In response to another's blog...

This is in response to a post found at the blog Curt's Mind

Amen!

I shudder to think of some of the awful things people do in God's name, but then I see all the truly good things people do for the same reasons. [BEGIN OFF TOPICNESS] As some of you may or may not know, I was raised a Southern Baptist, but I practice Christianity distinctly differently. I believe in a personal relationship with God, and most of my worship, prayer etc is done between God and I. I study the bible, I interact in religious discussions with others (both of and not of the same faith) and try to live the way I think God would want me to live. I do not regularly attend a church, persay. I like to attend several different institutions for a variety,because I do not feel comfortable, nor do I feel like I gain anything from the 'group' environment many churches provide. This is not to say I lack any faith, mind you, I'm very solid on that. If you really know me, you're aware of that fact.

I'm rather interesting I think, because I tolerate other faiths or lack thereof very well. I have no problem with you if you are Jewish, Islamic, Shintoist, Wiccan, Atheist, Methodist, Lutheran, Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, I really don't think it should affect how i treat you as another human being. How i treat you, and how I relate to you will be based on factors like how you treat me, how you react to those around you and (heaven forbid, I'm so old fashioned...) your manners. I have friends in many diff religious or non religious schools of thought. I like this, it makes thinking more interesting to have that many influences. Many Christians may look at this and go, "Oh my gosh! Well, as long as you're not too good of friends with these people...". I have a very interesting response to this. It includes a story.

At my high school there was a girl in my class who's family was considered very 'model christians'. They went to Church Wednesdays and Sundays, very active in their Church, very charitable when opportunities to donate came up. I think that's all very well and good, but actions do not a Christian make in my eyes. It's what's in your heart that matters. As corny as that sounds, I believe it with every shred of my being. Although I do believe these people had accepted Jesus Christ as their lord and savior, which I also believe is necessary for being a Christian, I don't think they were quite getting the message God wanted them too. You see, they were very... close minded. This girl in my class, she continually harassed two other of my classmates who were catholics, whenever we would have religious discussions. All the rest of the time, she'd be cool with them, but when it came time to mount the soapbox, she did it with much gusto and much rancor. I detested this. Why treat them that way, how are you being an example for your faith if you treat others this way? There were other things that happened that exampled this as well, but i won't go into it.

My point is, how does anybody expect other people to respect or even join your way of thinking, your faith if you behave irreverently to other faiths or beliefs? Hmm? That irreverence and snideness that you may treat one person with may be the only memory they will ever hold on to of someone from your faith. "That stupid Southern Baptist girl..." "Those Jehovah Witnesses that always come to your door are always so..." "I can't believe that Islamic kid said that..." Honestly, think about it! What do we all think of when we hear 9/11? Islam/Muslims, right? Duh... Now, I'm NOT saying Islamics are by any means terrorists, AT ALL. But what I am doing is proving the fact that "First impressions last the longest" especially when it comes to concepts of others beliefs. Is it right? I don't think so... But then, that's up to you to decide, isn't it dear reader?


But then all of this brings me to my original thoughts on the post from Curt's Mind...


I have the tendency to drift off in thought and contemplate things at sometimes inopportune moments, and sometimes this contemplation brings m e to the most depressing train of thought on the motives of humanity. Are we all necessarily vile, base creatures? What is the concept and capacity for any human to recognize and understand it's fellow man? Why is it that when a hurricane strikes Louisiana there is an outpouring of goodwill but half a world away where there is ten times the destruction by an earthquake in a foreign country we do not have the same amount or more sympathy for those people? Shouldn't we be just as sympathetic, just as likely to empathize with all humans, all our fellow man?

This concerns and confuses me. I understand and yet I don't.

I've made the argument before that when something like Katrina happens it's closer to home, and its your fellow countrymen. But that should be debunked just as easily. I've never met any Katrina victims. Why should I be more sympathetic to them than I should those victims of the Indonesian quakes? I try playing the countrymen card too, but why should the fact that we are all from the same country tie us? Bah... one can argue nationalism in that case.. sentimental 'bs' so to speak... But at the same time don't we need that sentimental stuff? Doesn't that make you a country? Ah... but I'm getting away from my own original thought. Why are we more likely to be sympathetic to some then others? I understand yet I don't. Don't get me wrong, I'm a relatively tenderhearted person. I don't like to see anybody unhappy, in pain, or struggling. I'm a helper, a fixer, a PERFECTIONIST. God save me, I am. But this question is one I can't answer, how sad...

I'm very fond of the song Count Your Blessings. Have you ever heard it? If you read the lyrics it makes a lot of sense. Aside from the blatant religious connotation, What I'm talking about is making sure you remember all the cool, awesome oppotunities you have in life when things are going badly. I think we don't do enough of that. I'm guilty of that I think. I 'm guilty of lots of things. I'm by NO MEANS the person I want to be yet, but I'm getting there. Among those things I want to work on is being thankful for what and who I have in my life. I have all sorts of cool things, but so many don't have them. I really should be more thankful, and less COMPLAINING. I have a big thing about that... i hate complaining but i do so much of it... ahhhh..... Working on it, working on it.. .*nod nod*

In a touch of finality, i guess I can only do as the author suggests: pray the sun comes up every morning so I can thank God for a beautiful new day and hold tight to those I love cause I know they may not always be there. That may sound achingly sad to you, but not to me. I have all the hope in the world. I don't care if it's raining, grey, windy, blue skies, if there's a war, there's a hurt, there's a struggle or a challenge. It's still a beautiful day cause I'm still breathing and able to live it.




Who am I you ask?

I'm the Lady in Black.




Later Space Cowboy...