The Importance of Imagination

By Camille

I enjoyed all of the readings from my two Religion Courses at OU because I loved the way we were allowed to use our imagination and apply concepts to our existence as a way to inform us of the varying intersections that theology and identity have within the human experience. From Queer theory, Indigenous cultures, Black theology, womanist theology to Capitalism, there is a broad range of avenues of critical thought within doctrine. In learning about the possibilities within religion, it allows for creative imagination about informing normative and traditional spaces of the disruptive forces of queering theology and how that means more than just gender and sexual identity, but it involves bringing forth the marginalized, the weird, the unconventional, and the overlooked.

An interesting focal point to the realm of imagination when it comes to religion and spirituality is drawing from the stories and perspectives of African spirituality and African diasporic culture. Upon re-reading “For the Love of Laveau” Ezili's Mirrors I could formulate more of what I mean by imagination.

Based on that reading, where Omise’eke Natasha Tinsley reimagines gender identity, nature, and human connections as it relates to the economic, societal, and climate changes of the northern coastal area of Haiti and within the desire for purer water and cleaner supplies, in a world of salvific imagination, Ezili, a reflection of need, desire, love, mercy, sensuality, femininity, and of the magical psyche, is echoed and knows no geographical bounds to heteronormativity and instead calls for nonconformity in the pursuit of existence, practices (spiritual and non-spiritual), love, and possibility. In this imagination of divine forces and multiplicity, we can see how black femininity and vulnerability are a cosmological effect of decolonizing queer studies whilst bringing power to the marginalized. Another person that fits within this would be Matt Brim and his book "Poor Queer Studies" which is about elitism of queer studies in university and shifts to queer studies in poor and working-class societies.

An interesting converging point of Ezili would be to add layers of black feminism. I know that Tinsley has written about “Beyonce in Formation” with the University of Texas Press, maybe adding in aspects of Alice Walker and womanism and how that can relate to Rihanna. Maybe that could answer questions regarding the ways in which artists like Rihanna and Beyonce incorporate sensuality in their musicality to fuel human connections and how sensuality is not inherently sexual and instead explores themes of empowerment, self-expression, and autonomy, which is something I always talk about in my Beyonce blogs.

Another intersecting point could be modern Christianity, exploring how Christianity can strive to be more inclusive by reframing the way empowerment, self-expression, and autonomy are viewed. These avenues of exploration should be viewed as markers of self-actualization and identity formation that allow us to situate ourselves within our worlds comfortably instead of being viewed as deviations from divine will because religion and spirituality can/should be used as tools of affirmation rather than tools of destruction. Even including the women of the bible like Ruth, Esther, Sara, Eve, etc., and delve into the ways that they navigate their society. 

Bodies should be used as tools for informing existence and the things that make us comfortable. They should not be used as crash test dummies to confirm the perceived wrongs of possible deviations from the norms that inherently are intertwined within the realm of religious ideologies that oppress marginalized communities. Within "compossibility" how does embracing the concept of 'compossibility,' which is the idea that multiple identities, narratives, and truths can coexist harmoniously within religious and spiritual frameworks, encourage us to reimagine traditional religious doctrines and practices in ways that honor the diversity of human experiences and affirm the validity of all identities?  This approach can enrich our understanding of spirituality as a dynamic and inclusive force that transcends binary categorizations.

Furthermore, regarding James Baldwin's disidentification which was proposed by Jose Esteban Munoz, I think that fits within the scope of compossibility, as it emphasizes the importance of reforming traditional ideas and reinterpreting doctrinal works that impose strict bars on unique identities and the idea of multiple truths. The important word here is coexist as it allows for many things to be possible at once and within the same hemisphere or geographical location. This idea draws me to the questions of how does disidentification, as proposed by Baldwin and Munoz, intersect with impossibility? Is it possible that this concept is way above human capabilities as individualism is apparent?

There is a lot that can happen when we are allowed creative pathways to approaching traditional and patriarchal realms of thought that have historically been used to subjugate minority groups and still do to this day. As I prepare for applications to graduate schools and reframe my degree plan to reflect the things that I am most passionate about, I find that all of my interest in Psychology, Music, Art, Sociology, Religion, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, African American/Africana Studies, and Philosophy share many intersecting points. I have been working on narrowing my focus a bit so that when I have to prepare for my master's thesis, doctoral thesis, and dissertation, and figure out what area of study I would like to become a professor in, everything has a place in that intersection and my focus is narrow but always impactful. 

As an individual with a memory deficit/learning disability, I definitely never thought I would make it this far into my college degree because I struggle to remember things and I struggle to be able to conceptualize in a way where I would fully understand what it is I was saying and learning. But then I realized that it is important that I take my time and ask questions. It is also so very incredibly important to have professors who are creative thinkers and don't just go for the straight and narrow. So, I hope my graduate school experience is as dynamic as I have become over the past few years, and that is all thanks to wonderful professors and classmates at OU. 

I will always find a way to incorporate Beyonce, so the next blog or so will probably be about Ezili and Beyonce, maybe even merge with Oshun the Orisha of Yoruba-based religions located in West Africa.

Boop!