Ai Weiwei is my favorite living artist. I’ve mentioned him before. I do admire his courage to speak truth to power. His father was a poet in China and was arrested during the Cultural Revolution because of his poetry. So Ai Weiwei gets it, honestly.
Of course, we all know that when a fascist regime comes to power, they go after artists, poets, and intellectuals, because, as Ai Weiwei notes, they speak truth to power and therefore threaten the regime’s grasp of power.
But this trickles down to every aspect of life.
Many of us have seen this in the church, even.
I remember when I wrote a worship song and entered it into a contest. The organizers told me I almost won, but that my song was too honest and raw.
I also remember way back when I designed some t-shirts, way before NakedPastor was launched, and that I was told some of them were offensive and I should cease and desist, essentially.
I bet you have some stories of you expressing yourself creatively, only to be reprimanded because it was too offensive, revealed too much, was too honest, or wasn’t holy enough for Christian consumption.
Nothing’s changed. For me.
Ai Weiwei also says in his book, Zodiac:
“If you give space to fear you should stay locked in your room.”
There are times I’m tempted to. But there are more times I feel pressured to.
He also says, “To be brave is to speak the truth.”
Bravery is weird. For me, it feels more like I must say it… or draw it. I’m scared when I share it. I don’t feel brave at all. Very scared. But I must share it.
And he also says, “But people generally live in fear, and fear is the most productive tool in our society.”
He remarks that he thought China’s attempt to crush criticism by silencing artists and poets was unique, but that he’s seeing it here in the West too. And that it’s growing.
I believe him. And I feel it.
I don’t know why, but it feels like the heat’s been turned up.
Question:
What is something you feel you need to say but are afraid to?
I’m with you.
