...lest ye be judged.
"I was trying to somehow draw the contrast between myself and my daughter but tonight after talking with her and seeing her deal with some of the trials of late adolescence and a strange battle to fight (she's been all but ostracized because
she's Baptist surrounded by Pentecostals who think she's a heretic because she's
Baptist - you believe this nonsense? I do, because I know where she goes to
school.) - I sit down to bring all this together realizing that some things are
just universal, not the least of which is this: No matter who you are, no matter
where you live, no matter what you do ... there will be people who will act
strangely toward you and presume to judge you based on their own uninformed,
preconceived notions."
In making a comparison, Babs talks about her amazing daughter--the beautiful, intelligent daughter who is respectful of her remarkable mother, and who basically is exactly the kind of young lady that a parent should pray that their little girl grows up to be.
Read that again, and see if it doesn't make your blood boil just a tad. Ridiculous, isn't it?
But stop and do a personal scan. Have you not presumed to pre-judge a Catholic? A Muslim? A Hindu? A pagan? An atheist? I submit that a lot of aspersions are being cast all around, for belief systems that aren't hurting the persons passing judgement, and before they've gotten a chance to actually know what they're actually talking about.
If your belief system helps you find inner and spiritual peace, then by all means, embrace it.
But if you're using its framework to criticize and faultfind others around you, then I would suggest that it's not providing you peace at all, and maybe you should re-examine your motives and methods.
Wars are fought over such issues, unfortunately.
And girls are coming home beleaguered.
Think that maybe you can teach your kid not to judge people so harshly?
I'm going to try.
Because I judge, all too often.
Labels: apologies, culture, minor suggestion, problems, social conflict
posted by Matt G @ 5:53 AM
9 Comments:
Personally I have nothing to do with "organized religion". I was raised a Methodist but when we lost my mother the church wouldn't help with a family dinner or let us have the service in the church since we weren't "regular" attendees at Sunday service. I don't think that I have to attend a service at any specific place or at any specific time to worship. I have friends from many religious persuasions and each of them are a joy to me. Religion is personal and should not be used to judge anyone.
Notice that I said "belief system."
If your belief is anti-religion, than this don't feel excluded.
Thank you, Matt. I sent my daughter the link since she's feeling kind of down on herself and thought she might like to read that. The town this takes place in is what I referred to in another post as "Stepford" so I was really only half surprised by this. The town is out of control. She's just ready to graduate and get the hell outta Dodge.
Farmmom, I'm with you on that. That kind of thing is exactly what churches are not supposed to be about and is exactly what turns people off to the whole shebang. (btw, even though my kids are Baptist, I'm not. I'm lapsed Episcopalian and taught my kids better than that.) And I sit in the stands with their parents on Friday nights. Yeah. Nice place.)
Matt,
As usuall, good post. Deep. I hope it will make at least some people think a little....
Thanks Matt. Hope you don't mind but I linked to you in MY post. I was raised as an Episcopal...did church EVERY sunday till my late teens because my Mom was the organist and I was always in the choir. In high school I became a born again christian and joined a Presbyterian church...but 3 years after graduating from high school I realized that organized religion was not for me. I spent the next few years searching and thinking before I became the "quiet" pagan I am today. To me there is no ONE TRUE WAY...it's what works for you and you alone. If there are others into too, then cool, worship with them if you'd like to. Otherwise be happy and spiritual in your own way. Thanks for promoting open-mindedness. I think everyone needs a gentle reminder every now and then.
Cheers,
Wordwitch
There are always more folks that will bend their religion to reinforce the way they want to live than there are folks that will bend themselves to suit the way their religion asks them to live.
Took me awhile to realize that. I became a lot more congenial toward religion in general once I did.
It's to bad in our day and age that our children get hit with such nonsense like what belief system are you? And then judged for it. It's happened to my kids at different times and heartbreaking to watch them go through it.
I say let us be whatever belief system we want and those people who judge will be the ones having to answer to their God.
My parents are deeply religious.
I was taught scripture from a very young age - my Father wanted me to be a priest.
Of course, I went the opposite direction as an adult.
I've often been at the receiving end of prejudice (sometimes degenerating to verbal and/or physical assault) - because of my beliefs (and often because of my appearance).
I sympathize with your daughter.
I see people as individuals and try to treat them the same - not as Christians, Caucasians, Texans or Americans.
Individuals.
I had teachers who presumed to judge that boys are not sensitive and do not have actual feelings. They knew this because their women's studies textbooks told them so. And when we, the boys, argued with their judgement, they simply dismissed us. Obviously we, being male and not female, did not know what we were talking about, which ironically enough was ourselves.
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