Summary Of Beyond Surviving By Joshua Moon Johnson

The notion people have a story compromising who they are has been embedded into the minds of people within society. Whether it is a tragedy, a conflict or internal battle of some kind, society is taught to believe due to an occurrence that has transpired in a person’s life defines where their beliefs and perceptions developed, as well as a justification for their behaviors. However, despite this philosophy too often understanding the cause for these struggles in the first place are overlooked, even dismissed all together. Society is unknowingly composed around a dominant culture repressing all of those belonging outside the demeanor of the “norm.” White, middle class, heterosexual, males have instituted the outline of society and crafted the

his motive is to create a culture where value, support and acceptance of all diverse identities are expressed. In his talk regarding his best-selling book Beyond Surviving: From Religious Oppression to Queer Activism, a discussion of the complex relationship between sexuality and spirituality highlighted the struggles constantly faced by those repressed by dominant culture. Often times sexuality and religion are separated, especially those of a non-heterosexual relationship. Homosexuality, in many religions is deemed to cause a person to be considered “a damage good, a damnation to hell, and an act of destroying others” as Johnson suggested. While society prides itself of accepting all identities there is still a divide among white supremacist ideologies within religion arbitrating what is tolerable concerning sexuality, thus furthering the continuation of repression seen today. As Johnson discussed due to personal experience and research those expressing homosexuality are often rejected from the church and considered to be “broken spiritually.” The acceptance, understanding and respect is not there, thus causing a separation to occur, which ultimately results in the oppression of any expression of same sex attraction.

Throughout his investigation, Johnson recognized reoccurring themes students were encompassing in their battle. The stories were plagued with overlapping subjection to rejection, lack of community, relationship strain with God and self-hatred. The separation of sexuality and religion left students in a gray zone where they were not able to express themselves as who they were in fear of facing rejection. However, this left them without a support team. Places where they were suppose to feel safe such as family and church left them alone condemning as “wrong,” creating a even more difficulty in coping with an already tough and complex self-journey. For someone who is religious identity is important to them, being told they are seen as wicked in the eyes of God can be devastating. The question of how can one have a relationship with God arises. A strain of faith is tested and can lead toward the loss of an identity as a whole. Unfortunately, these oppressed notions of disapproval toward homosexuality, eventually resolves in self-hatred. The stores told by Johnson often revolved around depression, isolation, identity loss and suicidal