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My Easter performance: The Power of the Cross (sign language)


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I have shared some ASL and hearing loss info with other here so I though some might be interested.

 

 

If you take the time to watch, I hope it is a blessing. BTW, you might want to skip ahead to about 0:40. I am not a film editor and there is a bit of space before the song begins.

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Beautiful. Very beautiful.

 

I was very shocked to learn (in the last couple of weeks, literally since Easter) that it is offensive to the deaf community for sign language to be "performed" for an audience where no one needed sign language. That sign langague as an "art" or "performing art" was considered offensive. Now I feel guilty when I watch sign language for the beauty of it, as if I am gawking or something. :o But I really don't want to hurt or offend anyone. :grouphug:

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I was very shocked to learn (in the last couple of weeks, literally since Easter) that it is offensive to the deaf community for sign language to be "performed" for an audience where no one needed sign language.

 

I just texted my deaf friend and asked him, and he said, "No, not true. The deaf don't own sign language any more than you own English." Did you hear this from someone in the deaf community?

Edited by milovaný
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Beautiful! The caption said you can't hear the words; how do you keep so perfectly on time with them?

 

We moved, and I love our new church. But the one thing I do miss about the old one is the sign language ministry. The only ASL I know is what I was taught there. For those of us who weren't interpreters, we were given the opportunity to learn the songs and interpret those. One of the interpreters was always down front to feed us, as needed, for between song prayers/comments. I loved signing the songs. Loved it! I miss both signing and watching it. Thanks for sharing.

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Beautiful. Very beautiful.

 

I was very shocked to learn (in the last couple of weeks, literally since Easter) that it is offensive to the deaf community for sign language to be "performed" for an audience where no one needed sign language. That sign langague as an "art" or "performing art" was considered offensive. Now I feel guilty when I watch sign language for the beauty of it, as if I am gawking or something. :o But I really don't want to hurt or offend anyone. :grouphug:

 

(Please read with a curious, absolutely non-snarky tone) I am also wondering where this opinion came from? I am not questioning that you were told this, just very curious because I have never heard it before and I am out there in the Deaf community (although I don't really feel part of it yet, just on the fringe). My DH is also in one of the largest interpreter training programs on our state right now so I am going to have him ask some of his profs about it. In my experience it has been the opposite, Deaf people want hearing people to become enamored with their language in hopes they may be motivated to learn more about their communication and culture.

 

Even so, I don't know that I would consider that applicable in this case either. I am deaf/HH and my daughters are severely HH, this is my way of worshipping with music and the bit of residual hearing I have left. We do have deaf in our congregation and have certified interpreters for every Sunday service. We have a formal accessibility ministry that serves people in our congregation with accessibility needs and it was my feeling that by elevation "our" worship experience to the platform during such a prominent time as Easter morning, it was really being more inclusive of our members with hearing loss as well as highlighting to the typical-hearing members that even in what some perceive as our weaknesses, we can be used by the Lord. My goal with our accessibility ministry is for the church to be a place of inclusion so those with differences can find a place to serve and minister as a valuable part of the body of Christ. So many times "special needs" ministries are viewed with an attitude of "those poor unfortunates, what can we do for them"; instead of an object being ministered TO, people with differences should been seen as part of the body to minister THROUGH.

 

Sorry, I aill get off my soapbox, now. I just have a true passion for accessibility ministry vs. special needs ministry and I feel the church (meaning religious communities in general) are sorely lacking in how they include those who are not viewed as "typical" as part of Christ's church. I don't think you made the comment with any malice at all, not was any taken. I am still kind of scratching my head and going "huh?"

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I have shared some ASL and hearing loss info with other here so I though some might be interested.

 

 

 

If you take the time to watch, I hope it is a blessing. BTW, you might want to skip ahead to about 0:40. I am not a film editor and there is a bit of space before the song begins.

 

 

 

That was beautiful! Thanks for sharing. God is so good.

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:grouphug: I read NO snark and I am really glad you addressed my comments. I was so shocked to hear that. The lady who informed of this is an interpreter (did I spell that right? My brain isn't functioning well right now!) but she is not deaf or HH. I'm not sure how she came to be "involved" in the deaf community, but she is quite vocal about the inappropriateness (is that even a word?!) of using sign language for "art."

 

I hope that is something that is only an issue in her small area of the deaf community and NOT the deaf community at large. But since she was so adamant, I was *totally* uncomfortable asking her about it, kwim?

 

She said that sign language is the language of the deaf community and should only ever be used as a lnaguage, to speak to one another and "outsiders" should only ever use it when interpreting (again, please disregard my spelling) and not in settings where no one needs signing.

 

If others have not heard this, if members of the deaf community dispute this, I would love to know more about that. I love watching people sign. I do think it is so beautiful. (I also love hearing people speak French. I kind of thought is was the same kind of thing.) But ever since this other conversation, I feel like an interloper and totally "classless" for "enjoying" signing.

 

Thank you for your kindness and not ripping into me. :grouphug:

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The deaf friend I texted last night was pretty adamant -- no one owns a language. I think to the Pascha service in our church: A particular Bible passage is quoted in 10-20 languages as part of the service. It's pretty unlikely that there's even one person in the room that speaks even one of these languages fluently, you know? (We're not a highly multi-cultural congregation.) But it's beautiful to listen to all the same and nobody is doing anything wrong by saying words in a language that a native speaker is not there to hear. I asked my friend, so if I wanted to do sign language next year as one of these languages, that wouldn't be a problem? And he said not at all. Maybe I'll pop over to alldeaf.com and pose this question on the board.

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Beautiful! Thank you. I liked how you combined the I Love You signs at the end with the signs for the crucifixion.

 

ETA: I too have heard the admonition that ASL should be primarily for communication with deaf, not exhibited for a hearing-only audience. I see that your church has a deaf ministry from your clarification comments, so no problem there. I was asked to perform once for hearing-only, to accompany In Christ Alone, and I only agreed if the person introducing me provided a disclaimer. I guess I was admonished during training enough times that I am uncomfortable performing for hearing-only, although I do sometimes sign in the pew as part of my own worship during singing. I think this is a sensitive issue and that it's best to ask the deaf in our own communities what they think.

Edited by WTMCassandra
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