Inclusive and Excluded

Last updated on: May 6, 2011 at 3:41 pm by David Hayward

Inclusive and Excluded 2011-05-06T15:41:37-04:00 David Hayward

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I got this Facebook message yesterday from one of my readers:

Just ordered your book (see links below). I have been cracking up over the lack of “likes” on my links to your blog and cartoons. It is a testament to how many of my friends and family don’t get where I’m at, but love me anyway… Been unfriended already by the rest. Consider myself in good company. Thanks for sharing the insights you’ve gained along the way.

This is not an unusual email. I get these all the time from people who lose friends for friending the nakedpastor, and who are perplexed that their friends and family don’t appreciate my cartoons in the same way they do. Guilty by association.

We gravitate towards that which we agree with and drift away from that which we don’t. I also often get complaints from people who call my readers my “choir“, and that those with a more conservative viewpoint will get attacked if they express their opinion on my blog. Most blogs attract like-minded readers. Those who express their disagreement more than once or twice are labelled trolls.

Even though I have my own point of view, what I have always desired and hopefully worked for is unity in diversity. But it seems to me that the more diversity I endeavor to embrace the more excluded I become. It happened in the church and it happens on my blog. Whenever I talk about our unity with all others, someone has to correct me by pointing out that their particular idea of Jesus demands a special and exclusive understanding that attracts a certain kind of believer and disciple. Still, my most vociferously challenged posts are those where I raise my voice for wider inclusion. My z-theory, which endeavors to articulate a more unified theory of spirituality, is especially repugnant to many. It stirred up enough controversy while I was in the church that my superiors, having received heretic-hunters’ letters, felt it necessary to call me on it.

I personally believe the story of Jesus shows how his inclusivity got him killed. The same with Paul’s inclusion of the Gentiles. Down through history the greatest heroes of humanity are those who saw and worked and died for the unity of the whole human race.

So I think I’ll just keep being in this direction.

I already have a book out. For just $9, order “Nakedpastor101: Cartoons by David Hayward“, from amazon.com, amazon.ca, amazon.de.

Previous Post

May 6, 2011

small group white elephants

Next Post

May 7, 2011 unorthodox orphan

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category art cartoons cartoons 2 freebie music one minute message podcast Sophia teaching technology thought

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 March 2006 February 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who urged Esther to approach the king, saying, "For such a time as this"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Mordecai Ezra Haggai Nehemiah