S2-Day 22: God in the Pub

God in Dirty Places: God at Ladies’ Night[1]

This is a glimpse of my journey based exclusively on personal experience and observation as a tribal woman from a small Indo-Myanmar border town. I don’t have the so called “proper Christian or Godly” upbringing like most of you do because I had a confused inter-faith parent. Here I am- from border town to metro city with its pubs and bars! 

I attended theological seminary to build upon the bits and pieces I know about God and Christian faith. Lo! I was a misfit within the perfectly arranged web of campus life in the seminary. No doubt, a godly place ought to have a godly dress code, restricted godly timings for women’s hostel gate, godly surveillance, no visitor of the opposite sex and so on. Everyone was expected to yawn, blink, doze in a “Christian style” which I was not very familiar with. If you had not experienced such restrictions, you probably got away because of who your father or uncle or whose daughter your mom is. 

It is easy to conclude and judge anyone who goes to a bar or pub with the desire and intent to indulge in drugs, sexual activity and so on. Of course, there certainly would be some, just like many of us who go to funerals, wedding receptions, birthday parties, and few selected church members’ houses for thousands of reasons unknown. Also, different types of pubs such as rock pubs, biker pubs, strip pubs, etc. have their own social rules and set of etiquettes which most religious worship places fail to maintain. 

The conflict now is, why is this lady who was trained and groomed to be a Christian theologian going to Ladies’ night at a pub? Well, I hangout and drink with friends in that place or part of the world which is known to be controlled by Satan with all its “temptation”. After having studied theology in a seminary and being confined in a women’s hostel for 6 years, I feel the kind of engaging conversations, association, sharing, communion and the concern at ladies’ night reflects more of the values and ethos of Koinonia.[2] That’s because, if you puke a stranger comes to help you clean up, if you fall a face you have not seen before lends you a hand to rise and asks if you’re doing OK, if you need water someone unknown comes to give. So, am I committing a “sin” by going to a place where I can be who I am without restrictions and feel accepted without being judged? 

Prayer 

Dear God, enlighten and liberate us so that we can experience you not just in dirty places but also in places that are pure and holy as well. Amen.

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Author: Manjulie Vaiphei 

About the Author: Manju completed her Bachelor of Divinity from Aizawl Theological College, Mizoram (2008-2012) and Master of Theology in Social Analysis from Tamilnadu Theological Seminary (2012-14). At present she is working with Student Christian Movement of India, Bangalore as the Executive Secretary for Gender and Social Justice Desk. 

References:

[1] Ladies’ Night is a promotional event at bars where female patrons have free entry with free drinks or discounted charges on selected drinks. There are a variety of oppositions to such gender-based discounts though. 

[2] A Greek word which is used to describe the kind of fellowship which should characterize the Christian life.