Autistic Liberation Theology Laura Sommer

Once again my friend Michi has joined me for an episode.



(0:00) Mark 10:35-44 — James & John's request to be at Jesus' right
and left hand — wrong way of understanding leadership, power(6:15)
Summary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "Drum Major" sermon; how privilege
impacts who is given the great authoritative roles & letting go of
that desire to be the "drum major"(17:50) Connecting sermon more
deeply ADHD & other neurodivergence — desire to fix wrongs;
impulsiveness, burnout, envy, rejection sensitive dysphoria(41:35)
When disability limits your ability to lead, serve, organize; turning
to smaller actions, deeper connections — Jesus never had a family,
house, college degree, other of our societal markers of greatness,
either(48:40) The Kingdom of Heaven is like pizza dough — small movements where you are; it will get where it needs to be on its own(58:50)
Closing with a song King quotes in his sermon: "If I can help somebody
as I pass along...then my living will not be in vain."

My Guest is Pastor Felix Weise.



Timestamps:



(0:00) Introducing Felix, good news vs. nice news, Greek evangelion

(3:30) Looking at verses using the Greek word ekpléssó — Jesus’ good news shocks and disrupts

(13:00) Complexities in the connection between German Church and State; Felix’s roles within the German Church

(22:00) Felix is on the inside, seeking to bring progressive theologies; Laura is on the outside, doesn’t feel safe in church settings where their very presence disrupts the “nice” environment

(34:00) Do you choose to join the church institution to have a platform, power, security — or fight from the outside, but struggle to get heard?

(38:30) More nice news — it’s not bad, but it’s not enough; compare to the theologies of the marginalized that deal with the hard stuff

(49:30) People with privilege also need liberation; the systems of power harm everyone, and “nice” news can numb us to that truth

(55:00) MLK, Jr., called out liberal white Christians who silence the oppressed to avoid discomfort; similar issue with assimilationist gays, respectability politics

(60:00) Keeping things “nice” won’t stop church membership decline; redefine success

(66:45 to end) Toxic positivity that makes us pretend all’s fine; Jesus wasn’t nice, but Jesus was kind

After a long break I am joined again by my friend Michi for a rather whiney episode where I try to relate my own frustration about the role I get pushed into over and over again with no lesser leader than Moses. Special thanks go again to my friend Avery who edited this episode.



1:00 – 10:00 – topic intro – feeling like an ornamental hermit

10:00 – Moses readings: he can’t go with the people into the promised land; why not?

16:30 – “God is his closest kin now” – Moses is never fully of the people, distances himself from them; God breaks this to Moses: “You won’t find a resting place with them”

21:00 – Prophets are buzzkills, treated like liars even when they tell the truth; often not a choice, but a matter of survival

24:45 – struggle to unite other oppressed folks into the fight; may seem like you make their lives harder by reminding them of their own pain

27:00 – Rabbi Ruti Regan: Disabled people are either vilified or put on non-accessible pedestals, where they are non-threatening, lonely. Link to diversity training that doesn’t go farther than tokenism: platforms vs. pedestals

32:00 – Some people distance themselves from you not because they fear your differences, but because they fear to see what you actually have in common

36:00 – Queer parallels: fearing the flamboyance or femininity you might find mirrored in yourself; “I’m gay but not that stereotypical kind of gay”

40:00 – We must learn to face the prophets in our lives with love in order to reduce harm to self and others

44:00 – A prophet’s truth is good news that could liberate others for deeper community & self-knowledge, but it’s received as bad news because it disrupts; as in “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” many prefer a harmful delusion to a temporarily disruptive truth

57:30 - end – Inspiration porn & harmful autistic representation; Laura’s tired of being used for wisdom or inspiration without real connection



Website of Frank L. Ludwig who interprets fairytale characters as autistic:

http://franklludwig.com/



Essay about different important takes on Moses' "punishment":

https://www.rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation/chukat/why-was-moses-not-destined-to-enter-the-land/

I know, I have announced and teasered this episode for probably over a year now... So, finally, here it is! Peter interpreted through an ADHD lense. 

My friend Michi and I have had a lot of fun talking about our ADHD experiences, feeling for Peter and laughing at his and our own troubles with the neurotypical world. 

I hope you'll enjoy this episode as much as we did.

The last part of our Neuroqueer nerd indulgence. We talk about trauma, family, reconsiliation... sounds fun, right??



Timestamps:



0:00 - Summary of the previous two parts



2:00 - How Joseph’s brothers and father are suffering during the famine; they’d rejected the neuroqueer gifts that could have saved them



5:35 - Joseph forced to face their past trauma. Punitive vs. restorative justice — the latter requires a shift in power dynamics, security for the wronged



27:10 - Second trip to Egypt: Joseph continues to test the brothers to see if they’ve truly changed; struggles to hold it together while closeted / masking



35:15 - Joseph comes out, reveals their identity to their brothers. What prevented the brothers from recognizing them? 



39:47 - What to make of Joseph’s understanding of “God’s plan”: Joseph takes control of his own narrative, sees how God transforms suffering into good. Celebrating the good that comes out of evil without justifying evil



50:20 - Even in reconciling, Joseph never goes home, back to the site of that first trauma & to dynamics where their brothers hold the power over them — connecting to church efforts to become truly inclusive



55:55 - not a tidy ending: relationship will never be the same; brothers struggle to believe Joseph doesn’t want revenge. “None of us has to be the slave!”



1:00:30 - the oppressed can offer oppressors insights about themselves; double consciousness & masking — the Autistic community’s debt to Black scholarship



1:05:35 - Joseph as a bicultural figure; both cultures associated both with home & trauma



1:07:58 - Jacob gives the primary blessing to Joseph’s second son: continuing the trend of subverting status quo. God always on the side of the marginalized 



1:14:55 - Wrapping up

Part II of one of our favourite topics: Neuroqueering Joseph!🐂🌾✨🎉🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️



Timestamps:



(0 - 7:52) Any power Joseph gains while enslaved is precarious; vulnerable to sexual harassment

(starting 7:53) Nevertheless, Joseph manages to thrive; marginalized communities take shunned spaces & make them sanctuary spaces 

(12:47) Queer & autistic experiences abroad; the toll certain stereotypes take

(16:53) Meaning-making: God's presence in pain; Dreamcoat song emphasizes how human violence can't stomp out inner gifts

(21:36) Joseph & Pharaoh: the gift once feared is now revered; autistic tendency to disregard power dynamics 

(38:34) This could be the happy ending: wife & kids, stability & appreciation -- reconciliation with brothers not necessary, but helpful

(42:19) Closing with more midrash about Joseph being a hottie



Related links:



https://wibbleywobbleyminds.wordpress.com/Joseph/



https://lifeisasacredtext.substack.com/p/queering-joseph