“Once you label me, you negate me.”
This is easily one of the best sentences Kierkegaard ever scribbled. It was even quoted in the early 90s classic “ Wayne’s World,” in Mandarin Chinese, no less. It is one of the only phrases by a “philosopher” I have actually read
and understood.
At the risk of labeling humanity, I offer a humble observation: It seems most people give in to an inescapable temptation to quickly label, categorize, and inadvertently judge the unknown—be it people, places, events, ideas, institutions, societies, religions, cultures, fashions, trends, generations, and even (and especially) churches. Perhaps for fear of the unknown or for ease of interaction, we are incredibly inclined to reduce, to generalize, and to title. The quicker we can name, classify, or put our thumb on anything—a person, an establishment, an idea, or (again) a church—the less threatening that unknown ‘something’ is to our own sense of order. Yet, as old uncle Kierkegaard suggests, the moment we label something—even positively—we run a grave risk of denying its ultimate, rich, multi-faceted essence. I’d daresay that when we label or judge, we are actually saying less about the person/thing we label than we are about ourselves.
About a month ago I was conversing with a college student whose opinion and wisdom I greatly admire and secretly envy. She proclaimed that she was “
sick of all the church-bashing” that she tended to hear. What made her complaint so intriguing was that she was not simply bemoaning the fact that (dare I label) “conservative” or “traditional” or “older” churches were zealously attacking the “liberal,” “progressive,” and “younger” groups, but that the same was happening in the
opposite direction: The “liberal and/or progressive and/or younger” bunch tended to dish out just as much irony-laced venom as they tended to receive!
If we were truly Christ’s church, why the labels? Why the accusations? Why the judgments? Why the negations? Why the continual attacks over things that seemed so banally trivial?
Was the older generation to be deemed eternally “legalist” while the younger generation deemed eternally “liberal” (whatever those labels actually mean)? Does it really line up that easily? Does it basically amount to that?
Of course it doesn’t, nor will it ever. Some of the most “conservative” folks I know are in college, some of the most “liberal” are in their 60s. As a minister, I have caught myself labeling another church (people I don’t even know!) based on stories from others, thus unfairly negating their wonderful Spirit-filled essence. On the flipside, I have also heard my own church labeled and/or derided by people who have never even attended a service. It stings—like a backhand slap to the face, like someone slandering my own family.
For fear of the unknown, we are accusing, labeling, and in turn negating fellow members of Christ’s Body. I say this to our collective shame, but I also say it as a friendly, encouraging challenge to all college students and young adults: Your generation can easily reverse this trend: Consider the words of Christ and his apostle John:
- 1. “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” (Matthew 7.1) Do not define yourself by what you judge inferior or lacking in others. Do not consider for a second that you are more spiritual or more enlightened in any way, even to those who attack you. Focus on spreading Christ’s love, and let the ‘labels’ fall where they may. Resist the urge to “church-bash,” even if you are fully convinced that the church in question deserves your scorn! The only one qualified to judge anything is God.
- 2. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Matthew 7.12) This is perhaps the most obvious and yet overlooked maxim in the NT. If you wish to receive love, forgiveness, and understanding, then freely give these to others—even those in the Body of Christ that annoy, label, test, and negate you! It doesn’t guarantee that you will be treated kindly (see #3), but it is certainly a more joyful way to live out our faith!
- 3. “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5.39) If you are insulted or attacked, even by another church member or congregation, just let it go! Your #1 priority is to follow Christ, to live out the message of the Gospel, and to share that Gospel with others. If you take this priority seriously, then you have no time to engage in petty insult games, even over what some may deem to be of great ‘doctrinal’ importance. If you feel attacked or labeled—especially from another member of the Body—again, just let it go!
- 4. “Perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4.18) Perfect love does not judge, nor does it keep record of wrongs. Perfect love melts away the fear of the unknown that causes us to label and judge others. Perfect love does not feel the need to build itself up at the expense of another. Perfect love is what Christ shows us, as well as those that label us, as well as those we feel qualified to label.
After meditating on these verses, I’d like to suggest that you now consider erasing the following from your vocabulary: “Conservative”, “Liberal”, “Progressive”, “Legalistic”, “Modern”, “Postmodern”, “Emergent”, “Stagnant”, “Change Agent”, “Pharisee”, “Visionary”; “Lacking Vision”; “Old”; “Young”; “Traditional”; “Dogmatic”; “Hypocritical”, and especially “Judgmental”. Lest we be reminded of Paul’s concern: “
If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” (Galatians 5.15)
“Once you label me, you negate me.” Kierkegaard was a pretty smart fellow.
In closing, he reminds me of something another pretty smart fellow once wrote to the Church:
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“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” The Apostle Paul (Ephesians 4.2-3)
Mark Wylie () currently serves as the Young Adult Minister for the University Church of Christ in Denver , CO. He and his wife Susan have been married for 9 years and have two children, 3 year old Andrew and 7 week old Michaela. He is also working to establish a ministry presence on the DU campus through his involvement with the DU Center for Religious Services.
