July 24, 2008
Teenage certainty
I'm not sure why I find it so much more grating to hear the certainty of teenagers about "truth" and "prayer." Perhaps, it's because they haven't had a chance to experience anything that would give them a solid footing for these kinds of revelations. Perhaps, it's because at this point all they know is what has been brainwashed into them. Yes, brainwashed. Children are not Christian or Jewish or Buddhist by choice and thought. They are those religions because someone told them they should be, told them that was what was right, etc.
And yes, I believe there is something to be said for tradition and heritage, but to prattle on about it as if it were more than that, as if everyone else were wrong because your parents told you so, is irritating and simplistic.
Sorry, grumpy today.
Posted by michelle at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)
March 23, 2008
And you buy that?
One year J asked me what Easter was about. So I told him. I told him the Easter story as best as I could remember, leaving out the more gruesome parts that are meant to make people feel guilt over mythology. He pondered this for a minute, looked right at me and asked, "And people really buy that story?"
I suppressed a giggle, and a bit of pride, and said that yes, people do believe it and it's important to them so please be respectful when you see them.
If J would have said that it was a touching story, or that he wanted to learn more, I would have encouraged his curiosity. But I was relieved that he could see it for what it was...a story. A myth.
Part of me is glad that people that I know find some sort of comfort in the story. But part of me is also saddened that it seems that it is accepted blindly as a means of explaining things that cannot be explained, as a guilt ridden guide or painful moral compass. Is it that there is no moral compass without an archaic mythology meant to assuage the fears of those who didn't understand the world around them?
When children recite this unthinkingly and without question, I am saddened. I hope that there will come a day when they think for themselves instead of being lured into a handed down set of beliefs for the sake of a feeling of belonging. In any other circumstance, we would tell them not to do something, to believe something, just to fit in with a crowd. But here, it seems, that advice goes unheeded. And if, after independent and critical thought came into play, they choose to go forward and continue the myth, that's their preference. But far too often there is little thought involved. It is passed down without question and fed with social groups and peer pressure. Yes, peer pressure of the "positive" kind exists.
Traditions are comforting. And some should be passed down. But there is a difference between passing down family tradition and putting on blinders so as only to see what conveniently fits. It's a bit self-centered to think that yours is a personal god, that your god, while busy creating and maintaining all things is going to take time out to hear you because you are so very worthy and deserving. It makes little sense to believe both that god creates all and that this same personified deity takes a little time out just for you, just to hear you, reward you or even punish you.
And when Easter rolls around, I can do nothing but quietly shake my head when I think that people I know, that I deem reasonably intelligent believe this story as more than a fable, as historically accurate. As J says "Do they really buy that??"
So me? I will enjoy Spring with it's promises of new life without the invention of a story that too conveniently echoes it's non-Christian predecessors. In the immortal words of Eddie Izzard, "Bunny rabbits are for shagging, eggs are for fertility. It's the Spring festival."
A few quotes for tonight:
Buddha - Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.
Stephen Roberts - I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
Thomas Jefferson - The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the Supreme Being as His father, in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter (in a letter to John Adams, 1823)
Thomas Jefferson - Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are serviley crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God, because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blind faith.
Katharine Hepburn - I'm an atheist, and that's it. I believe there's nothing we can know except that we should be kind to each other and do what we can for each other. (Ladies Home Journal, 1991)
Posted by michelle at 12:21 AM | Comments (0)
January 01, 2008
Well behaved with good intentions
Happy New Year.
I know it's been quiet around here but we've enjoyed the holidays and stayed away from any of the War!On!Christmas! nonsense. We had a fun Yule party and a peaceful xmas and now we are on our way to the new year.
I posted resolutions elsewhere but I wanted to add one here. I want to do a little more, reading, a little more research. I want to work on understanding my beliefs a little better and understanding others' beliefs a little better as well.
I'll keep a list here of books that I wander through but I am just hoping to spend a little more time reading, thinking, meditating.
Happy New Year to all--even if you celebrate New Year at a different time of year.
Posted by michelle at 09:23 AM | Comments (0)
November 07, 2007
Add it to the list
There are reasons that I don't homeschool. First and foremost? The safety and sanity of all the members of our family, the tall and the small. Do I have ideas on what should be included in my kids' education? Absolutely. And I'll feel free to supplement when I deem it necessary. But I feel there is something important to be said for learning how to function in a society that has more than one viewpoint, for learning to respect other people's beliefs and for experiencing other cultures.
That said? Sometimes I think some of these people are crazy. Scary crazy. Please don't get me wrong. I know a lot of people who have successfully homeschooled their children and done a good, well-balanced job. But...as a result of participating in NaBloPoMo on my other blog, I have been wandering around new sites via the randomizer. And it just seems to me that lately homeschool=christian. And not just any, but the "we're keeping our kids away from those dangerous scientists, liberals and atheists" variety.
Why is this? Why is religion so incompatible with education that people feel a need to segregate? Why can't religious values be taught separately from secular lessons? What kind of society are we creating by forming new barriers between people? Sure, a lot of home-schoolers have groups that they belong to but I am guessing that these groups are made up of like-minded people. Again, no way to learn to interact with people of differing views besides avoidance. It's all a little scary to me.
There are days when I would love to be in charge of every little thing that enters my kids' brains. There are also days when I am not drinking. Seriously, I am not capable of teaching, with any degree of competence, a high school level science curriculum. Could I teach some of the courses with competence? Sure. But not all. And what if my weaknesses could possibly be areas where my child would excel?
As far as theology, do I express my opinions at home. Absolutely. Most families do through teaching, tradition, church, etc. But that doesn't mean that I won't let my kids explore other ideologies if they are drawn to them. Am I going to break down and give up on them if they decide they want to go to church? No. Do you think that these kids who are being homeschooled the "christian way" would be allowed the same freedom to choose not to believe in a deity?
Get out there. It's a great big, scary, wonderful world. You give your kids the best you can and trust that they are prepared. For some, I guess that means home schooling. I just feel concern that the choice to home school isn't always predicated on more than one factor.
Posted by michelle at 02:50 PM | Comments (0)
September 19, 2007
Am I just stirring up trouble?
I giddily donned my WWFSMD? t-shirt as soon as I tore open the eco-friendly packaging this afternoon. "It's here!," I giggled and commenced with the dancing.
And now, as I get ready to fight the good fight at a baseball meeting, where people pretending to be adults are elbowing in for the ever important control of 10 yr old baseball, I wonder if I am just stirring up trouble with my new apparel.
Is it possible? Me? Do I know in advance that I am one of the few that will find the humor in this? Do I know that I will have to do much explaining? Is the explaining the point?
Ah, screw it. FSM and I are going in ready to do battle both on the baseball and craziness fronts. And yes, sometimes, those are one in the same.
What I need now is a "I believe in the Church of Baseball" t-shirt. Hmmmmm.....
Posted by michelle at 05:54 PM | Comments (0)
September 13, 2007
Other people's beliefs
Know what I love? I love having a discussion with someone about their beliefs when they are completely opposite your own and yet, without condescension or attitude, without defensiveness, with genuine interest, you can learn from each other.
Why is that so rare to find?
Friends of ours run a business that centers around their beliefs. And yet, because we like each other, respect each other, we can have interesting conversations. Wouldn't it be nice if that were the case more often? Wouldn't it be nice if conversation didn't screech to a halt at that awkward silence when you realize that perhaps the talk has veered into sensitive territory? You know you have friends that you love that you can't talk politics or religion with, friends that you stay on "safe ground" with.
Learning more about what other people believe and why and how they do that helps create tolerance. I've found that more secure people tend to know that.
Just a rambling post after a pleasant conversation the other night.
Posted by michelle at 02:15 PM | Comments (0)
August 21, 2007
Testing the waters
Not parting them or anything, just testing. Mainly this is a site for my wanderings and ramblings and other things that I think might be best suited for their own space.
The name?
We watch a lot of baseball around here. No really. A lot. And when we aren't watching we are at the fields, year round, playing.
While watching a game one night we noticed a number of players who, upon safely reaching the promised land of first base, kissed a thank you up to the big guy. This strikes me as odd. I don't really believe in god--at least not a personified deity who interacts daily with each individual. So what I am wondering, since clearly he is being thanked for this great gift of a single is this...does jesus hate the pitcher? Didn't the pitcher pray for a strikeout? Or at least a grounder? Possibly he was greedy and was shooting for a double play ball to end the inning and thus needed to be struck down by the glorious single of his opponent.
So, it's a running joke around here. Whenever we see a player reach first base and thank the heavens for that blessed single, we chuckle a little and say, "Yup, Jesus hates the pitcher."
Now my spiritual views are a lot more complicated than that and it has taken years to get to the point where I am and I anticipate years more before I stop searching, learning, reading and examining. Then again, maybe the examination is really what's important. I read a quote once that said, "I am only one god more of an atheist than you are." Don't believe in Zeus? Ra? Allah? Well, then possibly you are an atheist as well. Just for different gods. It's all relative.
Sometimes I will sound a bit snarky here. It's my site. It isn't disrespect even if it is often disbelief and vigorous head shaking and eye-rolling. Believe what you want. It's good to believe in something. But allow me the freedom and respect to believe what I want as well. Light hearted humor, snarky rants, curious introspection, you'll probably find all of that here at times. Comment if you want. I'll only approve respectful conversation. Disagree if you want. That's fine too. I'll probably give you a lot of ammo.
I'll leave you with a favorite quote and then get to the important business of fiddling with the look of this place.
Posted by michelle at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)