Us and Them... (And after all, we're only ordinary men...)

If you're reading this and you're unaware of my affinity for Pink Floyd, you now know my favorite band and my new favorite song by them (it has changed often). This brief thought might help to explain why.

Their album, Dark Side of the Moon is one of their most popular records, and probably one of their most influential. Anecdotally, (Yes, it's a word... but not really) I was once at an LCM lunch back in Moorhead wearing one of my Dark Side of the Moon shirts (I have three) and a student (who seemed to know EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING) said that she enjoyed my shirt. She loved him (in reference to I assume Mr. Pink Floyd of course...) and his album 'Bad Moon'... I smiled, nodded and went up to go get more food, chuckling to myself as I remembered other people assuming there was a Mr. Pink Floyd, as much as there was a Mr. Led Zeppelin...

Well I've always had a deep respect,
And I mean that most sincerely.
The band is just fantastic,
that is really what I think.
Oh by the way, which one's Pink?
 - Have a Cigar - Pink Floyd
http://www.pink-floyd-lyrics.com/html/have-a-cigar-wish-lyrics.html

Us and Them is stuck mostly in the middle of the album, tucked between two of their more famous tracks from the album, Money and Brain Damage (which utters the words "I'll see you on the dark side of the moon"). So unless one listens to the album all the way through, they may skip this song with snippets of progressive lyrics which still ring true today:

Us, and them
And after all we're only ordinary men.
Me, and you.
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do

Black and blue
And who knows which is which and who is who.
Up and down.
But in the end it's only round and round.

Down and out
It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about.
With, without.
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?
http://www.pink-floyd-lyrics.com/html/us-and-them-dark-lyrics.html

Our world is full of these dichotomies, and others. I've written about my own struggles with my version of Us and Them, or rather Me and Them... My life vs every other seminarian who comes from other backgrounds... but supposedly we're all thrown into a much larger melting pot soon enough and we all soon become just seminarians focused on the mission, leaving behind our former identities...

It's the dichotomies that Roger Waters picks out in the last two quatrains that get to a different issue, and seem to play a bigger role in my life and everyone else's. I may have my own identity issues when it comes to seminary, but my identity as a person who grew up poor and came close to being homeless as an adult is very real to some, and shouldn't be. I need to focus less on the 'Them' at the seminary and more on the 'Them' in our world, on our streets, and in our hearts.

What I'm getting at is that the 'Us' in this dichotomy is those of us who are privileged enough to attend seminary, much less a university.

On the privilege scale, I'm pretty high up there. I'm a college-educated straight white male who is able-bodied and a Christian. I'm married to a working wife who brings home enough money to put food in our bellies and fuel in the gas tank. I attend a private graduate-level institution and my job prospects after graduation are quite high. I'm very privileged and very blessed for all that I have, and I am very thankful for all that I have and am able to have.

The 'Them' in this dichotomy is those that have less than the above description. Take any of those basic, fundamental descriptors away, and you have 'Them'... Those that live in deeper poverty without education; those who are people of color; anywhere else on the gender/sexual orientation spectrum; any other degree of ability; and any others who are of a different religion in this country. I have a lot of privilege in this country, and I'm very much aware of it. We each need to be aware of our own privilege, and realize the lack of privilege that others have, and fight for their rights as human beings.

David Gilmour (the greatest guitar player ever. IMHO) co-wrote On the Turning Away with drummer Nick Mason  and it highlights and concludes my thoughts best. The last verse is my favorite, and truly drives it home:

No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away from the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It's not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there'll be
No more turning away?
http://www.pink-floyd-lyrics.com/html/on-the-turning-away-lyrics-lapse.html

So I'll work on my dichotomy of the seminary. We all need to work on our dichotomy of our world. I like to think that those of us going into ordained ministry need to focus less on the Great Commission, the face of Christ after the Passion, but instead focus more on the face of Christ before the Passion; the face of Christ that healed the sick, clothed the naked, and fed the hungry. Their souls are already saved. It's time to save their lives.

Amen.