I’m tired.

I let a lot of things slide, some people may not think that’s true but, I let a lot more things slide than they know.

Our country is a strange place. It’s strange in though we are living in this supposed ‘politically correct’ society, the rules are not applied in equal fashion. Some groups are easier targets than others. Why this is, I really haven’t much of a clue. It makes little sense to me but I see it everyday. One person can lose a job, a career, the respect of others, their standing in the community over the most casual of utterances – things blown into a firestorm of indignation.

It just depends on the person saying it. If the person saying it is beloved then the transgression is excused. If the person is on the fringes of society or has garnered strong resentment among a segment of the population then this becomes the moment for those enemies to seize and rain down righteous retribution.

It happens every day.

Again, it depends on who does the saying of a thing. It’s not the content of what they say and you can test this by having two people utter the same thing and see the reactions it garners.

Anyway, I belong to a dating site (Manyx needs women) and it puts me in contact with a plethora of women some of whom despise me and others who are willing to see what I’m about. I was surprised recently by one woman who actually sought me out – pleasantly surprised as she was young, blond and beautiful. Perhaps she had tired of the parade of men who threw themselves at her and was looking for a change. Who knows?

We had communicated back and forth a few times to the point we were setting up our first date. She regularly wrote in a journal on the site and it’s how we became familiar with one and other. So, I found myself a little dismayed when I came to read this passage:

Jesus saves Feb. 21And says who? ;) And saves from what? Jesus died for us? Why? Wth? He was not able to do things using his magical powers instead of dying??? What’s the purpose wanting to die when there was no need to? This is the funniest part. Why is Jesus blond with blue eyes?:)))) They say, he was Middle Eastern (exclude Turkey since we are located both on Asia and Europe and have blonds, brunettes and so on) if there was Jesus of course. He probably had dark skin with brown eyes and who knows maybe he was black. Sheep just follow each other. If you understand what I mean.

Now, I’m not a bible thumper by any stretch of he imagination, nor am I the most devout of Christians on the planet. I have a hard time remembering the last time I set foot in a church but there was something in seeing someone from another faith so readily cast aspersions on the foundations of my own. So, I responded:

*I will respond directly - Feb. 22, 2010 – 12:30pm I’d probably be much more impressed if you had made the same comments and cast similar aspersions on Mohammed and Islam. Barring that, I find most of what you are saying specious and immature. Further, I find it fascinating you live in such a black and white world where there are no shades of gray - organized religion being a zero sum game. Tell me the same argument after you have stood before the death bed of a loved one and told them they face nothing more than oblivion and decomposition. Convey your beliefs to them with the same vigor and playfulness as their life slips from them and you are faced with their absence. Not everything stemming from religion(s) is bad, perhaps things get muddied up by some adherents but whatever a person chooses to believe is their business, at the very least I can show respect for their beliefs even if I may not hold the same tenets as my own. If not for any other reason than common courtesy and grace. As long as they do not try to impose their beliefs upon me I will endeavor to show them the same respect. If you are lacking in faith it is your own choice and I am far from a church goer or a bible thumper however, there is nothing here other than the attempt to garner attention and be shocking for attention’s sake. What a childish and angry display and ultimately very disappointing.

And there are people in this world who like being contrary, there are people who get attention, are pretty to look at but simultaneously are very ugly inside. Damaged in some way that is hidden by the comely aspect of their exterior.

*Feb. 22, 2010 – 7:34pm I appreciate your thoughts and respect. No need to tell me how I am and how my personality is as I am not saying anything about yours and still won’t after you sweet comment S. Mohammad is no different than Jesus. Long observation there. Thanks.*

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Feb. 22, 2010 – 10:47pm Good, I'll be glad to read similar comments about the prophet of Islam in your journal then as well - barring that what you have to say rings very hollow indeed.

After this, I blocked her. She wasn’t about to write the same inflammatory statements about Mohammed – I knew it, she knew it. The truth is people are so afraid they won’t make any kind of statements about Mohammed for fear of becoming the target of a zealot.

As beautiful as she is (was), I just found I didn’t want to have anything to do with her. Again, I’m not this crazed, devout Christian in any way but there was something in the casual way she took something many people find sacred and stomped all over it that told me I wouldn’t want to be around someone like that.