James), a look of apprehension tells me, on this occasion, I got the sign right. In a blur of hand motions, James tells me that he is proud of my increasing ability to sign. Deplorably, I responded in turn through my own blur of hand motions (I knew this sentence well), 'No, I forget everything, I never practice.’ For what seemed like 15 minutes, but in actuality was over an hour, James and I continued this broken, silent conversation. For over an hour, we sat in silence and talked. For over an hour, we laughed in silence. For over an hour, we felt what it was like to be deaf. At the exhaustion of our conversation we broke our silence, our vocal chords dry.

I cannot stress enough how strange that feeling was. To be engaged in conversation for over an hour, but to not say a word, to actually LAUGH in silence. In this day and age, silence is almost non-existent. Noise has been eradicated through social media and accessible entertainment. A culture where waking up has become dependant on television, music & coffee. This world has found silence to become an eerie presence and almost extinct.

What am I to say then, about the culture that I am apart of? Even the means to which I now write this thought down comes through this same Electronic Age that is sending people deaf. With there myface’s and space-books (as says Murray from FOTC)… So what now? Conforming or Cocooning? Go out and destroy all electronic equipment, live out in a monastery or leave to Papua New Guinea or Africa? Accept what American culture is, use it but still try and show some restraint in the way that we conduct ourselves? OR Embrace it fully and use it to its full advantage regardless of anything...

In 2006 I was fortunately able to do some missionary work in Papua New Guinea. After spending time in PNG, I fell in love with ‘Eastern Spirituality.’ The way that they show others the kind of love and community that we westerner’s haven’t seen in this world for a long time. Living simply, needing almost nothing; A roof over their heads, a fire at night, weapons for hunting, and brothers and sisters living in a community, swapping and trading at need. When I came back, I was disgusted with the way my life was being lived, with the pointless amount of wasted hours spent in-front of the television or the computer screen. All I wanted to do was to sell all of my possessions to buy enough for a plane ticket back to PNG and then live there for the rest of my days.

People who travel to Africa and PNG or various other eastern minded countries, often come back with these same distastes. My room-mate and I have been discussing the revulsion for society that has come from seeing a world in poverty. A world seemingly alienated by God, a world surrounded by poverty.

It’s been three years since my time in Papua New Guinea, and since, have spent much time of reflection of my time there and what has become of my life now. Thinking about the elegant dance between materialism and existentialism, not wanting to be a part of either. But yet, still being a part of that culture. It is pointless me trying to live like an African in an American culture. It’s impossible. And if you disagree, then tell me when was the last time you drove somewhere? Last time you popped over to Kroger or Walmart? Walked around in rooms with “conditioned-air.”? Can I still hold true to those values, and have that eastern culture in my forefront theology, definitely. But it is going to be warped by the culture in which you now live!

We’re all a part of a diverse, multi-cultural society. We need to be adaptable, to be able to speak different cultural languages. It is the life in which we now live. By all means, walk barefoot into Walmart. Its probably the most cross-cultural you will get.

We need to realize that theology is open and reforming. Constantly. Stereotypically, those who consider themselves “liberal” bash those who are “conservative” and say they’re stuck in their ways and close-minded. Look both ways, because those who consider themselves “liberal” and open-minded, are becoming just what they hate the most. With opinions that they’re correct, and having considered all possible information, they formulate their views.

We’re in a world that is ever-changing. A world full of social media and entertainment. A world that is constantly reforming. Whichever side of the argument you find yourself on, do not forget that no matter what, you need to be reforming, constantly. Never believe that you ‘have it.’ Else, arrogance take you over.

This was not written to be state as truth. But more to prompt uncomfortable action, to promote conversation and reanalyzation. Think outside your culture, your views, your values. In case you haven’t noticed, there are other people on this planet besides your own.

May you get out of your house, sit amongst the nature of God, sit in silence and look at the world through contextual glasses that are not your own.