Who is your savior?

Who saves you when you are at the bottom of a bottomless pit? who rescues you when you are helpless and naïve?  who comes through for you when you are in pain, fear, and agony? Is it Superman for the comic fans or white Jesus for the religious, or perhaps your sister? Who is your superhero, who is your savior?

Collective Liberation Through Sisterhood

The memoir “Sister Savior” by Brittanie Richardson explores this question and brings us to a new understanding of who a savior is. A recurring motif in Britanie’s journey is the concept of collective liberation through sisterhood. The narrative unfolds in stages, where different sisters, both biological and chosen, play crucial roles in Britanie’s salvation. This theme extends beyond familial bonds, emphasizing the broader significance of community, friendship, and devotion in alleviating innate suffering and pain. Sister Savior explores a story of collective liberation through sisterhood, as seen in the various anecdotes presented throughout Brittanie’s story.

First, her biological sister saved her from the rape of her father, then her three sisters constantly saving each other through the teenage years’ experiences, then later in life as a missionary, she goes out to rescue girls and women affected by the sexual trade and business. She brings the saving that was brought to her by her sister, and she watches as the sisters in the rescue home that she helped set up, save themselves. Then, through the actions of the sisters she saved, they save her again and help her later in life open up about her sexual experiences, traumas, and work through to liberation. Ultimately, the book and life experience show us the cyclic nature of sisterhood saving and collective liberation. It shows that little slivers of joy have the potential to expand and amplify, and ultimately, in the final analysis, as the monks put it, life is pain, but in the pain, there exists happiness and ultimately purpose, and this story is a journey through pain, happiness, and purpose.

Betrayal and Redemption

Another continuous theme that emerges from this story is a theme of betrayal and redemption. Britanie’s life has been marked by instances of betrayal that led to a loss of trust. First from the father who raped her, then to her friends at different stages, then to her betraying her friends as a defense mechanism, to her friends feeling betrayed later in the story when they set up the rescue center The story intricately explores instances of betrayal, not only in personal relationships but also in the context of traditional religious beliefs, particularly the clash between her identity as a gay individual and the prescribed norms of Christianity. The beauty of the story, however, was as the theme of betrayal unfolds, a powerful counterforce emerges — love highlighting the resilience of the human spirit. For me, as a reader, one of the biggest lessons I picked from this was that betrayal is part of life; there is no escaping it. However, love ultimately triumphs, offering a poignant lesson on navigating the complexities of trust and human connections.

Struggle with Sexuality and Religious Identity

A central struggle in Britanie’s life is the intersection of her sexuality with the traditional norms dictated by her religious beliefs. The clash between her love for Jesus and her self-discovery as a gay individual becomes a pivotal element. Britanie’s life has been marked with a constant struggle between her love for Jesus her self-discovery of being gay. The challenges posed by the traditional portrayal of Jesus as a ‘white’, straight male savior. The story is marked with monumental instances where Britanie self-discovered what she liked sexually, which was her preference for women over men, automatically marking her as an outcast in traditional religious systems. The influence of white Jesus and saviorism, as conditioned to her in the narrative, made her hate who she had discovered, with the biggest fear being going to hell. Jesus was presented to her as a ‘white straight male’ who saved all, and if you wanted to go to heaven and live with Jesus, you could not be gay. If you were gay, you would directly go to hell. This concept made her, on several occasions, seriously go to the church to have the gay prayed out of her. One enlightening scenario in the story is when she fell for a man while in South Africa for a short time, deluding herself that finally, the gay was prayed out of her. Staying true to herself, we see this as a futile effort, which she later broke off and went on to be fully accepting of herself. This story gives a very real account of  the tension between societal expectations and personal authenticity, offering a poignant portrayal of the challenges faced by individuals reconciling faith and sexual orientation.

Saviorism and Cultural Dissonance

The story intricately weaves the concept of saviorism into Britanie’s journey, particularly during her missionary work in Africa. It delves into the clash between Western ideals of ‘saving’ individuals through Christianity and the local perspectives and cultural nuances of the communities she aims to help. A very judgmental approach that did not consider the local scenarios and the locals’ perspectives on views of Christianity. One of the best instances that, while not directly mentioned, still presented was when in the house she had built for the kids, the white woman who had helped build the sanctuary for kids wanted the kids to call her mum as a white person and not Britanie and the other dark-skinned girls living in the house. And I think one of the baby girls said it best: there is no way she would be comfortable calling a white woman that did not look like her mom; it just did not make sense to her. In the grander scale of things, this is the struggle our African ancestors and even today the communities have faced prompting contemplation on cultural imperialism within the context of religious outreach. The story subtly addresses issues of privilege and cultural insensitivity, especially in the context of the white savior complex.

The Transformative Power of the Sister saviour.

Amidst the challenges and conflicts, the narrative presents a powerful theme of sisterhood as a source of strength and salvation for Britanie. The term ‘sister savior’ takes on multiple dimensions, starting with her biological sister rescuing her from the trauma of paternal abuse. As the story unfolds, it expands to encompass a broader definition of sisterhood, emphasizing collective liberation. Britanie’s journey, from being saved by her sisters to actively participating in rescuing others, underscores the transformative power of sisterhood in overcoming adversity.

Rediscovering the Savior Within

The story concludes by prompting readers to reevaluate the concept of a savior. It challenges the conventional image of a distant ‘white Jesus’ by suggesting that a savior can be someone intimately known, who looks, feels, and understands like a sister. The narrative invites readers to reflect on the idea that Jesus, in a broader sense, can manifest in the form of an understanding and saving sister. This insightful revelation completes the narrative circle, leaving readers to contemplate their own definitions of a savior.

Conclusion: A Journey Through Pain, Happiness, and Purpose

In its totality, Britanie Richardson’s story paints a nuanced picture of life’s complexities. From the pain of betrayal and identity struggles to the happiness found in love and collective liberation, the narrative emphasizes the cyclic nature of sisterhood saving. The story ultimately posits that, while life is inherently painful, moments of joy have the potential to expand.

What a great read this was, “Sister Savior – A Collective Liberation Through Sisterhood by Brittanie Richardson.

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