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Someone I like and who's judgement I trust says I should say that. She didn't volunteer it: I asked for her opinion and she was kind and brave enough to give it.
The Item in question is here: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/45649/roar-love-4#comm...
The way I comment is this: I read the story, hit the comment button and start typing. It's train of thought and you get my feelings. I really didn't mean to rant but it came out pretty strong.
Weaponized Religion is a hot button issue for me. Nothing makes me angrier! So I meant what I said but could have said it in a kinder way.
So, for those I offended: I'm sorry.
For those who agree: Thank you.
It' really Andrea's fault, she writes so well that she makes me feel things... Only the best authors make you feel rather than just read.
Ole
Comments
sometimes, we really need an edit button
sometimes, we need to take a moment before we post and read what we've written. Its happened to me, and to others, I'm sure. Remember, all we got on this site is each other, so be kinder than you need to be, as Erin has said.
That being said, we love you, and of course we forgive you.
HUGGLES!
Edit button
That's why you only have a preview button first, to make sure you read it through before you post. Of course, most people take that to mean you should cheque for typos and mis-spellings but it also gives you a chance to read what you have written and make sure it makes sense and doesn't offend anybody. Mostly it works.
As for editing, I believe that you get an edit button for your own comments as long as no-one has replied. I have used this on several occasions when I've posted something and then realize that I have goofed.
Penny
Hi, Penny, Thanks for Taking the time to comment...
I really appreciate it! As I told Dorothy, I said what I meant, but perhaps not in the best possible way. I just don't understand people who divide rather than unite. Who rank people by religion, race, country of origin, sex, sexual attraction or gender. I just don't get it! None of that stuff makes a difference. We're all just people. We all deserve respect. So how can one group claim another group is damned. It seems to me that using God as an excuse for hatred must be a sin: A pretty big one. Just my opinion...
At least no one has written to say that they were greatly offended and how dare I.
Your friend,
Ole
We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!
Gender rights are the new civil rights!
I knew about the edit button...
But after reading it over 3 times I realized it said what I believe but could seem harsh to some. That's when I contacted The lovely lady with very sweet sensibilities, mentioned in the blog. I can only hope she'll approve of the way I've done it.
Thank you, Dorothy, for your kind comment.
Ole
I was raised Danish Lutheran, and had planned to enter the ministry. Still by age 5 I was questioning the beliefs of my mother's very large, and very bigoted, family that everyone else was going to hell. Now the church I grew up in was pretty liberal, and thank God my parents were very liberal and by my late teens I felt that religion was getting in the way of my relationship with God. So like Thomas Jefferson I am now a sect of one with no need to convince anyone.
Here's a song that says a lot of what I believe about God, and it was written by one of my favorite song writers who happens to be Jewish.
Be - Neil Diamond
Lost
On a painted sky
Where the clouds are hung
For the poet's eye
You may find him
If you may find him
There
On a distant shore
By the wings of dreams
Through an open door
You may know him
If you may
Be
As a page that aches for a word
Which speaks on a theme that is timeless
And the one God will make for your day
Sing
As a song in search of a voice that is silent
And the sun
God will make for your way
And we dance
To a whispered voice
Overheard by the soul,
Undertook by the heart
And you may know it
If you may know it
While the sand would become the stone
Which begat the spark
Turned to living bone
Holy, holy
Sanctus, Sanctus
Be
As a page that aches for a word
Which speaks on a theme that is timeless
While the one God will make for your day
Sing
As a song in search of a voice that is silent
And the one God will make for your way
Here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Evht4...
We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!
Gender rights are the new civil rights!
Hey, Ole,
You are definitely cool. Being angry at injustice and hatred is normal for someone with sensitivity about the subject. OTOH, strong emotion can hi-jack ones rationality so it's good to cool down, but have a target and strong feelings to urge you on. I think a good thing is to get allies and band together, the larger the group the more likely you (all) are to be heard. Next, study your opponents, see how they have done things to leverage their power. One thing the right wingers did was get into politics at the localist level. They got control of school boards, tried to get their ideas into classrooms and stop anything positive about LGBTQ issues or liberal Christianity. They try to prevent anti-bullying programs so red-neck students can continue to beat and abuse gays and Tpeople.
I feel too warn-out and poorly motivated to do more than sign petitions on FB and give money to some LGBTQ positive organizations, but I'll cheer on others with more energy!
Hugs and Bright Blessings,
Renee
Hey, Renee,
You're pretty cool too, based on comments of yours that I've read. I'll count you as an ally if I may. I know that I'm sometimes too passionate in my beliefs and opinions, but it seems better than having no opinions. I agree with everything you said so you must be pretty smart! ;-D
I have to say you don't look too worn out, you look like a woman who's lived life. And please take that as a complement...
At my age, I'd be getting out of politics not into it, and all I'll say about it is I'm really getting tired of all the angry Tea Bags!
Thank you, Renee for the Hugs and Blessings, I need as many of each as I can get.
Your friend,
Ole
We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!
Gender rights are the new civil rights!
yes and no
Ole,
I see where you are coming from, being in a similar frame of mind (as a kid I got disillusioned by some things that happened and I studied with various forms of Christianity, and most of them didn't "call" to me), and while it did come out a little, harsh, and some could take it very wrong/badly, it wasn't insulting (again at least I didn't think so) the main thing is that it got you FEELING, you felt part of the story. THAT IS GREAT WRITING (Hugs Andrea) and waiting to comment might temper that a bit. just like in management training, NEVER discipline someone when you are mad, angry, sad whatever. give it time for EVERYONE to cool off and think calmly.
because you are right, there are many groups who use their beliefs ( I wouldn't call it the religion, it is just their interpretation of religion) as a weapon against those they feel are violating THEIR beliefs, for which I give them the big thumb on the nose.
Terri
Teresa L.
Thanks Terri...
By the time I was 7 I had attended services, programs and classes at the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Baptist, Methodist churches and attended Temple with my friends as much as was allowed by each. We all seemed to be worshiping the same God. I refused to believe that all these wonderful people were damned!
By high school I belonged to 5 faith based youth groups and was probably the only Luther Leaguer with his own Yarmulke. Hey all those groups had girls and dances!
The haters are all so convinced of their rightness and everyone else's wrongness that they never asked the simple question which occurred to me as a kid: With all these religions, which one does God believe in? I've asked this question of Clerics, Rabbis, and elders of many religions and have yet to get a satisfactory answer. Since they all, for the most part, worship God in some form, how can He be sectarian?
Can you tell that I've given this a lot of thought? Of course, I realize that doesn't make me right. I could just be full of sh*T. Probably am!!!
I appreciate your comment,
Ole
We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!
Gender rights are the new civil rights!
I thought it was an excellent
I thought it was an excellent comment. I can't think of anyone other than an extreme bigot who might have taken offence from it.
Andrea's dealing here with one of the most difficult topics of all, the conflict between family and faith. The pastors in this story, who presumably accept the Bible as the literal truth, are acting in exact accordance with the instructions Jesus gave to them.
For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
(Matthew 10, 35-37)
Some people assume that Jesus must have been a nice person because of the Sermon on the Mount and what have you. Look more closely at the Gospels and he comes across as anything but. Then again, anyone who deludes himself into believing he's the son of God...
Geez, I see Him as a pretty nice guy...
Whether you see Him as the son of God or a prophet or irrelevant, he seems like someone you'd want for a mate. There'd never be a dull moment. ;-D Seriously, He was talking about families splitting up along lines of faith. Some would stick to the old laws, others would move on to a new more loving way of belief, a more human based belief system. As I understand it that's why he had to become human. The next verse says: 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 10:34-38
New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
34 ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
‘“a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law –
36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.â€[a]
37 ‘Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Matthew 10:34-38
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
34 “Do not think that I came to [a]bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.
37 “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 10:34-38
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
34 “Don’t suppose that I have come to bring peace to the Land. It is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword! 35 For I have come to set
36 a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,
so that a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.[a]
37 Whoever loves his father or mother more than he loves me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than he loves me is not worthy of me. 38 And anyone who does not take up his execution-stake and follow me is not worthy of me.
So Mat. 10: 38 becomes the modifier and operative statement. Jesus was predicting the religious strife that would occur after his death/resurrection depending on your belief system. He was right too! I'll take no sides: It's enough for me to know what I believe.
Anyone who missed the fact that most religious books were written 100s and thousands of years after the events and involved a lot of wrangling and politics wasn't paying attention.
I'll stick to the simple stuff:
Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Do unto others as you would have done to you.
He who is without sin cast the first stone.
Judge not that ye be not Judged.
All the Kings, Emperors and Princes of The Church forgot that stuff while they were protecting Male Dominance and the like.
Your friend always,
Ole
We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!
Gender rights are the new civil rights!
The Golden Rule
The 'simple stuff' is essentially the 'Golden Rule', which is common to just about every belief system and has been identified as far back as early Confucianism and Buddhism.
Don't do to others what you wouldn't want them to do to you.
This is of course a manifestation of our evolved reciprocal altruism. If you look hungry I'll let you have some of my food because there may come a day when it's me who's begging and my life may depend on you returning the favour.
Doesn't work with some people. We call them psychopaths.
There, you see, Nicki...?
We DO agree on most things! As for Confucianism and Buddhism They are valid and wonderful religions and I honor and value them. I really think that it's more important that God believes in us than the belief system we use to believe in Him.
I know it's controversial but I don't care if anyone agrees. My beliefs are simple. Love: Good! Acceptance: Good! Care for others: Good! Hate: Bad! Bullying: Bad! Threatening: Bad! Hurting others: Bad!
I know Y'all think I'm really weird now, but if not hating and accepting others is weird, I can live with it.
Ole
We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!
Gender rights are the new civil rights!
Guilty as charged....
...Writing this story became in part a telling of my own tale through Susan's life. If I dare to come out to my family, it would include many of my well-meaning in-laws and friends; all of whom do really love people. Getting their heads to wrap around how I perceive myself might be just as frustrating as what Susan and her brothers are dealing with; albeit with a lot less vigor and invective. And with eight siblings on Mrs. D's side and their respective families, this not-so-red-head would have a lot of 'splainin' to do!
My brothers, while struggling with my other issues, would have much less a difficult time faith-wise even though we share many of the same personal views about faith. They might have a difficult time merely because they grew up with a brother, so to speak, and introducing a sister this late in the game might prove daunting.
It's a very provocative subject that hits many of us 'right where we live,' and it would be a surprise if it didn't evoke responses such as yours. Many of us have been hurt by folks, however well-intentioned, who believe they know better than we do about what God may mean to us or even not at all. I'm firm in what I believe, and I hope that what this all means to me comes across as just that; my own faith, and nothing more.
So as far as ranting goes? You go, girl!
Love, Andrea Lena
I charged you with being a brilliant writer, Andrea. Guilty!!!
You manage to wring more emotion from me than anyone though some others come close. You never duck the tough subjects or the best and worst of humanity. I think it's the personal content of your writing that makes it so powerful. As for your family, we know one of our friends here who was spectacularly successful coming out. In my case, as some know, not so much! So it's pretty much a crap shoot, and with your big family it would probably be a mixed bag.
This blog hasn't gone in exactly the direction I thought it would. My original comment was born out of disgust with the way people use God and religion to hurt others: Weaponized religion! This really shows a lack of understanding on the part of people who should know better. It devolved into a discussion of my beliefs, entirely my fault. I do respect and embrace most religions and have good friends among many of them, but that sets me a little out side the norm as though I needed another way to be an outsider. If my faith, lack of faith, or weirdness of faith, however it may be perceived, displeases anyone, it will sadden me.
I'll try to hold my tongue, but you know that's probably going to take both hands.
Thanks for your comment, Andrea. You ROCK Girl!!!
Ole
We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!
Gender rights are the new civil rights!
Devo?
...seriously? It's when a blog is as personal as yours that I find a very good opportunity to express myself; that first person gets the ball rolling? You shouldn't find fault at all. We have a varied group of folks here; everyone with their own beliefs and opinions, and we've seen a bit of it expressed here in a safe forum. I'm glad you posted this, and I hope that you'll be as frank (Francie?) the next time. And yes, we truly are exactly as God made us! Thank you!
Love, Andrea Lena