I never had to say I was Batman. I just showed up and everybody knew who I was...Adam West
I've seen a lot of changes on my journey this go round. I didn't know how fast 6 & 1/2 and counting decades could go by. But I've learned a few things. Never apologise for being here. You have as much right as anybody else to breathe no matter your age, skin color, sexual preference, politics or religion.
We all play the game and when we dare to cheat ourselves at solitaire. Inventing lovers on the phone. Repenting other lives unknown...Janis Ian. "At Seventeen"
So after all these years I finally know better than to present myself for the approval of other's. In return I don't demand others present their "paper's" to me either. But I did want to ramble a little about this old world and it's changes. At least one man's observations. My credentials to talk? Life, being born, death (when it comes) and wherever the journey leads beyond this wonderful, tragic, cruel, loving world.
Religion:
I had the right to remain silent. But I didn't have the ability...Ron White
I was raised "in the church" as we say in the South. So when other people especially younger people tell me to read the bible I have to laugh a little. Now don't get mad! I don't mean laugh in a derisive way. I just mean I was brought up on the bible. I've read it cover to cover. I'm found inspiration & comfort. I've done what most Christians do and halfway shut my eyes on the "kill every man, woman & child including the cattle" parts.
But, I also read about the bible. It's not a book! There were ancient stories, wisdom, truths, parables & myths including accounts of war passed from generation to generation & finally written down & translated into many languages and cultures.
Then some "men" from Rome under the popes. (No girls allowed) who decided which of those writings were holy & which were not.
Then some other men decided Rome wasn't the church after all and called themselves protestants but then called Rome false while keeping the Roman Catholic councils as "church fathers."
So as I grew older & read and prayed and thought about life I realized that God whoever and whatever He/She/Ground of all being is was most likely not bound to a religion or set of rules or a bunch of writings that men in funny hats decided was the inerrant final word of God.
So I take the religion of my youth seriously because the idea of God becoming flesh and walking through this old world is awesome! I won't go into how and why I call myself a Jesus Follower and continue to pray and meditate because I'm not trying to convert or convince anyone of anything. I think the best we can do is to treat all creatures the way we want to be treated. You don't have to follow a religion or a belief to do that. Just be a good human.
And because I share the trait of having the right but not the ability to remain silent I have one more thing to add.
In my younger days I was working at Popeyes Chicken. One of my jobs was to drop the Chicken in a big vat of hot grease. We kept a lot of flower on hand both to batter the Chicken but also when the grease would splatter. Because one little drop of that grease on your arm or your face would be unbearable. So we would grab a handful of flower and put it on our skin to soak up the spot of grease and get relief.
One day I was thinking of a certain bully from middle school. General Forrest Jr. High in Gadsden, Alabama. This kid was cruel. Not cartoonist big bully. No. This one was flat out relentlessly mean! But I thought if I had that bully and I could. I still would NEVER place even the tip of his little finger in that hot oil. Not even my worst enemy would I do that to.
So suffice it to say that I don't in anyway believe a God who is really The Source of all being and the incarnation of love could leave any creature in eternal torment. If it works for you that's fine. Just don't expect me to agree with you.
Final thing I'll say on this subject. No. I'm not an atheist. No. I don't attack Christianity. Yes. I still love Jesus. Yes. I still pray. No. I don't think you have to be any certain religion or any religion at all. No. I'm not going to argue my life or your Life on social media.
But I'd be honored to sit down one day over coffee or lunch and discuss your ideas respectfully. Just not on Facebook or social media. I follow certain groups & blogs and interests on Facebook & Twitter but I like my own page to be friendly, funny and a place to talk with old friends and make new friends.
Homosexuality: I'm ashamed of the times in my youth when I could have been understanding and kind but chose silence and even a little casual meanness instead. You know the old Hollywood movie of the nerdish but still cool kid that doesn't fit in But yet accepts other's? Well that wasn't me. Sadly that isn't most humans. Those of us with ravaged faces or abusive homes or social awkwardness didn't automatically protect the other outcasts. Because in our deepest hearts we wanted to be accepted too. So we laughed or at least I did. At the jokes and slurs directed at gay people in order to be accepted by the cool kids. Also if their derision was focused on the gay or goth or other outcast then it wasn't focused on me.
These days I see people as people and what they do privately as their business as long as they aren't hurting children or other vulnerable people. I have very little else to say on this subject.
Trans: If you have a pee pee But dress like a woman you are a dude in drag and there is nothing wrong with that. Have fun. If you get your pee pee removed and have hormone and surgery treatments Then you are trans and there's nothing wrong with that. If you want to play sports and can pass a purely biological physical with a doctor there's nothing wrong with that. But, if you are biologically male then you don't get to compete against a biological female and there's nothing wrong with that.
No. We don't all have "the right" to play in certain leagues. Otherwise my little 5'3 butt would sue the NBA because only people who are really good at basketball get to sign an NBA contract. Is that fair? No! Okay. It's common sense. That's in short supply these days.
Should drag shows be illegal? NO! Grown people have the right to entertain the way they choose. Should drag queens read to children? Not if it's a group of men with their junk showing and trying to talk about sexuality to a five year old. But, I wouldn't want a playboy bunny or a Chippendale model reading with their hoo ha or junk hanging out either. Common sense folks. Don't need government issuing far right laws or celebrating far left lunacy. Just common sense
Race: it ain't that hard. We are all one race. The human race. We are all unique within our own beings. One size doesn't fit all so treat people the way you want to be treated.
Anyway. I hope I didn't offend too many people with this little ramble. It was just a little mental exercise and not meant to be a silly Mic drop echo chamber moment.
Peace!
