Comments | runningforlife7: It Is A Dangerous Dichotomy When The Middle Ground Is A Tightrope Between Two Extremes

runningforlife7

It Is A Dangerous Dichotomy When The Middle Ground Is A Tightrope Between Two Extremes

Dec 27, 2005 12:00

I am posting this here for purely selfish reasons (to quote John Barth, not every motive of a writer is selfless), and mainly because i want it to be read by two specific individuals, namely Paci and Douglas ( Read more... )

Comments 14

half_bob December 27 2005, 17:57:44 UTC

For some reason, in this Christmas of all Christmases I have heard the most discussion of the infamous phrase "Happy Holidays." Maybe its because Hannukah happens to fall so close to Christmas this year, or maybe its because I live in a more liberal part of the country, or maybe its just because I'm older and I actually notice these things now. Also, it seems to me that though people joke about it alot, (Nicole's email, the quote from the Simpsons) that it almost seems like whistling in the dark, as if even though they find it ridiculous, they are still worried that it will offend someone. Everyone I've talked to seems to have some example, like you had, of non-Christians who don't care that you say Merry Christmas to them, and in some cases, appreciate the inclusion. So where is this silent majority that deems we must be PC ( ... )

runningforlife7 December 27 2005, 18:48:36 UTC

I certainly agree with that whistling in the dark statement. And perhaps that is why most Americans fuel their arugments full of passion and emotion but very rarely stock them with facts. Facts can be embarrassing and awkward, but hell, as long as you're either turning red from anger or crying at the immensity of the "truth" you just uttered, no one will argue with you ( ... )

sorry, had to make it into 2 runningforlife7 December 27 2005, 18:49:25 UTC

There are two forms of political correctness which must be adressed. The first we will call, Incomplete or Immature. Incomplete just so I don't have to answer an comments that spring from emotional wells. People who follow an Incomplete Political Correctness shout that everything MUST be equal!!! Theyir interpretation of this creed is that, in order for things to be correct, things must be equal. These are the men who carry the double edged sword. They shudder when someone criticises a minority, and (this is the most important point) they shudder at a MAJORITY because a majority indirectly (in their view) CRITICIZES a minority! Therefore, in this warped perception, they taken it upoin themselves to lambast the Majority, thereby employing a Negative Equality. This is the Incomplete view because, as I do not need to show, it is riddled with paradoxes ( ... )

3 runningforlife7 December 27 2005, 18:49:39 UTC

People fought and died for religion, thye still do...actually religion has an odd dichotomy. So many things arer specific JUST ot religion. It has gone through taht period of "lightening up" so to speak, it has been aroud long enough that jokes can still be made, but, unlike many other ideas it still is just as strongly present TODAY. and that is perhaps where that feeling comes from, that upset at jokes or comments on religion becuase it reall does play both parts, that of the accepted historical idea that can be joked about, and that of the New idea to a generation that is heralded in with tears and blood.
The issue of homosexuality, though not "new" by any circumstance, but certianly new in the public mindset of America, at least in this way, has to run this course. It may be hard to imagine now, but give it 20 years like I said, let there be a lightening of the load it carries, and I guarantee you you will see it dealt with in much the same wya.

kateyj December 27 2005, 20:06:12 UTC

Okay, sorry I didn't read all three responses of yours, Greg, so if this is redundant in anyway, i appologize, but I'm just so tired of all of this ( ... )

runningforlife7 December 27 2005, 21:01:32 UTC

hmm, I don't at all recall equating "frim in your beliefs" with being "closeminded", in fact I think that is the whole point of this entry, NOT to be closeminded. Nor do I remember saying that there is a problem with being religious, if you look at my own beliefs I think religion is important, less than some people, more than others. More importantly, what you faced at Midd, with people calling you a fundamentalist is EXACTLY what I am adressing. There are two important points to my argument, don't just take one away ( ... )

runningforlife7 December 27 2005, 21:04:42 UTC

oh, and one more thing on that religious education aspect.

I would LOVE to see religious education IMPROVED in schools, for ALL types of religion. WHy is it so much EASIER for people to force their views into another's space (teaching religion in science classrooms) than for them to IMPROVE their OWN spheres! That is a comment not just on religion but everything since the beginning of time. How many times does the US send aid to other countries and forsake the poor clinging to its sides? I would love to see an in depth religious education program in schools and I would love to see it kept COMPLETELY and UTTERLY seperate from the Science classroom.

kateyj December 27 2005, 22:54:02 UTC

2 small comments:

First: I didn't mean that my comment was detracting from yours. I just wanted to put in my own two cents...really completely unrelated to your thoughts. so don't get mad if I repeated something you said: i wasn't TRYING to oppose you.

Second: I also said specifically that my last paragraph was NOT related to religion in school...I was just commenting on religion and science in general. So :P

Finally (yes I know that this is three points) getting angry and being "sick" at the state of our country doesn't help anything. Trying to be understanding does. that was really my point.

Thread 5

skinsfan86 December 27 2005, 23:03:35 UTC

I sort of come from a unique perspective here for two reasons. One reason is that I am the only non-christian here. The other reason is that I was in a program in which the issue of religious diversity(as well as ethnic diversity, racial diversity, etc) was studied in depth. I guess this is my opinion of the issue. I can't stand fundamentalism. When I say fundamentalism I mean the belief that there is one correct answer and that all others, by definition, are wrong. This applies to Christian fundamentalists, Jewish fundamentalists, Muslim fundamentalists, Athiest fundamentalists, Wiccan fundamentalists, Agnostic fundamentalists (actually I think that is an oxymoron). When someone is debasing Christianity, or any religion for that matter, it is the same thing as Christian fundamentalism. Both groups are propogating their beliefs to the detriment of others. It is ok...actually it is great...to be firm in your beliefs, but it is another thing to not recognize that there may not be only one correct answer. My rabbi once said in ( ... )

runningforlife7 December 28 2005, 00:02:09 UTC

well said, I completely agree. What it is that I'm against is the growing tendency to undermine everything you just said.

skinsfan86 December 28 2005, 02:12:21 UTC

Ok i just want to finish my thought. Me and my family were going to Red Hot and Blue and they were about to leave without me. I'l write what I had in that last paragraph then finish from where I left off. I have a lot more to say, but I need to go so I'll wrap up. To Greg, I hope that wasn't too PC for you. To Katie...keep up your faith even in the face of pressure from others. To Douglas, it sucks to be descriminated against or hated for your faith or what you believe. I certainly know how that feels. But don't let that frustration turn into resentment. It would be so easy for all Blacks to resent Whites because of slaver, for all Jews to resent Christians because of anti-semitism or anti-Jewishness (yeah Making of Europe), or for Muslims to resent all Americans for mistreatment. Indeed, many do. But that's where the problem arises. Some people resent Christianity because of the right wing fundamentalists. Its a viscous cycle. So my advice would be to keep your head up and stay stong in your beliefs---don't fall to that level. ( ... )

kateyj December 28 2005, 04:43:44 UTC

Yep, that's the long and short of it...the solution to ignorance is not to criticize it, but to educate it. And I'm hopped up on Nyquil, so I'm off to bed.

Some nonsense from the man of double-consonants... jotajotap December 31 2005, 00:36:23 UTC

Twenty minutes well spent reading this. I think Skinsfan hit the nail on the head.

I too am worried (not yet scared, though growing more nervous everyday) about the growing move toward theocracy in our executive government. How can one man cite his religion as justification for actions and decisions that affect millions and, through international relations, billions of people who don't necessarily follow the same religion? And even if they do, since for purposes of this debate it seems the consensus is religion is often an "individual thing", what if the constituents do not see said religion the same way as this world leader turned prophet? Isn't his job, given that he is elected to represent the people, to perform his duties in ways that are as closely as possible supported by his constituency? Maybe I'm walking on eggshells here, so let me phrase it this way: In my (non-Catholic*) Christian opinion, God does not cast a ballot in the United States presidential electorate ( ... )