The Catch 22
A day of big wisdom, maturity, growth
Displaying my age and serenity both
As I become older, I'll fight more, it's true
To do all th'important deeds I need to do.
So there it was, ladies and gentlemen, my twenty second birthday on the twenty second of September, during which I discovered a Catch Twenty Two. Ironic...and yet not so.
For a birthday, it was an extremely laid back day. No partying, no fancy dinner, no big celebrations. I was busy, my friends were busy, and we have priorities. I spent most of the day trying to finish an assignment and a problem set. But that didn't bother me. Because for the first time, I think I might be growing up or something stupid like that. I have my priorities. And those priorities needed to be addressed before the fun stuff (which hopefully will be tonight). On top of that (and this is where you should all be proud of me) this is the first birthday since I turned 19 that I didn't freak out over getting older. I'm serene, complacent, and unworried. That's right boys and girls...Sarah's growing up.
At least partly. But don't tell anyone, because I have a reputation for being crazy that I need to keep up. And maturation just won't do.
Anyways, the Catch 22 I'm only going to address briefly right now. Maybe I can get into it in more detail another day, but right now...I've got class soon and I have to mail some letters before then.
I was sitting around the dinner table eating lunch with Peggy yesterday and we started talking about Christian groups on campus, about religion and it struck me that religion is such a taboo subject. And why? Why is it that we can talk about racial issues, ethnicity, homosexuality, abortion, capital punishment, politics, foreign policy, in public, but there seems to be this iron fence around religion and spirituality? Who does it offend if a Muslim wants to talk about Allah on the street? Or if a Christian wants to talk about Jesus? Or a Buddhist about enlightenment? Why is there this painful aversion to religion? It's something I just cannot understand. I can't believe that we've become such a PC society that we can't talk about religion...because there are myriad other controversial issues that are not taboo. I shouldn't have to feel guilty if I want to bring up religion in class. Or use it as an argument. Because in the end, to someone who doesn't agree with my religious point of view, any spiritual opinions I have are just my personal philosophy (which, by the way, if it does not include religion, is okay to talk about).
And that's where the Catch 22 lies, I think. The fact that we can't talk about religion, and yet lack of religious tolerance has been the result of no less than millions of deaths, along wth wars, misunderstandings, and political disagreement over the past one thousand years (and more).
Oh yeah...and I spilled juice on my keyboard last week. The control key was really really sticky. John got me a new wireless keyboard and mouse for my birthday. So much better than my old ones.
posted by tarsaye @ 1:32 PM
3 Comments:
happy birthday sarah
happy (belated) birthday!
first of all, i'm not sure that your situation is a catch-22. THE catch-22 is the requirement that the only way an air force bomber can be grounded is on account of insanity. and to be grounded, all an insane person has to do is to ask for himself to be grounded. however, only a sane person would ask to be grounded, and an insane person would continue flying missions. hence, if a pilot did claim to be insane and ask to be grounded, then his fear of dying would prove that he is sane, and therefore wouldn't be grounded.
so, i am not sure if it applies to your problem with religion being a taboo subject.
secondly, and this i will readily admit, it isn't really socially acceptable to talk about religion in public. i think it's because the inherent nature of religion focuses around belief and faith, one must believe and more importantly (to this situation) one must convert and belong. most other conversational topics don't have such cut and dry requirements, you can debate on the actions of politicians, the right or wrongs of abortion, whether or not so and so made a good play in whatever sport. you can WIN, you can CONVINCE, and most importantly, you don't hurt anything other than a person's pride (if at all). but there is no debate when it comes down to religion because no matter what, you are "forced" to stick with your religion. there is no argument, you will forever be on opposing sides of a river until, of course, one person converts.
in fact, i wholeheartedly agree that at some times, religion is best kept out. "let us all thank god that i got shot 7 times, dealt drugs on the street, beat up a bunch of people, had someone stabbed for me, probably killed some people too, and now i am a millionaire with best-selling records and #1 hits. because, obviously god loves ME." does anyone want to hear that shit? nope. but that doesn't stop the fact that it's true, and the vast majority of stars/singers thank god first and foremost. this might not be the best point, but still, they should've left poor god out of it.
or what about religious influence on your so-called controversial topics? "men and men and women and women can't 'marry' because the bible says so." so, you're going to go and INTERFERE with someone else's life, whom you don't EVEN KNOW, just because god says so? in the middle of a conversation on the topic of same-sex marraige you will bring out your religion, saying whatever deity you believe in says that they can/cannot get married and... that's it? how does one respond to that? how do you prove, or how does one refute, anything once you move into the realm of religion? (to back up a point, CLEARLY the world was made in 7 days, because if the bible's definition of marraige being between a man and a woman is correct, then OBVIOUSLY that little story about god resting on the 7th day must be true).
i just wanted to weave in "catch 22" because it was my 22nd birthday...
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