I've been thinking a bit about about this comedy routine by Brian Regan I saw a couple of months ago.
Funny and incisive.
True.
In his book Humiliation of the Word, Jaques Ellul suggests that it's only through the concrete act of listening (as opposed to merely seeing) that humans find themselves situated in the universe of truth, for "nothing beside language can establish the order of truth." In this sense, listening-- real active, receptive listening--is one of the most spiritually profound acts we can do.
Spiritually profound, and entirely counter-intuitive.
More intuitive is the impatient waiting for the other's lips to stop moving. "You? ME! See the difference?" Because to listen-- to listen well-- means assuming an entirely receptive posture, a posture of not-knowing, of genuine curiosity and generosity and self-awareness-- it means refusing to use others' stories as merely means to our own ends.
All of this, again, is counter intuitive; but it's there, in this risky openness to the other, that we find ourselves "truthing one another," as St. Paul put it for the Ephesians. And in that truthing, I think, there is the potential for real healing and spiritual growth together as Christian community.
2 comments:
Oh that bit by Brian Regan is priceless. I don't know if it is just a hazard of ministry or not (which by definition involves a lot of listening, and welcomes people to talk about themselves) but I have had times where I've wondered what ever happened to people ASKING rather than TELLING.
I'd heard about that Jacques Ellul book and was intrigued. Are you reading it? I think you have it right that this listening has to lead to truthing. It has to do so to get to the redemptive potential of the gospel of reconciliation.
But for so many of us (and I'll include myself of course), listening is a neglected art, the lack of which hurts us as much as those we never listen to.
This reminds me of something I read recently from another contemporary philosopher, Slavoj Zizek (who was in turn borrowing from Derrida). He was reflecting on the cultural fallout of 9/11 and talked about humble entry into true dialogue as the one hope for justice in our global village. He quoted Derrida, who said: "Evil resides (also) in the innocent gaze itself which perceives Evil all around."
I think Derrida and Zizek have important words for our time, but to imply that hope for justice and communion resides in our humble listening is to say too much. Like you said here, it has to lead to truth, through real truthing, as you put it.(I'm not trying to give a shameless plug here Dale, but if you want you can find this under the slavoj zizek tag on my blog.)
Fantastic stuff Dale. Amazing how comedians have such an ability to preach at times. I sometimes wonder whether many pastors have tried so hard to captivate and entertain like comedians that they've sacrificed their truthing stage to tell a few warm illustrations and jokes, thus giving all the ground to the comedians, who not only entertain but, in that relatively safe venue where you can say pretty much anything, also manage to "truth" us precisely where we need it most, and might otherwise be too offended to listen.
Thanks to Jon I too listened and read your piece. I've met too few people who ask lots of questions rather than tell you lots of stuff. I've also noticed a very small minority of people who hide behind question asking so you don't get too close to their lives. I notice many times where i must discipline myself to listen and keep on listening to others. So many things block listening: selfishness, busyness, boredom (some aren't easy to listen to), trains of thought (both profound and useless), etc. And how about listening to God? Some say listen to God solely in the Bible but listen to my slant on it only. Others say listen to Him in quietness and contemplation. I guess the point is to truly listen. Thank you for this.
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