I don't understand why people struggle so much with simply tolerating other people. I'm not talking about accepting and adopting other people's views, or even saying, "You know what - you might be right." I'm talking about simply agreeing to respectfully disagree and say, "You think this. I think that. Let's move on."
One of the more specific examples of intolerance I've experienced on a regular basis for the past 6 years has been based on religion. I'm more than aware that religion is a touchy topic, which is why I stay the hell OUT of P&R, and avoid discussions of religion in general, but sometimes it can't be avoided, and when that's the case I find that an alarming number of people are critical and downright rude when discussing beliefs that conflict with their own.
Michael is Catholic, and as such he holds certain views about sex that made a big impact on our relationship. He has chosen, as part of his religion, to wait until marriage to have sex, and for some reason people feel the need to express their dissatisfaction with this choice..of HIS...that effects HIM AND (at the time) ME and no one else.
Now, I don't mind people saying, "Wow, that must be hard. How do you feel about that? Do you agree?" and asking other respectful questions. I don't have any problem talking about it and explaining it, and discussing how it makes me, as someone who does NOT hold that view, feel. However, I've found that more often than not rather than discuss it, I'm in a position where I feel as though I have to defend it.
I've heard all the jokes about test-driving cars. I've heard all the arguments about why there's really nothing wrong with sex before marriage. I've heard the tangents about God and the Bible and Christianity and guilt and confession and sin, and I'm sick of it.
His views and his choices, are exactly that: HIS. If you disagree, that's just fine. Go out and have sex with whomever you choose under whatever circumstances need to be present for you to feel comfortable doing so. But to sit there and criticize someone for their beliefs, or worse, LAUGH at them and make jokes, is unacceptable, and from this point on I refuse to surround myself with people like that. Friendships are important to me, but I don't want friends like that.
I've asked Michael, several times, what he thinks about people who DO choose to have sex before marriage. What does he think about these people who constantly make fun of us, and even flaunt their sexual activity show us what we're "missing." His answer is consistently, "What they do is their business. Who am I to judge other people's choices?"
Wow...was that so fucking hard?
One of the more specific examples of intolerance I've experienced on a regular basis for the past 6 years has been based on religion. I'm more than aware that religion is a touchy topic, which is why I stay the hell OUT of P&R, and avoid discussions of religion in general, but sometimes it can't be avoided, and when that's the case I find that an alarming number of people are critical and downright rude when discussing beliefs that conflict with their own.
Michael is Catholic, and as such he holds certain views about sex that made a big impact on our relationship. He has chosen, as part of his religion, to wait until marriage to have sex, and for some reason people feel the need to express their dissatisfaction with this choice..of HIS...that effects HIM AND (at the time) ME and no one else.
Now, I don't mind people saying, "Wow, that must be hard. How do you feel about that? Do you agree?" and asking other respectful questions. I don't have any problem talking about it and explaining it, and discussing how it makes me, as someone who does NOT hold that view, feel. However, I've found that more often than not rather than discuss it, I'm in a position where I feel as though I have to defend it.
I've heard all the jokes about test-driving cars. I've heard all the arguments about why there's really nothing wrong with sex before marriage. I've heard the tangents about God and the Bible and Christianity and guilt and confession and sin, and I'm sick of it.
His views and his choices, are exactly that: HIS. If you disagree, that's just fine. Go out and have sex with whomever you choose under whatever circumstances need to be present for you to feel comfortable doing so. But to sit there and criticize someone for their beliefs, or worse, LAUGH at them and make jokes, is unacceptable, and from this point on I refuse to surround myself with people like that. Friendships are important to me, but I don't want friends like that.
I've asked Michael, several times, what he thinks about people who DO choose to have sex before marriage. What does he think about these people who constantly make fun of us, and even flaunt their sexual activity show us what we're "missing." His answer is consistently, "What they do is their business. Who am I to judge other people's choices?"
Wow...was that so fucking hard?
