Community and Experience Part 1

I'll end the series with the least entertaining parts. It's not fun, but it fits.

Book and film reminded me of my own experiences with community. About a Boy and the Beach especially hit too close in some areas. I shared some of that in the last part. Here's the rest, give or take a bit.

When I was young, I didn't see church as a community. I saw people in suits who were all concerned whether I behaved myself. My dad was a Christian school principal, and I was reminded how bad behavior would reflect on his leadership.

As for me, I wanted to sit with my friends and get away with as much talking and joking around as we could. That usually didn't work out so well.

I later outgrew that phase, and wanted to attend another church. The deeply spiritual reason was the girl I liked attended this other church. My parents were not so spiritually minded.

I attended youth group at our church, and met more girls I liked. (Different girls at different times. Give me some credit.) I was distracted from my spiritual meditations long enough to learn skits and songs we would perform as a group in churches, at nursing homes and at homeless shelters. I spent much of that time arguing about why all the guys in our group had to wear the exact same kind of shirts. In my deep maturity, I thought it looked gay.

We always gave a gospel presentation at the end of our performances. It was nice, but I don't remember a single conversation we had with any of the people.

Actually, I do remember a single conversation. We were at a nursing home and I had to leave early for some reason. One of the residents grabbed me by the arm and told me where I could sit. She was helpful, but misinformed. I was confused at first, but I eventually shrugged and exited.

I'm sure God used these visits, skits and songs, or more importantly the message behind them. The problem is, even as a Christian I didn't get it.

In college I church-hopped. It's a little hard to grasp community when you do that. However, I wove my way between college cliques and built some friendships.

I'd done that since I was a preteen on a school trip to a park. The other students from our Christian school were being weird and rude to a group of skaters. I hung out with them. Later, I received a lecture about how they were losers. Since they were nicer than my friends at school, I didn't understand.

In college I confirmed the truth-skaters are the kindest souls on the planet. It's been scientifically proven. I'd hang out with them, the TV and movie group (mostly), the Asians and South Americans. Come to think of it, I met many people with Asian backgrounds at different times long before I had considered living in Asia a possibility. Total coincidence, I'm sure.

My favorite memories of Liberty University involve the unique friendships. But I graduated without so much as a girlfriend, so I viewed the experience as a failure.

I came to Korea years later and learned a lot about community. I lived in a dorm room with Koreans who shared to an extent I hadn't yet seen. They'd take whatever was in the fridge, but they'd give in the same way. I complain about theft, but this wasn't it. It was a replacement of the word "mine" with "ours". I sort of regret getting my own little refrigerator for my room. I guess I was hungry.