Comments on: Part 3: Sticky Labels

By: Emily Weaver

Emily Weaver — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 22:41:31 +0000

This is convicting Merle, thank you. I do understand your frustrations too.

By: Merle

Merle — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 03:47:03 +0000

In reply to Rose. Thanks for your comments.

By: Merle

Merle — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 03:44:45 +0000

In reply to Normand Roy. Thanks for your feedback.

By: Merle

Merle — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 03:43:02 +0000

In reply to Mary Kirkpatrick. Thanks Mary. I know we can’t eliminate labels. My frustration is that in the context of doctrinal or political systems the general labels are so inadequate descriptively as to seem unhelpful. To illustrate: just ask anyone to describe an modern Anabaptist or a Democrat. But I do get your valid point.

By: Mary Kirkpatrick

Mary Kirkpatrick — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 01:57:23 +0000

As an education major, we debated labels a lot. Autistic, gifted, ADHD, even “developmentally delayed,” etc. I’ve always been more on the anti-label side. Maybe it is better without them, but it seems to be a natural and even important way that we understand the world. We start our life sorting things under different labels–colors, animals (four legged animals are not all dogs), male/female. I think the problem is more in the value we place on the labels. The judgements we make based upon the labels are what do harm.
Growing up, you could label my brother autistic and me gifted. Everyone has the same thoughts reading that. One is good and one is bad. One label is valued and one is not. I refused to accept that label until adulthood and I still find it chaffing because people value it in ways they shouldn’t. I can’t stand the idea that I am somehow better than my brother.
Perhaps we can use less labels, but I don’t think they’re going away. We need to change the way we think about labels. Do people have the same value apart from their labels? Do they lose value by their label?
Can we work to follow the harder commands in scripture–to walk in love, to be peacemakers, to be compassionate–and use labels to understand people instead of devalue them? We will start making a difference after we accept that this is about people we need to love, not debates we need to win or issues we need to solve.

By: Normand Roy

Normand Roy — Sat, 17 Nov 2018 16:52:44 +0000

As much as I dislike labels it’s been a way of explaining my doctrinal position. I see old habits are hard to break but I see I will have to give this some thoughtful thinking. What you believe doesn’t have to fit in a category just the scriptures. Thank you Merle very insightful.

By: Rose

Rose — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 13:52:07 +0000

I agree. Well said. Sometimes labels tend to give us a feeling of superiority or inferiority when neither are necessary. Accepting my position in Christ helps me to put away a lot of labeling. To be known as a child of God gives me a greater sense of freedom than to be known as a Mennonite. I enjoy reading your blog.