Breaking Tradition

I'm going to cover two posts today and I'm going to skip one in between them because I think the other is more important right now. So, Post numero uno: Cheezburger

I actually read an interesting blog about this very topic recently, about how Americans don't like zealots. I mean, on one hand, I get it. A lot of a bad comes from radical people, especially in the venue of religion. America has been attacked by radicals, by zealots. So we're wary of it; we're cautious of anyone who talks too loudly or too emotionally. We distance ourselves from people who are so emotionally charged because, how do we know if they're going to "go off the deep end?"

But honestly, some zealotry is good. It's good to be zealous for your children, to be radically charged about your marriage. Those are good things that there's nothing wrong with being "over-the-top" about; and no one gets worried about that. To use Lalaith as an example (hope she doesn't mind), she's over-the-top about being married and about her husband, and it's great! It's wonderful seeing people so ridiculously happy in their marriage - particularly in the world we live in where so many are UNHAPPY in their marriage.

So if zealotry isn't bad, then it must be what you're zealous FOR that makes it dangerous. Being zealous for God is not dangerous to anyone but the Devil. It's uncomfortable for a lot of people, but not dangerous. Being zealous for God is not what brings about the bombing of abortion clinics - that's zealous for something else. Being zealous for God is not what brings about holy crusades - that's for something else. The only way being zealous for God effects the people around you? You love them more and treat them better. And that means being willing to listen to their opinions - even if you disagree and KNOW before they say a word that you're going to disagree; it means listening and thinking BEFORE you explain why you disagree. It means you don't brush aside their problems, even if you cannot empathize AT ALL. It means that you treat them with respect and do NOT patronize them or talk down to them. And that goes for everybody. Christians, non-Christians, family, people that you have trouble just being around because they bug you - everybody. If America was full of zealous Christians, it would be WAY better off. And if people want to call that nuts, oh well. :)


On to the other post and an apology:

Threnody, I did not mean to say that you MEAN to cause your friends or family pain. I apologize for not making that clear. I did make a comment - which was obviously not enough - about wanting the opinions of others on the topic because I was sure there were many other ways to see it. Thank you for posting your reasons.

To explain some, it was never my intent to accuse, malign, or make a statement of fact, as if I had PROVED why you would make a post mocking the Bible. My intent was only to draw it into question. I put forth the only explanation I had thought of, but I did not ever mean to indicate that that was the ONLY explanation possible. On this, I did not mean to judge your motives. I can see better now where you are coming from. One last note, I never meant to indicate that you should never post anything about leaving Christianity or why you find it illogical. I have absolutely no problem with you giving your reasons and arguments; I think it's actually very helpful. My problem was ONLY with the mockery.


The content of the blog: To an extent, I agree with her. If someone were to try to teach me that it's wrong to eat, say,  marshmallows, I would be tempted to pull mine out of the cupboard and eat them in front of their face. The difference in my head, is that if my mom were to come to my house and tell me that she suddenly had a problem with marshmallows, I would end up getting rid of them if I couldn't change her mind - because it's better, in my opinion, to just let it go than to cause a problem over it. And I certainly would not make any kind of anything that was completely mocking people who think that marshmallows are evil.

Obviously, there's quite a difference between marshmallows and Christianity, but I think the principle is the same. And I think in the end, it comes down to what I value more - my marshmallows or my mom? My freedom of speech or my family?

I'm not a stranger to this problem - following what you believe is right or continuing in the way that you were raised and the way that you know EVERYONE expects. It's not fun. I ended up going down a path that I had heard argued against and mocked for YEARS. It hurt my parents; it frightened and worried them. I believe they are wrong, but because what my parents believe is not a danger to them or to others, I'm not going to argue with them. I'm not going to mock them, and I'm not going to try to change them. If it comes up, I will discuss it with them, but I'm not going to look for it. I hurt them and they hurt me when it happened, but I refuse to KEEP hurting them by mocking and degrading what they believe, no matter how much I disagree with it now, or how much I had to change my thinking.

That's my story and that's my choice. I don't bring it up for the purpose of condemning; I bring it up as something to think about. Not just for Threnody but for everyone who has been through something similar, for everyone who finds themselves on the opposite side of an issue as the people they love. Is it really worth hurting them? Is getting your argument in worth it? Is making that snide comment worth the pain you're going to inflict?

If nothing else, it's a good reminder for me.