Bubbles or Bridges
Have you ever thought it would be nice to travel back in time when life was less complex and a lot simpler? Then again simpler times for one may not be simpler times for another. For me it would be the days when I was a young child on a small ranch in Montana. Not just any day but a nice sunny day with just the right amount of a warm breeze. Those were perfect days for rolling up an old newspaper and mixing dish soap with water creating the perfect bubble blowing combination. There is just something peaceful about watching the sun reflect through soap bubbles creating a rainbow effect as they floated across the yard only to burst when they impacted something.
Have you ever thought about the science behind the soap bubble? Have you ever wondered why dish soap and water makes great bubbles? According to Wonderoplis.org “When soap mixes with water, the opposite ends of the soap molecules sandwich a thin layer of water between themselves. This creates a thin film that encompasses a tiny bit of air. What do we call that? A bubble! So, when you look at a bubble, what you’re actually seeing is a tiny bit of air trapped inside a thin film that’s composed of two layers of soap molecules encasing a thin layer of water.”[1] Though bubbles are fun and a great deal of entertainment for the young they are extremely fragile.
In the book The Coddling of the American Mind authors Greg Lukianoff the president for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education and social phycologist Jonathan Haidt explore the current fragility trend of students feeling emotionally unsafe that’s taking place on America’s College campuses. According to Lukianoff and Haidt the concept of safetyism the over protection of children by their parents[2], as well as, and three untruths have led to this problem.
- “The Untruth of Fragility: What doesn’t kill you makes you weaker.”
- “The Untruth of Emotional Reasoning: Always trust your feelings.”
- “The Untruth of Us versus Them: Life is a battle between good people and evil people.”[3]
The authors are clear to point out that they realize that students face problems, their overall concern is how they are thinking about their problems which in turn will determine how they are affected by them. The major concern about safetyism is it robs young people of much needed experience’s that are important in helping them mature and gain life coping skills. It also causes them to a victim mentality.[4] The book points out the potential damage of creating intellectual safety bubbles that may lead to a greater level of anxiety and conflict when they enter the workforce and are faced with people with other contrary opinions.[5]
When looking at safetyism in a broader concept I cannot help but wonder how Christianity has been affected by the bubble mentality. Over 3 to 4 decades ago Christians actually interacted with the culture in which they lived. There were very few things that catered specifically to Christians in general. Since then we have been recognized as an audience of consumers which created a completely new entertainment brand, oriented toward Christians. Of course, this isn’t all bad, but how can the church fulfill the “great commission” if we are all retreating into our own little bubble of safety and avoiding the everyday world, we live in? Didn’t Jesus show up outside of where the normal religious people of His day hung out? The majority of the challenges He faced were from the religious community not the non-religious community. Life is risky and whether we like it or not the culture all around us is changing. Technology and life around us are moving faster than we care to admit. The answer isn’t living in a bubble.[6]
For many the Christian bubble is real. It is easy to retreat into our world of praise and worship seldom venturing out to see what the world looks like. Some denominations are shrinking and yet others seem to be more concerned with their own comfort than that of their neighbors. How effective can we be living when we are living in a religious bubble? In a religiously diverse American culture, it’s time to step out of the bubble mindset and think about building a few bridges. Bridges that will allow both parties to learn and gain mutual understanding.
I never homeschooled my four children, nor did I put them in a Christian school. They attended a public school. We chose not to exclude them from sex education talks and science classes discussing evolution. We definitely weren’t perfect parents, but we did choose to be active parents. My wife and I met with every teacher and let them know we were people of faith. We requested advanced notice of when controversial topics would be taught so we had time to prepare each child and discuss how our faith interacted with each topic. We didn’t limit our children’s friend to people that attended our church, but we did create a home that their friends wanted to be, by providing a foosball table and ping pong table along with BBQ’s. My children grew up making good and bad life choices just like I did, and they survived!
Bubbles are fragile things. Things are fine until they impact something that causes them to burst. When this happens, an individual has a choice to make, whether to blow a new bubble or start building bridges.
[1] https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-does-soap-make-bubbles
[2] Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure, (New York; Penguin Books, 2018) 29
[3] Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, 4
[4] Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, 31
[5] Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, 8
[6] http://wwwphilcooke.com/christian_media_bubble/
About the Author
Greg Reich
Entrepreneur, Visiting Adjunct Professor, Arm Chair Theologian, Leadership/Life Coach, husband, father and grandfather. Jesus follower, part time preacher! Handy man, wood carver, carpenter and master of none. Outdoor enthusiast, fly fisherman, hunter and all around gun nut.9 responses to “Bubbles or Bridges”
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I think one of the biggest problems with the Christian bubble is that we don’t know what to do when it pops. Growing up in Kentucky, there were specific things that were ingrained into us within our church culture (i.e., don’t drink, don’t have sex outside of marriage, make sure you go to church Sunday mornings AND evenings AND Wednesday nights). I went to a small General Baptist university that was also trapped within a Christian bubble. When I went to Asbury, even though I was beyond the GBs and was now interacting with Methodists, Anglicans, and other Wesleyan traditions, the town of Wilmore, KY itself was one giant Christian bubble. It wasn’t until I moved to Hong Kong that all of these presuppositions I had of what was even allowed within a “Christian bubble” were challenged and it truly popped. I interact daily with people who aren’t Christians and the process of building those bridges took unraveling a lot of my previous Christian identity.
Dylan,
I think the key is to realize we are all prone to a bubble mentality. I think part of the human condition is we are expert buble makers. I think it’s part of our tribal mentality. I find myself constantly popping bubbles in my life. Part of this is most likely due to the natural tendency to compartmentalize our lives in order to cope with the constant changes and challenges we face. Do you see a tendency for compartmentalization to cope in Hong Kong?
Greg,
I didn’t blow bubbles on a perfect sunny day when I was a kid, but I did ride my bike all over town and was free as a bird doing it. I appreciate your analogy regarding Christians living in bubbles. Before I left our non-denominational church, I had little idea what existed outside the walls. We talked about the challenges, but it was mostly just talk. Serving was done within the walls, as there was never a shortage of ways to serve the body of Christ in that space. When we left, we felt very disoriented in the freedom that comes from experiencing a popped bubble. I haven’t figured out which bridges I’m to build or cross, but I’m exploring and giving things a try. I keep thinking of how Jesus didn’t live his ministry within the walls of the synagogue, in fact when he was there, he was disrupting those systems in such a way that he was not always welcome. Maybe that’s more of what we are called to be and do in the world today? Disrupters of the religious systems and walkers of the Way, out on the dirt roads, moving toward the margins? I think the Church would look a whole lot different if we did.
Darcy,
You bring up a very good point! Which bridges are we called to build? Since a bridge is designed to connect things it is wise to know what is worth being connected. Taking a hard look at where my life is right now I too must ask myself what bridges am I being called to create. Through this program I believe God is slowly unfolding the next steps.
I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. So many of our young people have grown up in bubbles that they lack the skills and perspective to exist outside of them. As Greg Lukianoff has said, “that’s on us. That’s on parents.” Our efforts to shield our kids from danger and protect them from pain have mostly backfired.
I wish it was as easy as “The authors are clear to point out that they realize that students face problems, their overall concern is how they are thinking about their problems which in turn will determine how they are affected by them.” The black and white thinking, so to speak is almost never as simple as the options may seem.
Steve,
You are correct life is never black and white. I think the key is to have the ability to recognize and face the issues that are a cause for concern. Our actions do reflect out thoughts, this is why Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 to think on the things that are honorable and true amd in Romans to renew our minds.
Are you familiar with Andy Crouch’s “The Tech-wise Family.” He investigates the use of technology as well as guiding principles for its use. It was a welcomed voice with the two poles of technophilia and abstinence.
So cool! I had no idea, the morphology of a bubble. Love the description, Greg. I thought you were onto something else super intriguing referring to JH as a social phycologist. I had no clue what a phycologist was so I had to look it up. Phycology is the scientific study of algae. I tried for second to put it together, Social Phycologist. Then, I realised for sure that you must have meant Psychologist (which makes more sense). I am really feeling my fragility right now.
I love the question that you leave us with, What happens when the bubble bursts? There seems to be an opportunity in this traumatic, explosive moment. A cell can build an informed resilience over time when its phospholipid bilayer is compromised. May the cell become ‘antisecure’? Then, instead of just permitting anything through (to compromise its integrity) cross layer bridges (anitports and symports) regulate the flow in and out.
The bubble analogy, so sweet and imagination opening! I wonder what happens or what it looks like when the Bible ceases to be a bubble in and begins being a bridge?