SAMCRO

I've found a new soap. Soap opera, that is. FX's new series Sons of Anarchy is simply tailor-made for me. It's a drama about 1% bikers based loosely on Hamlet.

How can I lose?

The answer is that I can't. The show is exceedingly well done. And after seeing the very intriguing season finale in the basement of my in-laws' house, I have a few thoughts on the show.

First, I'm not going to fill space here with plot spoilers or fillers. Go to the FX website for more information on SAMCRO, or better yet, watch the series as soon as you can. Be aware there is a lot of violence, some very brief nudity, and as much language as you can fit on cable. In the case of this particular show, none of this is gratuitous. Knowing some of these folks as I do, it is simply an accurate view into the lifestyle. In fact, it's pretty mild in some places.

What I will say is that they know their subculture. I know some of these people. Yes, there are bikers out there that live this way. No, most of us do not. We call them 1%ers for a reason!

The power of that subculture is what intrigues me most about the show. This is a culture with real dynamics, in a literal sense of the word. Their culture is extremely manufactured, and they 'll be the first to say so. They work hard to create that culture, to engineer the boundaries, and the keep those boundaries intact. The have seen the power of the insider/outsider boundary, and make no apologies for that boundary.

I think we who are active in the process of discipleship resonate with this. We see the socialization process in discipleship as embracing a new boundary in our lives. As we become more and move enveloped in the Kingdom ethnos we see a boundary drawn between us and those around us. We see ourselves as distinct and separate, even though we inhabit the same world.

SAMCRO carries with them on their backs the signs that they are not part of the non-biker world. They stand out as separate and distinct. As should we.