Song of the Week (Second Week of Nov.)
“Pieces of You”
by Jewel
Jewel burst onto the scene in 1994 with the album named for this track. It did not get a lot of airplay but those who bought the album were quick to notice the dark and painful truths imbedded in lyrics of “Pieces for You.” This song took on new meaning for me when I was in college at CSU here in Fort Collins. During my time at CSU a gay man, Matthew Shepherd was beaten and killed in Wyoming. That year at the CSU Homecoming Parade, a tasteless and cruel float made light of that murder. The harsh tones of the third verse strike me as reflective of a reality faced by people brave enough to own their sexuality or any difference for that matter. This event brought me face to face with a hatred and bigotry that I had ignored up to that point, but I could ignore it no longer!
When we look deeper into this song, Jewel is simply taking those elements in our society that make people so obviously different that they can be singled out. You have the contrast of the “Ugly” and “Pretty” girls, the gay man and the Jew all singled out because of their physical appearance. They are different and everyone can see it! But isn’t everyone different in some way? Some differences can be locked away; hidden from the cruel and unforgiving eyes of others.
This song asks the most profound question of identity: ‘Do you hate others because they are pieces of you?’ The news of the last year has shown many painful examples of this worst kind of prejudice. We see a minister rail against homosexuality “as though it were a sin to be born” only to discover he had been engaging in sex with a gay prostitute. And we have a senator from Idaho with a record of voting against equal rights for same-sex couples only to have him arrested for soliciting a gay prostitute who turned out to be an undercover police officer on a sting. Sometimes we publicly despise and even persecute others because we are so afraid they will find out the truth about us, and what would they say? That fear drives us to express ourselves in dangerous, unhealthy ways rather then embrace the beauty of the person God has created us to be.
The world can sometimes make us ashamed to be who we really are. We hide the beautiful creation that is us and project what we think others want from us. But if we spent more time caring about the other then we spend hiding ourselves we might just find we have more in common then we thought. The most profound thing we all have in common is that we are all created by God, each of us unique and yet connected. God, I think calls us to unite around those ways we are the same and to celebrate in the ways we are not. When we instead make those difference the criteria for separating into groups, I believe God’s heart breaks! In the basement of life we all have a piece of God in us and therefore I will always have pieces of you, in me! Lets remember to act like it!
You can watch a compelling video set to this song on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pIguaB3fro
"Pieces Of You"
She's an ugly girl, does it make you want to kill her?
She's an ugly girl, do you want to kick in her face?
She's an ugly girl, she doesn't pose a threat.
She's an ugly girl, does she make you feel safe?
Ugly girl, ugly girl, do you hate her
'Cause she's pieces of you?
She's a pretty girl, does she make you think nasty thoughts?
She's a pretty girl, do you want to tie her down?
She's a pretty girl, do you call her a bitch?
She's a pretty girl, did she sleep with your whole town?
Pretty girl, pretty girl, do you hate her
'Cause she's pieces of you?
You say he's a faggot, does it make you want to hurt him?
You say he's a faggot, do you want to bash in his brain?
You say he's a faggot, does he make you sick to our stomach?
You say he's a faggot, are you afraid you're just the same?
Faggot, Faggot, do you hate him
'Cause he's pieces of you?
You say he's a Jew, does it mean that he's tight?
You say he's a Jew, do you want to hurt his kids tonight?
You say he's a Jew, he'll never wear that funny hat again.
You say he's a Jew, as though being born were a sin.
Oh Jew, oh Jew, do you hate him
'Cause he's pieces of you?
It gives me faith to know that a leader in a church that has grown close to my heart is actually open to God's love no matter what form it takes. Before I came to CSU I almost hated religion, especially Christianity, because I am a lesbian and there is this subtle hatred that seems to permeate my whole life. Homophobia seems to surround me, whether it's a comment as casual as, "That's gay", the uproar caused by a "gay" movie like Brokeback Mountain, or a news report of yet another gay bashing. I really do struggle to understand why people believe that God is all loving when all that I've heard is,"We are all God's children, just kidding! Not if your queer." But my friends showed me what God's love is really like by showing me unconditional acceptance and love. I appreciate your love and acceptance Joel, and I hope you help others to understand that we are just like everyone else, except we fall in love, God's greatest gift, a little differently.
-Your gay sister in Christ (Comment this)
I thank you for your comments to my post. It is hard to stand up for yourself and say "God loves me." when so many put strings on that love. God has no strings! Too often we conceal God's love rather then reveal it in our lives. Thank you for not giving up on that love and for your faith in God! May it always grow and find allies in the struggle to reveal God's No-Stings-Attached love to the world!
Grace and Peace,
Rev. Kershaw (a.k.a. Peej) (Comment this)