111. The Sacred Clown

It's April Fool's Day. I have a son born on this day. I thought it would be as good a day as any to post here again after some time away.

Throughout my life I've encountered a certain type of "personality", let's call it that for now, that has pushed me, challenged me, made me question myself and my assumptions, made me doubt, made fun of me, made me laugh at myself, made me laugh uncontrollably, made me cry, made me wonder, made me stop and think, horrified me, made me angry, offended me, shook me up, awakened me, and ultimately left me a better person.

There are certain individuals who are iconoclasts. They challenge the cherished, sacrosanct beliefs and assumptions of religion, science, agriculture, politics, etiquette, tradition, culture, etc. They don't always conform to the norms of society or PC/woke ideology. They don't really care too much if they offend you and it is perhaps part of their prerogative to do so....to wake you up, snap you out of it, help you to see what is plainly right in front of your face, and point out the hypocrisy or foolishness in your behavior or beliefs. They can come across as gruff, unfeeling, uncaring, rude, and insensitive. They may fit your definition of "unclean" or "unworthy", sport tattoos, look unkempt, use coarse language, have improper etiquette, etc. They don't really care about money, they don't care about fame, they don't care about if you like them or not. They are driven by something else.

In many ancient cultures this role can be described as the Sacred Clown. This archetype is most thoroughly understood and developed among the cultures of the indigenous peoples of North America. The sacred clown is a contrarian, a jester, a minstrel, and a satirist, who often speaks, moves, and reacts in an opposite fashion to the people around them. It can be a sacred, ceremonial role in these cultures, and I do not wish to diminish the importance of that in the least, but it is illustrative of the role that these individuals have in our society. The sacred clown is thought of as being backwards-forwards, upside-down, or contrary in nature. This manifests by their doing things backwards or unconventionally—riding a horse backwards, wearing clothes inside-out, or speaking in a backwards language. They ask difficult questions, and say things others are too afraid to say. It can seem like they are mocking others (and in a way, they are) or are in a disputatious mood (and in a way, they are), but it is part of how they communicate what they are trying to communicate. Their behavior makes people ask difficult questions of themselves that challenges their assumptions, and prompts them to look at things from a different perspective and in new ways. Therefore, sacred clowns function as both a mirror and a teacher, often using extreme behaviors to mirror others, and forcing them to examine their own doubts, fears, hatreds, false beliefs, and weaknesses. They can provoke laughter in distressing situations of despair, and provoke fear and chaos when people feel complacent and overly secure, to keep them from taking themselves too seriously or believing they are more powerful than they really are. Sacred clowns serve an important and even healthy role in shaping tribal and societal codes. Unbound by societal constraints, Sacred clowns are able to violate cultural taboos freely and thus critique established customs. Paradoxically, however, by violating these norms and taboos, they help to define the accepted boundaries, rules, and societal guidelines for ethical and moral behavior. They are often the only ones who can and will ask "Why?" about sensitive topics; and they use humor and satire to question the specialists and carriers of sacred knowledge or those in positions of power and authority. (Wikipedia)

I'm not necessarily saying that these types of people are spiritual or moral giants or "good people" by the conventional definition of "goodness", or that they are "righteous" in the conventional definition of "righteousness". I'm not saying that they are prophets, in the conventional definition of prophetic mantels. They are often deeply flawed and imperfect. However, I would say that these people, by virtue of the effect that they can have on others, posses a form of goodness and righteousness. And, although not all sacred clowns are prophets, I'd wager that most all true prophets are a type of sacred clown, willing to humble and humiliate themselves, condescend, and make a fool out of themselves, in order to do what is necessary to serve the Lord and get a message across. Sacred clowns are perhaps a type of "prophet" or truth-teller among their own peoples, even operating within their own small spheres of influence, communities, families, or circles.

"We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are honorable, but we are despised. Even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place, and labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, and are the outcasts of all things unto this day." RE 1 Cor. 1:16

I don't think someone playing the role of a sacred clown, however, has the right or gets a pass when it comes to harming another. Ideally, they are striving to follow the guidance of the Spirit. There are lines that can be crossed that are inappropriate, harmful, and wrong. There are sacred clowns and there are outright clowns, literal bozos - jerks, perverts, bullies, deceivers, hypocrites, etc. If they are driven by a personal agenda, they will be counter-productive to the purposes they seek; however, if they are focused on truth, shining light into where it is dark, and their ultimate aim is to enlighten, awaken, and serve others, then they are on the right path. Although sometimes hard to deal with, I'm grateful for the sacred clowns that have challenged me throughout my life. I've gotten to know and love many such "clowns" personally, whereas, others, I've only read or heard their words or songs. I could list many, but I won't, and perhaps we should all strive to be a sacred clown in our own spheres:

"Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written: He takes the wise in their own craftiness. And again: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore, let no man glory in men; for all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come — all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s." RE 1 Cor. 1:13

And speaking of, here's something that probably isn't showing up in your YouTube feed:

Bonus quote: "Let's talk about abortion...Sorry, tell me how this works: Bacteria is life on Mars, but a heartbeat isn't life on Earth? Weird." Tom MacDonald