Hashtag Noah Hashtag Personal Agenda

The new Noah movie has brought some thoughts to the forefront I wanted to "write" down. Regarding hashtags: Atheism does not equal pro-evolution or pro-science; Christian does not equal creationism, anti-evolution or anti-science; Communist does not equal anti-Christian. The Bible isn't owned by the conservatives; The Bible therefore isn't married to one interpretation. I really hate how someone posts something showing their stance on an issue and puts associates incorrect hashtags. I suppose I should be used to the uneducated media world I live in. Regarding the movie "Noah": My first thought about how so many are so offended: "Oh no! A motion picture artist interpreted a story in the Bible that was made up by a bunch of Jewish religious authors hundreds of years after the fact using mostly oral history to base it on if anything!" Then I think, "Wait, why are we so worried? Will Darren Aronofsky's version become the replacement? Will a new generation know nothing else, and believing the story as literal take our great Christian heritage to the grave?" Then I think, "Was there anything like this when Broadway reinterpreted Victor Hugo's entire book? Because arguably, Hugo's entire book has influenced the world comparative to the couple chapters involving Noah from the Bible." Just so we are clear (because clearly the world revolves around me and I know so many people lose sleep at night not knowing exactly what ideas I enjoy being associated with): Putting #atheism on any pro-science or pro-evolution post that I enjoy reading is offensive to me. Putting #Christian on any ultra-conservative post that pushes an agenda that isn't even remotely associated to the Bible or Jesus is very offensive. Your ignorance is offensive to me as a human.

Amazing, dumbfounding, ashamed

So I recently decided to create an account/profile on Linkedin.com. I filled in my job history, I connected to more than I expected to and I joined some groups that I consider myself to be a part of: U.S. Air Force, Satellite type groups, a USAF Armament group, etc. A few days ago a fellow member of the USAF group posted a link to a news story about Kadena AFB hosting a drag event on the base. The news article gave a fairly neutral reporting on it, although sounded optimistic as so much of the community came out in support of the event. http://theweek.com/article/index/257285/speedreads-gay-and-lesbian-troops-perform-in-drag-on-american-military-base The gentleman posting the thread titled the thread "LOL!" and went on in no uncertain terms that he did not approve of the lifestyle and thought that the military and its leaders are going downhill because of the new policy. I decided to disagree. One by one, other group members came on and proceeded to tell me how their experience in the military, coupled with their knowledge of God's intentions and desires and plans, coupled with age-old rants and prejudices and abuses against the LGBT community was proof that the LGBT community in general was wrong and that the leaders of the nation and our Department of Defense were also wrong, and that I was also wrong and I was being intolerant and hateful toward those that disagreed with me. I am here now writing because I find it very hard personally to fight an uneven fight with people that I find to be irrational. I am also here wishing to convey something else. I find that a certain type of mindset not only espouses this hatred and intolerance but also engenders it. A subset of this certain type of mindset is louder than any other subset, however many there may be. This subset makes me embarassed for the entire mindset. Each subset represents the whole in a small part, even though many, either participating in the mindset or outside of it knows that there is a distinction. Nevertheless, embarassment is a huge emotion I battle with when it comes to identifying with this mindset. In reality, this subset of this mindset (I know, I could use better words or a better structure here) is so loud and so popular within the mindset as a whole that it is hard for many to correctly find distinct lines for other subsets to lay claim to. Because of this, I have largely disconnected myself from the mindset. I know a fundamental aspect of the mindset is that it is a personal, individual mindset. Yes, there are huge aspect that involve relationships and being involved in the mindset community as a whole, but one big aspect of identifying with the mindset is that you deal with fundamental aspects of it on a personal level. I realize this. I have not yet thrown that to the wayside. Yet, it has become much more personal and much less public. I find the embarassment of associating with the mindset in general isn't worth it. This is what I see. This is what I hear from the world. This is, sadly my state: I don't endure certain fights very long before I wave the white flag, fully realizing white flags will largely be ignored.

Reality Check

Every once in awhile when I post something on G+ or Facebook and express outrage over something someone said or did and how ignorant or profoundly oppressive/hateful/etc. it was, I, on occassion will get a reply back to the effect of, "calm down, this person is the exception. Nobody really believes that way," or something to that effect (like I said pre-quote :)). This immediately gives me pause. On one hand, am I going overboard when I share something outrageous and expect people to learn from it? Am I being "had" on the theory that all the back-and-forth between politicians, all the attention-getting quotes that sound so ridiculous - all of that is just for show? Is the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the Colbert Report with Steven Colbert two money making, grammy winning shows for nothing? What of this theory? What is the point? It is either to divide the country or something else that I am not seeing. I understand that on some level a politician is a politician. I also understand that after the great liberal movements between 1960 and 1990, liberalism in America has gone from a popular caludron of boiling water to a small flask of tepid water. In that perspective, politicians likely won't get elected if they lean too far to the left. As a matter of fact, the POTUSs have leaned right ever since I was born in 1980 (I don't care to go further back, but I would venture to guess it reaches to a couple presidents more). I imagine it is similar regarding Sentors and Representatives, maybe not 100% though. So why do I post my outrage? Maybe because I experience ignorance almost daily. Maybe because I have encountered people embracing these extreme ideas and embracing those that boldly pronounce them as truth. Maybe I have a shot at helping one or two people realize that intolerance and hate has no place in our world. Poverty and class warfare is unneeded and unnecessary. Keep in mind one other thought. Because liberalism has been relegated to an unpopular corner in America with extremely little limelight, the "left" in the media is in all actuality the "middle." What is known today as a leftist politician and policymaker is actually not left at all, and what is known as a politician on the right is one who is pretty far right. What used to be known as the political spectrum has been narrowed down to the right side of the political spectrum and even the bottom of the right side has been largely silenced or deemed unpopular. We are dealing with an idealogically upper-right country with a world that is leaning more and more to that same quadrant. So when I post my angst/outrage over what I deem ridiculous, it's not just because I deem it unworthy of consideration. It is also due to the fact that the world is more and more leaning dangerously off balance and I don't think that is a good idea. We give these morons a microphone and a stage, see what crazy stuff they say, and then talk about it. Fine. Give morons from all 4 extremes from the full political spectrum a microphone so we can discuss how ridiculous they ALL are and realize that dead center, or at least aiming for the 9/10 radial bullseye is what we should all be aiming for.