The Religious Left

 

I’m feeling like an extra-brave potato today evidently…..I’ve decided to write a few lines about my political and religious views.  That combination is almost guaranteed to offend everyone! 

I won’t sugar coat this—I’m a democrat.  (There…I said it!)  I don’t discuss this in one-on-one settings.  It’s a private matter for the most part.  Yet I need to have some outlet for my feelings—other than talking with Mr. Spuds who is a republican.  Opposites attract right?  J

The vast majority of people in my everyday (or everyweek) life are staunch republicans.  They hate the democrats.  (And that’s not hyperbole for most of them.)  I work for a very small, VERY conservative company.  (We manage other people’s money—you just can’t get much more conservative than this group!)  My faith is very important to me.  Because of this I am very active in my church.  And they are all proud members of the “religious right.”  So talking about politics at work or at church just doesn’t happen. 

Please don’t misunderstand me.  I have no interest in trying to change anyone’s political or even world views.  I feel no need to debate or argue my beliefs with any of them.  They certainly don’t owe me an explanation of why they believe what they believe.  I just happen to believe something different. 

I acknowledge that though their beliefs may be different, that in no way makes them wrong.

I just wish they would extend the same courtesy to me.  Sigh.  I know….I’m living in a dream world again.

In my heart of hearts I identify with the democratic party because I believe America is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and as such we have a responsibility to help care for those who cannot help themselves.  I understand the republicans want to help those in need also—they simply feel that the help should come from private individuals rather than the government.  And while it would be nice it private individuals would take care of those in need, I fear that too many turn a blind eye to those less fortunate than themselves and that America is blessed enough to lend a helping hand.

Yes.  I know there are innumerable other ways the democrats and republicans differ.  But this is the one area that speaks to me the most.  And the reason I call myself a democrat.

And I also know that such a great dichotomy of views can never be fully explained in a few sentences on a blog. 

So please, I ask of you, no bashing or trying to “educate” me on the differences.  I know they are legion. 

In my list of core values faith tops the list.  It keeps me firmly grounded and helps guide me through life.  I cannot image my life without my faith.  It is an area of my life I choose to feed—to grow.  And one of the most important ways I do that is through active participation in a church.

My political views clash with most (if not all) of the members of my church.  I do NOT identify with the “religious right” that is striving so loudly to make itself heard.  I understand where they are coming from—but do not agree with their methods or even some of their message. 

It makes me sad.  So many democrats scoff at anyone who professes to be religious.  “Ah…another nutty member of the religious right who is determined that their faith is the only one and should be shared with everyone around the country.  Why do they keep pushing their religion on everyone?!”

If anyone has watched/listened to Keith Olbermann (can you get more liberal than Keith???) for any length of time, you can clearly hear this disgust in his voice any time he mentions “Christian” or “religious” anything.  It’s so disheartening.  I want to yell at the TV set, “Keeeeeeeeith!  Not all Christians identify with the religious right.  Not all of us have an agenda.  Not all of us are intolerant as you seem to think all Christians are.  Not all of us are judgmental.  Give Christians a chance.  Get to know some of us.  Some of us are even democrats—members of the religious left!  Please don’t judge us as harshly as you so clearly feel  the religious right is judging everyone else.”

But I fear (even if he could hear me through my TV set J) it would fall on deaf ears. 

So why am I writing this?  I suppose I have a request to make of you as a reader.  When you hear someone (or when you yourself are tempted to) categorizing every Christian, every person of faith, into a category of “members of the intolerant religious right” please stop for just a second.  Please think about those of us who are religious and are members of the “religious left.”  Not all Christians are republicans.  Not everyone you want to categorize as intolerant is intolerant. 

And for the members of the religious right, please know that not all democrats are evil.  Some of us are Christians.  Christians who want to share God’s love, in part, through social justice.  Yes, it is possible.

Take the time to get to know me as a person—rather than a religious or political label.  I may surprise you.  As may many others around you.

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“It’s never the changes we want that change everything.”

 

“It’s never the changes we want that change everything.”  Junot Diaz, “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”

 So I’m minding my own business, reading “Oscar Wao,” not really thinking anything about anything and WHAM!  This line jumps out at me.

 I’ve been reading voraciously (although I think someone else referred to it as “rabid” LOL!) for the past year.  In 2007 I found a summer reading list (compiled by my now coach) that listed a ton of books that sounded intriguing.  That was the beginning of the end…..I bought about a dozen books from the 2007 list and started reading them.  (Let’s not even talk about how many books on the 2008 SRL that now have a home on my bookshelves…..suffice it to say I’m tempted to pass a collection plate around for any spare Amazon.com gift certificates anyone may have to fund my habit!) 

 For the first six months I really enjoyed reading the books.  I stacked them up next to my reading area pulling one out of the pile at random.  Ahhhhh…such wonderful stories!  Terrific characters, surprising plotlines, new authors….the world was bright and new.

 The past six months have been slightly different.  Oh, the books are just as wonderful, the plots as fantastic.  There’s been a new dimension added.   Since I’ve been working with Coach Jim for the past six months I’ve noticed that in every book I read there is something that ties in with the stuff Jim has me working on or thinking about.  It’s been amazing!

 (Side note:  Coach Jim was, I believe, somewhat amused with my reaction to this phenomenon.  “Jim!  It’s amazing….it’s like God is sending these books, these stories, these authors to me at just the right time!”  His explanation is somewhat more realistic—that because I’m focused on working on new things, new ideas, new perspectives that I see them easier wherever I look.  That the same themes have been in other books but I wasn’t as sensitive to them and didn’t pick up on them.  That makes perfect, rational sense.  And yet I still feel as though the stories, the lessons were sent to me at just the right moment—and am grateful God’s timing is perfect.  J)

 Anyway, “Oscar Wao” has been no exception to this new trend.  “It’s never the changes we want that change everything.”  That has been so true for me recently.  I’ve been…..well….let’s just say less than happy with a number of things in my life for some time.  And have been craving a major change of some type for some time.  I couldn’t articulate it, couldn’t explain it, couldn’t even really rationally think about it.  I just felt it.  And did nothing about it.

 And then within a year a number of changes/events happened in fairly rapid succession.  I changed churches and Bible study groups.  My husband spent time in the ER with severe kidney stone problems.  My dog died very unexpectedly.  My house was broken into.  My job became less fulfilling.  My annoying headaches turned into full-blown week long uncontrollable migraines.  All of those changes pushed me towards reaching out for help.  But it wasn’t enough.  What did finally convince me to ask for help? 

 An e-mailed newsletter and a paperweight.

 Yup.  That’s right.  My coach publishes a monthly Happiness newsletter that he e-mails to anyone who is interested.  I’d been receiving and fairly faithfully reading it since I heard him speak at a conference in 2006.  In one issue Jim discussed Core Values—how to determine what they are for you and how to use that knowledge.   “Cool!”  I thought.  “Here’s an exercise I can do that will help focus my thinking.  Awesome!”  But every time I tried to work on it I ended up in tears.  I couldn’t even begin to think about what my core values were.  At the same time I kept looking at a paperweight on my desk.  “What would you attempt to do if you knew you would not fail?”  I had purchased the paperweight to help inspire me.  Sadly all it did was further reduce me to tears.

 I realized I needed help.  If a paperweight and a newsletter made me feel completely helpless and vulnerable I was out of my league.  I needed to reach out for help.  And I did.

 I have no idea what new directions my life will take as a result of this decision.  I do not know what changes I will make.  What opportunities will present themselves to me.  I do know that my thinking has shifted already.  I had been waiting for things to happen to me to present the opportunity to make changes.  I was passively waiting for change.  I wanted it to show up on my front doorstep and say “Hey Spudsie!  Here I am…just what you’ve been waiting for.”  I imagined embracing this change and instantly knowing that yes! this is indeed what I have been missing, have been needing, have been waiting for.

 In hindsight….duh!  What was I thinking??  Life doesn’t work that way!  I have learned (again!) that I need to work on changing me first….changing how I view myself, how I present myself, how I think about my life.  THEN I’ll be able to answer my paperweight.  Because I’ll know who I am. 

 It wasn’t the change I wanted when I asked for help.  Clearly it is the change I need.

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About the Potato……Spudsie

I’ve heard rumors that an introduction to a blog needs to answer two questions. 

1.        Who is the author?

2.       Why is the author writing a blog?

To satisfy the insatiable curiosity of the half dozen people who may read this blog (Hi Mom and Dad!) I will attempt to give a satisfactory answer to both questions.

Who am I?  As if I could ever answer that question!  How many brilliant philosophers have struggled their entire life to answer that very question???  Yet to satisfy the curious “masses” I will make an attempt…

My nickname is Spudsie/Spuds/Spudster or anything potato related.  It’s a short story but to explain it would require publishing my actual name—and I value my privacy and relative anonymity and choose not to reveal the Clark Kent behind my Superman…er…Super Potato identity.  Suffice it to say that the name was given to me by a dearly loved group of friends. 

I’m a happily married potato in my mid-thirties living in the Midwest.  While we have no spud-ettes (aka children) Mr. Spuds and I do have two turtles we dearly love.  (Don’t laugh.  They make wonderful and surprisingly personable pets!)  In the summer of 2007 we lost our beloved beagle-mix Lexus.  I’m sure she’ll be mentioned occasionally throughout this online journal.  Lexus was an amazing dog—well loved and deeply missed. 

My time tends to be divided between my family, my job, my church and my books.  Yup.  Books make my top 5 list.  J  And they will be featured prominently in this blog.

My life is rich and blessed.  And at the same time it feels unfulfilling.  Which leads me into the second question.

Why am I writing this blog?  I am writing this primarily as an online journal.  I want to record my thoughts, my feelings, my moods, my emotions, and my experiences over a period of time. 

About a year ago I decided enough was enough and I was going to do something to change….well…I wasn’t sure exactly what I needed or wanted to change.  But dagnabit, I knew I needed to change SOMETHING!  So I began trying to make seemingly random changes on my own.  With little success.

Finally about six months ago I reached out for some help and started working with a coach—someone to offer a new perspective on my struggles, to offer guidance, to offer suggestions and guide me through difficult changes.  And it’s been amazing! 

One of the things Coach Jim suggests (strongly suggests) each of his clients do is keep a journal—a place they can look back on and remember where they started, how they felt, what they experienced.  And for whatever reason(s) I haven’t been able to do that.  I try.  (Honest Jim!  I try!)  But it doesn’t feel natural.  Nothing flows.  And the book remains blank with the exception of scribbles and nonsensical doodles.  What I have done instead is composed and (for the most part) sent lengthy e-mails to Jim and a few “lucky” friends.  These e-mails could easily be mistaken for tomes instead of simple e-mails. 

So for 5 or so months I’ve been “journaling through e-mail” and it’s worked fairly well.  It has allowed me to memorialize (Sheesh!  Can you tell I’ve worked with attorneys at one point?!  They don’t write or record anything….they memorialize.  J) my thoughts and my feelings.  But it has two downsides.  The first one—though they assure me I never could, I fear I will wear out my e-mail welcome with my friends and they will change their e-mail addresses at some point and “forget” to tell me their new one.  The second problem—it’s difficult to get all the e-mail threads in one spot and organize them.  And I thrive on organization!

So I decided to be brave, to be daring, to throw caution to the wind…..and create this blog.  (Yeah……I don’t get out much!  LOL!)

I hope to this will serve as a record of “One potato’s journey to chose happiness and the books she discovers along the way.” 

Intrigued?  Interested?  Irritated?  Well keep reading.  Walk this path with me and we’ll see what experiences, what books, what characters (real and fictional), and what changes I encounter along this journey called life.

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