Thoughts from Aaron of Court House

Friday, January 12, 2007

My strip club experience

Last night Michael Tipton took me to a strip club. Well, that is not totally true; I will rephrase. Last night Michael Tipton took me to three strip clubs. Now before you shut down my blog and remove it from your “favorites” list, let me give you a bit of an explanation.

Last semester a Prof. from Wesley College started standing in front of a strip club in Jackson, Mississippi. She would tell the men walking in that she was praying for them. She would walk around the parking lot and pray. One of the managers asked her to leave … she didn’t. The next week she brought some students. Throughout the next few weeks each Thursday, they were there … and reactions were mixed to say the least. One student has been punched in the face, a dog was released on a few students, the head professor was kicked, and many threats of “bad things” that were/are going to happen.

So Last night at 10:00 PM The Right Rev. Tipton and I took a trip to downtown Jackson, across the bridge of no return (cause the railroad tracks are so jacked up the almost blow your tire out… but that’s a story for another day). We then parked in a used car lot, and met with about 14 other students who were there for the same task. We split up and went to three different “adult clubs”. Tipton and I walked across the street to the closest one, and immediately a man in an orange shirt came out the door and started walking right towards us. “Looks like some new faces today,” he exclaimed, “you guys bringing in recruits?” Everyone laughed as he, Terry*, walked around and shook hands with the students. Each asked him how his family was, what was going on in his life, and other various questions. I found that this particular guy had asked the group to pray for his family a few weeks back. He then brought his truck around and said, “Hey I got my MercyMe CD back, I’ll play it for ya while you pray.” With that, he turned on the music and walked back into the club, letting me know it was nice to meet me before he disappeared back into the smoke filled building.

Michael and I then walked down to the next club. We were greeted by a student who explained to us the situation. While the previous clubs head manager (the dog releasing guy) was pretty mean, this clubs bouncer was really nice. Apparently, on one exceptionally cold and rainy night, Ray* came out to the students and said, “I am standing out here cause I’m gonna make $500, but you guys are out here cause you believe in something … I admire that.” I was able to talk with Ray* a little bit, and hear his story. He’s been bouncing for 20 years. He has two children, both under ten years of age, and he is only addicted to cigarettes now. He cautioned me to “watch out for drunk drivers,” and to “stand on the curb if they get too close.”

After that discussion, we walked to another establishment. This particular one was where one of the students had been punched a few weeks ago. I enquired about that particular story and he explained. He had been talking to a potential customer, and the manager Ted* took exception to it. Soooo…..what was Ted* to do other than punch a student. The action was much less hopping at this place, but just as I was leaving, a dancer came out. One of the guys asked her if she needed help loading stuff into her car, and she smiled and said no she could handle it herself. It was here that my heart started breaking. These girls, this situation, everything going on took a face, was given flesh, just walked outside. One of the female students told me they had brought the other manager a Christmas gift before they had left for Christmas, and said it seemed like he was warming up to them.

As Michael and I returned to the club we started at the students were in a fairly heated discussion with a man that had just left the club. At one point he said something about his sister being a lesbian, at that moment Terry* said something I will never forget “So is mine, and I’m glad. I see what guys are like here every night, and they are jerks. They’re bad news.” What a statement. This man would rather his sister be with a girl because he saw how poorly men acted at this club. Terry* then told the group that the girls had forgotten they were coming, however next week were going to bring out coffee and donuts to the group. As Terry* and I discussed his random piercing, his affinity for pain and suspension, and his statements “when I die I’ll become dust, but these piercings will still be there…. That’s all I’m leaving this world” and “I like pain… it helps me remember that I’m still alive …. Here in ‘paradise’.”

I left a different person. My mind has not stopped working since I came back. How do people like Terry* and Ray* hear the gospel. What does it take to have them think about their lives? What does it take to get them to contemplate a better life? Apparently, it takes a group of brave students and Christians walking around the outside the parking lot ... praying.

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17 Comments:

  • It takes prayer, and also trying to word things ina way that they can relate too. Constantly being around that lifestyle has a way of leaving a calus on one's heart and soul. It will definitely take a while, but you the most important thing to do is to make them realize, which it sounds like you are doing through kindness, that there are people, and more importantly, a higher power that truly cares for them. The people you are interacting with are like everyone else, they stay well within their comfort zone. Hope this helps. Good work to all of you invlovled, and your "steady plotting" is having an impact, just hang in there to see the fruits of you labors.

    By Blogger krazeddog, at 8:54 AM  

  • Comment eh?! Well, I'm not really sure WHAT to say about that. On one hand I hate Christians who GO OUT and do things "for God" and try to convert people. So it sounds kind of corny to me that you went out and talked to these people. On the other hand I do believe there are a lot of "lost" souls and what not who DO need help finding SOMETHING to hold on to. Something more than just Pain and piercings. However, I can't say that it's always GOD that everyone should be looking for. And to be REAL honest, how many of your people Joked around about just going into the strip clubs? How many of you Probably THOUGHT about just going in and seeing what it's all about?! I don't know and you probably don't either. Everyone is sinful and to say that you were all just there for Good things, I don't know. It sounds very odd to me. But that's all I have to say, You can delete my comment if you'd like, for whatever reason. As long as you read it, That's all I care about.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:02 AM  

  • Tim-
    I agree, it's always interesting to me to see someone in a different lifestyle, or with a different worldview. I wish I could do this more, and I may start something close to it back in ohio


    Green-
    Thanks for the post. I wish you would have expanded a little bit. I'm not sure "corny" is a word that would come up. No one tried to "convert" anyone while I was there. We only let people know that we were praying for them.

    It's intersting to me that you "hate" christians who go out and do things "for God" who would you prefer people do things for? If we are all doing things for ourselves it makes this world very selfish indeed. Also I think the people there were doing things for the women in the clubs, the bouncers, and the men addicted to it just as much as it was "for God."

    I did not hear one person joking about going into the club. Everyone there realized that it is a situation where women are treated as things instead of people, and a place where families are destroyed. I can't say if anyone "THOUGHT" about going in. I can speak for myself, and say that the sick feeling in my stomach and the tears in my eyes would never allow me to go in.

    You are right that everyone is sinful by themselves. Every act we do by ourselves is seflish. And I think that is why an unselfish act like this looks so "odd to you". Because it was just that. It was an act that was not for selfish motivations.

    I do believe that God is the only thing past the pain. IF there is nothing to this world but us. If there is nothing that transceneds this physical world... then I have nothing to live for. And neither does anyone else.

    Thanks again and I"m looking forward to more dialogue from you.

    By Blogger Aaron, at 11:35 AM  

  • Well Aaron, First of all, I appreciate the response.
    I guess one thing I should have also added in there is this:
    I was not there with you all, obviously, and so I have no idea what ACTUALLY went down. However, From what I read and how I understood it, I can say that I've done the same things in a way.
    And so the reason I think it's "corny" that you all did it is simply based on MY experiences of doing similar things.
    I went to church forever and participated in these "Out Reach" things and learned that FOR ME I will never do them again.
    Why?!
    Here's the story, read it or not, it's long...

    I went to Atlanta Georgia to talk to homeless people. For a whole week, we handed out food and drinks and talked to people. Talking to people was awesome, It never had anything to do with God, or CONVERTING people I should say. It was just giving them things and then praying and talking with them. I never understood the point. I've had people pray with me because they thought I was Lost, I am, but still, I felt uncomfortable and like they thought they were better than me JUST because they had an understanding about God that i don't have. I felt like they were thinking that they were better than because...Look at them, they have it so much better off, they have a job and a GOOD family and morals and all that, I'm just apparently a Loser who doesn't know how to live and is going to Hell for anything I do. I felt inferior to them. Either way, as we walked around and prayed for these people, I felt like it was pointless. I felt that talking to them is one thing, But lets correlate that to myspace. It's like adding a friend, talking to them for a week and then you never show an interest in them again but, they stay on your list because you want it to seem like you like them , when you might, but you don't like them enough to REALLY talk to them and get to know them.
    I don't know how much contact any of you will have with these people again. However, I guess I find the act of going out and talking to people and then just every month or 6 months you go see how they're doing again to be kind of Corny. It kind of seems a little, "showy" to me.

    My husband and I were talking about how it seems like A LOT of people do this kind of thing. And i'm not just talking about YOU and Your people. I'm talking about the Christians who basically go out and even give food and stuff to homeless people, pray and talk with them and then that's it. They walk away only hoping that they will "find God" how many phone numbers did you get? how many people did you invite to Not ONLY church but maybe a dinner with your family?! Or just a walk in the park in the next week. I know you don't have to befriend everyone in the world but if your going to show an interest in them one day, why not the next?
    It's kind of like that thing with the Instead of giving a man food for one day, teach him to fish. Thing.
    I don't know what kind of impact your actions had but it seems like they don't do much when you don't REALLY keep in contact with people and REALLY help them.

    How many of those people do you think REALLY are thinking about what you or anyone else said last night?

    This is where I got that you are trying to convert people
    -----"How do people like Terry* and Ray* hear the gospel."
    What is the point of the Gospel? In a nutshell, it's meant to make people think about their lives and about how they are sinful and need to get "saved" to get to Heaven. Otherwise, they burn in Hell.
    Am I wrong?

    I can understand where YOU are coming from. The way I understand what you were trying to do is this: You talk to people and pray with them in an attempt to hopefully make them think about their lives. Hopefully, what you say will plant a "seed" and then God will "water" it and make it grow into something that will change their lives forever. And then when you both die, you'll be friends in Heaven.
    You want to make people think if nothing else, about their lives and about how they probably need some change.
    And I respect that.

    Christians who do things "For God" are usually NOT doing it for GOD. Do you know how many people I've met that do things for GOD and it's Really for show, so they can go to church or wherever and pretend like they are some big bad Christian converting Machine?
    I've met about 2 people in this world who REALLY seem to do it for GOD and not for show.
    And, i've been in church my entire life, until about 3 years ago. Granted, that's only 20 years but still. That's enough to know too many people who pretend to be good.

    And I know, i'm sure your not like that and even if you are, you'll say your not because you think you are doing Good things for God. And I can't really dispute it, I don't know you and don't really know what you do or what your even about. Either way...

    I don't think people should do things for themselves either. I think people should do things for God, sure. But I think it should be for GOD who is what? He is Love. But love doesn't do something for someone and forget about them the next. Love doesn't do something for someone and then tell the world about it just because they want to be seen as a "good" person.
    (again, i'm not trying to say that I'm talking about YOU! because i don't know YOU!)

    This is Good---"The sick feeling in my stomach and the tears in my eyes would never allow me to go in."
    I can at least say now that I believe you when you say you didn't want to go in. A person who really did, probably wouldn't even be able to THINK of saying something like that.

    And, I guess your "unselfish" act is "odd" to me BECAUSE I believe EVERY human Being has a dark side and at ANY moment can give into it. on another topic, that's why even though i took some wedding vows (FOR SHOW, for Family, at the time) I think they are foolish. I think it's basically silly to believe that a person will never cheat, never look at another woman or man with lustful eyes, and that they will cherish and LOVE the other person FOREVER and EVER! I think it's Crap...
    Just as a Christian has to EVERYDAY decide to follow the Bible's teachings. To Follow a GOOD and Honorable life style. To resist the Devil and even Fleshly temptations.
    And to REALLY talk to God and learn who HE is. To Live in Love.

    About God being the only thing past the pain...What's your motivation for getting up in the morning? For Drinking Juice? For Talking to people? For working? For doing anything you consider a hobby? For not smoking? For not saying bad things? For going to bed?
    Why would you do any of these things with the motivation being for God?! I don't know.
    I'm rambling, I'm going to quit now.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 12:37 PM  

  • Green,

    Thanks I don't think I can respond to everything there, but I'm going to give it a shot on a few of the things.

    You talked about interacting and leaving, and I must say that I am guilty of that, however the people that live here in Jackson do this ministry every thursday night all year long. They interact with the bouncers and the managers weekly.

    I would agree if the group did nothing to try and change the surroundings it would be wrong, but I think it's funny people always say "christians are hypocrites they never really try and help" ... well here is a group trying to change a culture and a community.

    To be honest I dont' know "A LOT" of people that do this type of thing. I'd really love to hear of another group that stands outside of stipclubs to talk with the bouncers and strippers and the men going in and pray with these people. One particular bouncer had the group pray for his grandpa that was dying a few weeks ago. Each week they ask him the update on his grandfather.

    I don't know how many of the guys or girls are thinking about what we said. But how many strippers do you know that want to bring donuts and coffee to a group of people hoping to put them out of buisness?? Looks like it is making some sort of impact.

    I'm sorry that you are jaded about the church. Come up to Ohio, and I'll show you TONS of people that are truly doing things for God. In cities, in rural areas. I'd love to be able to do that for you.

    I hope my post didn't come across as praising me. I really wanted to show that there are people out there doing things to help their community. I only showed up. To be honest I'm apart of that cut and run deal that you were talking about.

    I believe that all people are selfish as well. But I do believe that through God we can go past that. I do expect someone to not cheat. I do think we can live without lust. But not from us ... but because of the grace of GOD!

    By Blogger Aaron, at 1:39 PM  

  • let me be honest. i really think you are about 2 steps away from becoming the bull horn guy. which makes me cringe. what is your purpose in doing this. is it to pray? or is it that people will notice you and talk to you? just be careful not to be definant and self-righteous. i think you need to check your motives. if people are getting punched, do you feel that it is a "sacrafice?" Shouldn't the group leave before enraging a person to violence. are you showing love?

    your group may want to think of other places they can go to meet people unlike yourself. start volunteering for a social service...you will meet the poor, the drug addicts, the abused, the strippers. maybe while volunteering you can pray as you meet new people and also be serving them.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:22 PM  

  • Well Missy let me be honest .. I disagree.

    "i really think you are about 2 steps away from becoming the bull horn guy"

    I assume by a "bull horn guy" you mean a guy that stands on the street and tells people they are going to hell. That was never done. The only things I saw asked were the students asking people to pray with him.

    "is it to pray? or is it that people will notice you and talk to you? just be careful not to be definant and self-righteous. i think you need to check your motives"

    To pray, and to start a dialogue with the bouncers, managers, strippers, and hopefully the men going in. I think it's very difficult for you to not be there and say that anyone in the group was being "defiant" or "self-rightous" to be honest I think it's ironic that one who wrote and called me a bullhorn guy is saying that I am being self righteous.

    "if people are getting punched, do you feel that it is a "sacrafice?" Shouldn't the group leave before enraging a person to violence. are you showing love"

    The man that punched the student was drunk. He was mad because the student was talking to one of his customers. People get mad at the church for a lot of stuff. Mother Terassa was blasted in India.. did she leave? And I think this is one of the greatest outward signs of love that I have ever seen in person.

    "your group may want to think of other places they can go to meet people unlike yourself. start volunteering for a social service...you will meet the poor, the drug addicts, the abused, the strippers. maybe while volunteering you can pray as you meet new people and also be serving them."

    This isn't "my group" I merely visited a group to watch them, however I would love to start something like this in southern ohio. Most of the members of this group are also vollentering at the salvation army, soup kitchens, crisis pregnacy centers, as well as taking a full load of college classes.

    I would liek to know at what point at this social action club woudl I see the bouncers? The managers? The men walking into the strip club? How does he Gospel ever get to them??

    By Blogger Aaron, at 4:09 PM  

  • Wow I read your blog and all the comments, I'm interested. I would like to help with something along those lines if you do start something here. Also you defended your cause (or I should say Tiptons cause) well. Some of the things green and missy said I could see where they were coming from, but a few Christians who tell everyone they are going to hell instead of showing compassion and love give all Christians a bad name. I know they exsit, don't get me wrong, but its just a stereotype. I have found that if I let people know I am a Christian, and sometimes mentions things I am involved in, I get asked a lot more questions then when I try to push my religion on others. Aaron I'm proud of you, and I do, unlike these others, Know you and have firsthand knowledge of your attitude and how you present yourself. Keep up the Great work!!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:50 PM  

  • This is the last thing I'll say for now. I understand why you all would do what you do. I respect it and hopefully it does some good for the people you are doing it for AND with. And I guess I hope someday I will either find a group of people like you all if you Really ARE how you say you are or that when we DO visit WCH again, we can actually meet you all and see for ourselves what you are all about. That's all for now. Nice Blog, Good job, Have Fun!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:21 PM  

  • It is the common and popular thing to think that evangelism outside of a church building equals encroaching on other people’s rights, or that evangelism is born out of a heart that wants to feel better than these ‘poor lowly sinners’. In every generalisation there is usually a thread of either truth or ‘appearance’ of truth, but exception proves the rule. So although I would agree that this team could have individuals who were selfish or just out for the pleasure of feeling like they accomplished something spiritual, I would have to ask why the existence of that sad possibility would be blown from the trumpet (or horn) as if it were fact, proven and established.

    Tell me, is it easier for a man to look at a bad situation and pray, and encourage someone to pursue Christ OR sit and conduct grand soliloquies on the failures of the Church. If the Church has failed, and it has in varying matters by the mere fact that it consists of human beings, then what is your current role in serving humanity? Are you a part of the solution or a part of the problem? There is no in-between. Someone may ask - what is the problem with how these men in the club choose to live their life? Nothing much… I guess the image of a woman prostrating her dignity and inner-most outer parts, for money, cannot change a man’s view of women or desensitize his arousal for the less excitingly raunchy advances of a woman he has safely committed to. I guess no one really knows the long term effects of entertaining a lifestyle of sexual openness. Yeah right. So what is the solution then?

    People who believe in Christ need not back away and hide because other people don’t want to be reminded of their condition. The team mentioned in this blog didn’t force themselves on anyone, didn’t go up and try preaching at anyone, from what is written it seems like they didn’t even tell the patrons their opinion on stripping or anything. Yet they had fallen prey to serious abuse. So who is really encroaching on whose rights here? If a man was wandering up and down belching obscenities I’m sure he would not have gotten as volatile a response as these “prayers”. The reason is simple – he wouldn’t make the patrons have to think about what they were doing in their own lives, in fact a man like I described would only make them feel better about their lifestyle.

    “How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

    And what is it about the words “strip club” that made our mouse dangle-and-click our way to this blog? Is it the interest in the forbidden? Is it that we see it as taboo for Christians… even if they don’t even go inside? WOW. Salt by itself is… salt… BUT salt with food = flavoured food. Light in Light changes nothing! Light in darkness always proves there is a way…a direction and dimensions. As long as the motives and heart of the individual continually fall under self-examination and good sensible leadership the results of praying for people are incomprehensibly vast. You feed the poor--But you Heal the sick--You raise the dead…So why would you Feed the Men trapped in this sexual battle… or should you clothe them…or give them a home? The team seems to have met the appropriate need… if anyone thinks that they should go elsewhere then I might wonder how many men, women and stripers would go in and out of that place without having the slightest sensation that their lifestyle was like a self-inflicted wound in need of care and attention. Also, prayer works much better when you get rid of the middle man. It is quite possible that in seeing people praying for them, some of those who entered these strip clubs would begin to wonder if they ought not to pray for themselves…
    Man cannot pursue something he cannot envision.

    By Blogger Iconoclast, at 4:05 PM  

  • Christ has given you a heart for the lost. It is a great encouragement to hear about your involvement in the world around you.

    keep writing.

    PAX

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:45 AM  

  • inspiring. And I disagree a bunch with the people who disagree with you. It really made me think. Am I doing enough? probably not. Anyways, thanks.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:45 AM  

  • Aaron,
    For one, I am proud of you and this group for simply taking the time to meet people where they are. Sometimes I think as Christians we live in a bubble and try to block out the world around us. I for one I'm very guilty of this. As Christians we need to remember the saying, "There but for the grace of God go I." Aaron I know your heart and that your motives in this where simply to reach out to a lost and dying world. We are instructed to be salt and light in this world and sometimes we need to be reminded what that means. Take care.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:33 PM  

  • Beth: thanks! I will be considering starting something like this in the upcoming months.

    Green: It has been a pleasure doing buisness with you. Stop by anytime.

    Annons: thanks, I unlike other bloggers keep my annons, good or bad... I think they are fun! I WILL continue to write, and other annon, I'm not sure any of us ever do enough.

    icon: you are exceptional... a little bowl of miracle whip! and thanks for the input. I do think there is something odd about why this post caused more uproar than normal. Conservatives thought I didn't do enough liberals thought I did too much!!!!

    Linda: I forgot you read this sometimes, I'm glad that you do though! "There but for the grace of God go I." an absolutely BEAUTIFUL phrase. Thanks for the reminder.

    By Blogger Aaron, at 10:21 PM  

  • Aaron and the rest,

    I attend Wesley Biblical Seminary here in Jackson, and I personally know many of the people who have been visiting the strip clubs over the last several months. I myself have not yet gone, but I am very much aware of what has been going on. I can't speak with authority on every issue in this discussion, but what I do know I will share. I just want to offer a comment or two.

    The people who go to these strip clubs are the real deal. Those of you who arbitrarily assign labels to these folks or call into question their motives do so out of ignorance....you simply don't know what you are talking about. I don't say that to be mean or condescending, I'm just being honest with you. You see, these people are placing themselves in jeopardy each and every week by going down to those strip clubs. They are very dangerous places to be. It is common knowledge that strip clubs usually have ties to organized crime, and these students who seek to make a change at these places do so at their own peril. Being punched and having the dogs called out on them is nothing serious compared to what they potentially might be facing. They know full well what the stakes are. And you want to call into question their intentions, as if they willingly subject themselves to danger so that people will think they look good? You've got to be kidding.

    There have been a lot of people who call themselves Christians in this world over the generations who have done things for the wrong reasons. That I concede. But that's not grounds enough to criticize or second guess the students in question in this blog post, especially when those of you criticizing really don't know much of anything about these people. Instead of basing your judgments on personal knowledge and experience concerning these students, you are making judgments based on preconceived notions that really have nothing to do with them. That, in my estimation, is shameful and intellectually dishonest.

    I'm sure this comment will most like polarize instead of reconcile, and I anticipate it will elicit attempts by some to assassinate my character. That's fine. I just couldn't stand by and listen to anyone criticize people I know and love and who are trying to do something honorable and meaningful to redeem their culture one life at a time at their own personal expense.

    By Blogger Sean Scribner, at 9:01 PM  

  • Way to get in the fight, Aaron. Let's find some clubs back home and get to praying, I'll join with you this!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:23 PM  

  • I still don't agree. I'm sorry but, you can do whatever you want but I guess my ignorant self will never understand why you would do as you do. But, in no way will I EVER bash what you do...I just disagree with it. maybe i SHOULD go try it out sometime though..so, when Eric and I go back to Washington Court House...we'll look you up...and check it out. Then hopefully you still have this blog on here and i'll tell you What I think about it...having done it. Peace and Love

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 1:53 PM  

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