hypocrisy

There is an abundance of hypocrisy around me. People saying that homosexual marriage is making a mockery of marriage. Look around. Marriage is already a joke. People cheat on their spouses all the time. The divorce rate is 50%, religious groups- not exempt. If people kept marriage "sacred" they could use that as an argument, but they don't, so they can't, but they do use it as an argument anyways.

Bullying in the media. Hello parents! Where do you think they learned it from?! If you are disrespectful, you're kids will be disrespectful, usually to someone's face, and not just behind their backs. If you want to teach your kids respect, quit being disrespectful!!

Politics. Sheesh. This one kills me. Some people trust our government with foreign affairs (such as there are nuclear weapons that we must defend ourselves against!) but don't trust the government with local affairs (such as healthcare!) Also, the fear with healthcare is that democrats want to reduce spending to kill old people. Democrats reduce spending? To kill old people? That is two principles against what democrats stand for lol.

Just a short list of things to consider!

Relativity

Being a relativist is sometimes difficult. I can see several perspectives, and whom I am to make a judgment? What works for me, may not work for all. What may work for the majority, may not work for the minority. Do we demand adherence to these norms? Is there a best way to do things? For instance, physical health requires exercise. Exercise is at different levels for different people and there are different ways to exercise. So there is a principle of fitness for all, but different levels for each individual. Is that how all good principles should be handled? The principle of companionship is in hot debate right now. People are social creatures and therefore we thrive on relationships and love. Is there a right way to love someone? The theory of love languages tells us there is. Is there the right someone to love? Religion tells us that love is between a man and a woman; popular culture tells us that love is between two people, gender and sex not being important. There are very successful people who have dedicated their lives to a cause and have sacrificed love. Is this not good? It is hard to see the truth when there are so many sides. If there are eternal principles, are there deviants from these principles? Can a person be fulfilled in a deviation? Some would argue no, some would argue yes, others would argue it doesn’t matter because this life is meaningless. It is confusing to find answers in the quest for truth.

Homosexuality

So homosexuality vs. religion vs. marriage is a BIG deal these days. This is a controversy I have struggled with. My religion has strongly defended marriage between a man and a woman. I feel that these people should have protection in their relationships. Society has changed and these relationships are more the norm. They are more acceptable, so people have made the choice to live them (some people choose more than others, that's an argument I don't even want to touch.) A conflict has risen inside of me, and I have been unsure what to do. I am very liberal in my ways of dealing with people. I know that people are going to make their own choices, so sacrificing your relationship with a person is not right to prove a point. I have come to a decision with what I believe.

I believe that people's relationships should be protected, whether through a civil union only, or through a marriage. People have entered a committed relationship and deserve protection. I believe you can love anyone. You can fall in love with an enemy when you find yourself enjoying a joke with them. Some people are born gay, and some people choose it. I tell my husband that if we got a divorce, I would start dating women. Being a woman, it is difficult to deal with a man. He doesn't think they way I do. He doesn't consider the way I feel. He knows some things are a no-brainer, but he can't think past a certain point. Like when he's busy, and I'm feeling sick, that I would like a bowl of soup, please :/ Maybe men learn with time. I don't know. Mine's only 21! I know a woman would be naturally more attuned to my needs. Plus, woman are beautiful, so a physical attraction would come easily. So my first point, is these couples deserve protection.

Second thing for me to consider, what am I going to do about it? Well, my church, I want to be a good citizen of it. (Random tidbit: gingersnap cookies are delicious!!) So I will against gay marriage if the vote came to me. But I will an advocate for civil unions and homosexual relationship protection! Some people may be angry for my decision, but it is a compromise that I can feel peace with. I can't turn my back on my religion, and I can't turn my back on equality. Gay people are NOT bad people. They are not going to hell( I believe that it is rare for a person to go to hell; think about it, everyone is doing the best with what they have and what they know). They are not automatically miserable because they chose a life different than you. I do believe it is a path against what God wants (Don't stop reading here). We are all sinners. I don't say that to be politically correct; I mean it. I am an awful person. I am proud, I can be judgemental, I cuss, I justify, I argue, it's hard for me to be a supportive person. I know my faults, but I know that God loves me too. I know he answers my prayers, when I pray to him. Call it intuition, call it whatever you want. So I know that God DOES NOT "hate fags." No way. God is not the hating type. He even answers their prayers. You've heard about those extremist Muslims? I guarantee he even answers their prayers. So I believe God loves gay people just as much as he loves them straight people.

I believe in marriage after death. The principle is that good marriages will continue after death. I don't believe gay marriages will continue after death though. That does make me sad. You spend a life time loving a person, and God doesn't sanctify it. I believe this because gay couples aren't able to reproduce. Straight couples may have their problems with reproduction, that's because someones parts aren't working to their full capacity, but they were made to reproduce. Gay couples weren't. I could be totally wrong, and I would be fine with that. Other people believe different and there is no way to "prove it" to someone else. I'm fine with that. I am only expressing what I have come to find peace to believe in.

So I have found a middle that I can be satisfied with :) People are always going to hate me; there's nothing I can do about that. I wish they wouldn't; I would prefer to get along, nicely. So I hope you can accept my opinion for what works for me, as I accept your lifestyle that works for you, gay, straight, or somewhere in between.

Politics

Today, I discovered that politics are really relative. People value different things and politics are a set of beliefs. How big should the government be? What should be in the government's budget? Is the government to be trusted? Everyone can answer those questions so differently. People say all people hate socialism. Some people say that some people miss their socialism! So it's relative. &, It drives me crazy. But I shall no longer be bothered by it. I will respect other peoples' beliefs. They believe that for a reason, or an experience. I will let my own values guide me, but I am aware that those too are relative. Maybe there is a list in Heaven about what is really more important than the next thing. But, we don't have that list here, so we need to get over it. I feel that I have reached an enlightened state, so now I must put my beliefs into action! Also, I've decided I want to learn more about Christ. I can only read other people's words, so I am still going off another's perspective, so this shall be interesting :) maybe I am just too cycnical. IDK!

To begin:

2/8/2011

Let me just start by saying, the most embarassing thing happened to me today. I sneezed and farted at the same time right in class! It was loud and unmistakably a fart! So awkward!

Being 20, almost 21, I am in a stage of self discovery. I am questioning the beliefs I have grown up with. I am questioning who I am to really be. The biggest aspect is the religious aspect. The church (LDS) is not perfect because people are not perfect. But there id truth inside the church, the core, the gospel. I am discovering what the core means for me. I have decided that to know God, I must learn of him, learn principles, and also develop a relationship with him by praying. I must allow him to guide my path. I begin my spiritual journey. I must pray, attend church, study, and open my mind to alternate ideas.