Glee and Spirituality

For those of you who are diehard Gleeks and haven’t seen this week’s episode, I have two things to say.  First, this post is filled with spoilers, so stop reading at the end of this paragraph.  Second, if you haven’t seen it yet, I get to take away your Glee card and your gay card. 

I spent a previous post examining the development of Kurt and would like to return to that for a moment.  Arguably, he’s one of the most three-dimensional characters on the show.  Despite accusations that he remains a gay teen caricature, Ryan Murphy’s genius lies in the fact that he’s managed to do the opposite, getting at some phenomenally ground-breaking observations on homosexual subjectivity.

For Gay Mormon Gleeks, this latest episode (titled “Grilled Cheesus”) chiseled a new and prominent dimension of Kurt’s character into understanding.  In examining this aspect of spirituality, the episode takes an effective strategy of balancing Kurt’s serious assertion of non-believe with Finn’s silly grilled cheese-worshiping foray into belief.  The result is equally balanced. 

Early in the episode, Kurt explains his distaste for religion: “The reason I don't go to church is that most churches don't think very much of gay people.  Or women.  Or science.”  In the wake of Boyd K. Packer’s General Conference talk, we can viscerally identify with Kurt’s statement; however, as we’ve been conditioned to walk the line and find a compromise between sexuality and religious authority’s hostility towards us (as well as principles such as polygamy and race), the connection with Kurt is not a complete one.

This is where the episode gets deeply philosophical.  While some might see Kurt’s disbelief as an affront to his religious classmates, Murphy draws a very even-handed picture playing out in school politics, Kurt’s father’s mortality, and attempts at reconciliation of diversity among friends. 

Kurt’s storyline has two foils: Sue’s mysterious childhood experiences and the aforementioned Finn plot.  Frustrated with Sue’s ambiguous motives and successful ban on spiritual songs after Kurt’s father collapses and is taken to the hospital, Emma  marches into Sue’s office demanding, “Please tell me Sue what horrible, horrible thing happened to you that made you such a miserable tyrant.”

Sue’s response as she closes the door for a moment of sincerity echoes Kurt’s sentiments of concern over spirituality being foisted upon him:

Since I was a little girl I've had exactly one hero.  My big sister.  You know how much I worshipped her?  She was the sun and the moon to me. 
And while I was still very young, I noticed that other people didn't feel the way I did.  People were rude to her.  They were cruel.  They laughed at her. 
And so I began to pray.  I prayed every night for her to get better.  And nothing changed.  So I prayed harder.  And after a while I realized that it wasn't that I wasn't praying hard enough. 
It was that nobody was listening. Asking someone to believe in a fantasy however comforting isn't a moral thing to do.  It's cruel. 

Just as the show demonstrates range in emotion, tone, and musical genre, this scene establishes a range of motivations for disbelief which a lot of us struggle with.  How many gay men and women have you known who have attempted to “pray away the gay” or faced ridicule in Sunday School for effeminate gestures?  Sue’s revelation shines light on Sue’s even more complex character as well as her paradoxically sympathetic motives for her supposedly cruel actions:

Emma: (interjecting) Don't you think that's just a bit arrogant?
Sue: It's as arrogant as telling someone how to believe in God, and if they don't accept it, no matter how openhearted and honest their dissent they're going to hell.  Well, that doesn't sound very Christian, does it?
Emma: Well, if that's what you believe, that's fine.  But please keep it to yourself.
Sue (sternly):  So long as you do the same.

Simultaneously, belief and non-belief are put in balance with each other as the show’s attempt to reflect true diversity comes to light.  As these two ideas are placed in opposition with one another, they are also placed on equal footing.  This is evident in the warm  conversation between Sue and her sister later in the episode:

Sue: Do you believe in God, Jeannie?
Jeannie: Do you?
Sue: No, I don't.
Jeannie: Why not?
Sue: Because when we were little girls you were perfect in my eyes and and I watched the world be cruel to you.
Jeannie: God never makes mistakes.  That's what I believe.Do you want me to pray for you, Sue?
Sue: Yeah.  That would be nice.

While Sue might not agree with her sister, she loves, respects, and even values her beliefs.  Interestingly, that’s the utopian vision of the show in a nutshell as presented via its primary villain: you might be a certain type of person, believe a certain way, or prefer a certain style of music, but despite any differences we might hold, you are loved, respected and valued because of who you are and who we are. 

Kurt realizes this very lesson as he learns the value of his father’s love and his friends’ beliefs at his ailing father’s hospital bedside:

“I should have let those guys pray for you.  It wasn't about me.  It was about you and... it was nice.
“I don't believe in God, dad.
“But I believe in you.
“And I believe in us.
“You and me—that's what's sacred to me. 
“And I am... I'm so sorry I never got to tell you that.”

In the wake of all of the pain and misery caused by differences in beliefs and understandings of homosexuality, I hope everyone might take to heart the message of valuing others for their differences not only in character but also in faith.  The lives of many would be enriched and saved from the tragedies to which we’re slowly growing accustomed.

 

(NOTE: This is an timely message as today marks the 12th anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard). 

Cooking with the Stars: Pineapple Chicken Curry

Saturday, the gang from True Blood brought over the ‘fixins for Pineapple Chicken Curry.

Despite many pleas, no human blood was used in this recipe. That’s not to say, there was no blood involved…

…let’s just say that Tracy Morgan got a little gung ho when we asked him to cut the pineapple.

Also, for whatever reason, he thought it was a costume party, so he showed up dressed as The Bride from Kill Bill. He really is as crazy as his character on 30 Rock.

Neil Patrick Harris proved himself—yet again—a superstar.

He really has a talent for gaying things up with garnish. Add that to your resume along with those twin Emmys.

Now for the big test. Let’s ask “How Sue see’s it.”

“Now I’m not saying I won’t eat it because it’s disgusting. I won’t eat it because it’s Asian.” She’s probably not going to be invited again anytime soon after that outburst, but we do love her.

Some good news: Roseanne showed up with desert.

The bad news: she thought it was BYOD—Bring Your Own Dessert.

All in all, though, it was a great evening with everyone including Chedner (the boyfriend) and Moving Horizon. I’m glad they didn’t mind my conversation gaffe… asking NPH is he’ll have my babies. Also, if you see anybody from True Blood, ask them if they know where Roseanne is.

From start to finish:

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Sue Says: Stop Being Sneaky

Okay everyone—sorry for the cliffhanger. The final installment is coming soon. It’s difficult to write because it involves a big first and also involves tying together the stories I’ve been telling. Of any post that I started or completed to this point, I feel this one has the most at stake in every sense.

In other news, writing continues to be bogged down by emotions, and some time commitments for two huge academic and community projects (those of you in Utah: you’re welcome to participate in the latter of the two—just email me).

Instead of something substantive or personal today, I share something that you’ve probably run into on other blogs, but here is one of the best Glee-related videos to date:

Cooking with the Stars: Speedy Chicken Posole with Avocado and Lime

By no means do I intend for this to become a regular thing, but I have to share this amazing recipe. It comes from the magazine Sunset: Living in the West. The recipe is a spicy soup with a southwestern flair.

Jacqueline and Cole came over for dinner and brought along a few guests. If I were to rate my recipe, it would definitely get a 4.5 out of 5 (because I’m impossible to please as many will tell you…. Just kidding… sort of… ask Cole).

They brought along some special guests who helped us cook and enjoy the meal. Ryan Reynolds brought over the ingredients.

Lady Gaga helped with the cooking. Here she is mincing the onions and the garlic.

Glee’s Sue wasn’t the best dinner guest. “You call that posole?! I know hunger strikers with better taste!”

Here’s the recipe (again, from Sunset: Living in the West):

Time: 45 minutes. This dish, using canned hominy, takes a fraction of the time needed for regular posole. Serve with warm corn tortillas.

Yield: Serves 4 or 5

Ingredients

3 large poblano chiles (1 lb. total)
6 garlic cloves
1 large onion
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) white hominy
1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano*, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons ground red New Mexico chiles*
Garnishes: sliced avocado, lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, and sour cream

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler. When hot, broil poblanos on a baking sheet until blackened, turning as needed, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, whirl garlic to mince. Cut onion in chunks and pulse with garlic until chopped; set aside. Drain hominy; set aside.
3. Cut chicken into 1- to 1 1/2-in. chunks and sprinkle with salt and 1 tsp. oregano. Heat oil in a 5- to 6-qt. pan over high heat. Brown half the chicken lightly, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
4. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add onion mixture and remaining 1 tsp. oregano to pan and sauté until onion is softened, 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, microwave broth until steaming, about 3 minutes. Add ground chiles to pan and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds.
5. Add broth, hominy, and chicken to pan. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer to blend flavors, 10 minutes.
6. Remove stems, skins, and seeds from poblanos and discard; chop poblanos.
7. Stir poblanos into posole and cook 1 minute. Ladle into bowls; top with garnishes.

*Find Mexican oregano at well-stocked grocery stores, along with ground red New Mexico chiles.

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