Well, I've decided to write another blog that will, in all likelihood, offend at least one of you.
Let me first start by saying how happy I was to see that my last blog initiated the discussion that it did. I appreciate all of the feedback that I received from my friends. I especially appreciate those of you who responded specifically to my dilemma of how to address the topic with my 6 year old. I will say only that I took the advice given by one of you and the conversation was a good one. My son was surprisingly open to the concept presented to him, and ultimately reminded me that what is important is that Christ died for our sins so that we can live.
So, to my point of this post. While I was pleased to see what a wonderful conversation is possible on this world of Facebook, I was very disappointed to see how quickly it could turn into something laden with off topic banter and disrespect. Keep in mind that I love to learn, so I actually enjoyed the tidbits of information that, while not really helping with my situation, were none-the-less peaking my interest. I did not however, appreciate that my friends were disrespected and called insolent names for simply expressing their opinion of my situation and offering insight through other knowledge. Whether or not that knowledge was always correct, is really irrelevant. No one knows everything. To correct misinformation is a simple action. To insult someone in process of doing so is unnecessary and immature. And it is especially my opinion that to do so through a social networking tool such as Facebook, to someone you know nothing about, shows not your greater knowledge, but your ignorance.
Let me lay it out like this: I choose my "friends" on Facebook very carefully. I like to believe that all of them are either true friends or good acquaintances. In other words, I care about their feelings. I care about whether they have a good day or bad day, whether their children and families are happy and healthy and whether they believe that I treat them with respect that they deserve. Why is this important in the scheme of this blog? Simply put, while I believe that my "friends" deserve respect from me, I in turn believe that if you are writing to them or in response to them on my Facebook page, that you should treat them with that same respect. Anything else, is not only disrespectful to them, but also to me. I take it personally. It is personal. Please understand that.
Dale Carnegie once said, "Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving."
'Nuf said.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
A Personal Perrogative
Well, now I've seen it all. Perhaps I'm making a big deal out of nothing, but I saw something today that just didn't set well with me. Maybe you've seen it. I have to warn you that not everyone will agree with my view on this. Anyway:
So there it is. I was in the Food City parking lot, running in to quickly pick up some comfort food for my youngest when I passed a Suburban with this decal posted in the middle of the rear window. I had exactly 16 minutes to make it inside, complete my purchase, run back to the car and drive to my eldest son's daycare, which is at best 10 minutes away. I took 3 minutes of that very narrow window of time to stand perfectly still, staring at this decal. I turned away, took two steps, then stepped back and just stood and stared. I guess I was making sure that it really did mean what I originally thought it meant.
Yes, no doubt. I definitely understood the message.
In the next moment I wondered if my 6 year old would have been able to read it. I believe he would. And I believe in that moment of excellence in education, my 6 year old would have been absolutely and utterly confused. "You mean Jesus had his body pierced?"
ME: Well, yes, actually.
SON: What part?
ME: What?
SON: What part?
ME: Um..
SON: I mean was his tongue pierced? Or his ears? Did he have one of those thingies in his nose?
I have taught my son, when asked why someone has a ball sticking out of their tongue, a gauge hanging through their ear, or a stud in their nose, that people make different choices in life. And that when he's older, the choice will be his. I chose to pierce my ears he would point out. Could he? Again, I teach that it is a personal choice. I explain the process one must go through to have a piercing. Understand, whether or not you believe that piercing your tongue is attractive, or whether you think a belly button ring is the sexiest thing on earth, the point remains- how in the world can you even remotely begin to compare this to putting a nail into a man's hand with the sole purpose of inflicting pain and ultimately death?
Now let me say that I fully believe in freedom of speech. I do of course believe that there are times some idiots should really shut their mouths, but I still think they have the right to spew their stupidity if they so desire. I also believe in the freedom of expressing one's religious beliefs. I, too believe that Christ died on the cross for my sins. I believe that his pain was excruciating. I have taught my son how and why this all occurred, and I have watched his anguish year after year as he takes it all in at the reenactment of the crucifixion that is so magnificently portrayed at The Living Christmas Tree. Never once have I tried to explain why Christ suffered through the pain of being nailed to a cross by comparing it to mutilating one's body with piercings.
In my mind there is simply no comparison and while I think it's fantastic to see the life of Christ alive now more than ever, I do not agree with this slogan campaign and was grateful that for this afternoon at least, I do not have to explain to my child why someone is rejoicing over Christ's "body piercing". I do not have to clarify that he doesn't have a nose ring, earrings, or ear gauges.
My husband points out that perhaps I'm missing the message or that I'm doing a poor job of expressing what really bothered me the most about this slogan. Listen, I got the point of the slogan. I just don't like having to explain to my youngster why body piercing as he knows it is being compared to the crucifixion of Christ. But then again, the decal on a Suburban, stuck to the back window, in the Food City parking lot has my family talking about the crucifixion of Christ.
Hmmm.
God works in mysterious ways.
I still don't like the decal.
So there it is. I was in the Food City parking lot, running in to quickly pick up some comfort food for my youngest when I passed a Suburban with this decal posted in the middle of the rear window. I had exactly 16 minutes to make it inside, complete my purchase, run back to the car and drive to my eldest son's daycare, which is at best 10 minutes away. I took 3 minutes of that very narrow window of time to stand perfectly still, staring at this decal. I turned away, took two steps, then stepped back and just stood and stared. I guess I was making sure that it really did mean what I originally thought it meant.
Yes, no doubt. I definitely understood the message.
In the next moment I wondered if my 6 year old would have been able to read it. I believe he would. And I believe in that moment of excellence in education, my 6 year old would have been absolutely and utterly confused. "You mean Jesus had his body pierced?"
ME: Well, yes, actually.
SON: What part?
ME: What?
SON: What part?
ME: Um..
SON: I mean was his tongue pierced? Or his ears? Did he have one of those thingies in his nose?
I have taught my son, when asked why someone has a ball sticking out of their tongue, a gauge hanging through their ear, or a stud in their nose, that people make different choices in life. And that when he's older, the choice will be his. I chose to pierce my ears he would point out. Could he? Again, I teach that it is a personal choice. I explain the process one must go through to have a piercing. Understand, whether or not you believe that piercing your tongue is attractive, or whether you think a belly button ring is the sexiest thing on earth, the point remains- how in the world can you even remotely begin to compare this to putting a nail into a man's hand with the sole purpose of inflicting pain and ultimately death?
Now let me say that I fully believe in freedom of speech. I do of course believe that there are times some idiots should really shut their mouths, but I still think they have the right to spew their stupidity if they so desire. I also believe in the freedom of expressing one's religious beliefs. I, too believe that Christ died on the cross for my sins. I believe that his pain was excruciating. I have taught my son how and why this all occurred, and I have watched his anguish year after year as he takes it all in at the reenactment of the crucifixion that is so magnificently portrayed at The Living Christmas Tree. Never once have I tried to explain why Christ suffered through the pain of being nailed to a cross by comparing it to mutilating one's body with piercings.
In my mind there is simply no comparison and while I think it's fantastic to see the life of Christ alive now more than ever, I do not agree with this slogan campaign and was grateful that for this afternoon at least, I do not have to explain to my child why someone is rejoicing over Christ's "body piercing". I do not have to clarify that he doesn't have a nose ring, earrings, or ear gauges.
My husband points out that perhaps I'm missing the message or that I'm doing a poor job of expressing what really bothered me the most about this slogan. Listen, I got the point of the slogan. I just don't like having to explain to my youngster why body piercing as he knows it is being compared to the crucifixion of Christ. But then again, the decal on a Suburban, stuck to the back window, in the Food City parking lot has my family talking about the crucifixion of Christ.
Hmmm.
God works in mysterious ways.
I still don't like the decal.
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