Religious Dilettantes?

From "The Ancient Cliff Dwellers of Mesa Verde" by Caroline Arnold: "Religion was part of the everyday experience and influenced all aspects of Anasazi life." 

That line struck me as funny.  A religion is a system of beliefs, after all, and should influence all aspects of your life and be a part of your everyday experience. If it doesn't and isn't, it's not really a religion.  Not yours, anyway.   

Religion in this sense is not defined by where or how you worship, by the name you call your god, or even by the label you allow society to put on you.  I know lots of "Christians" who fornicate and see no sin in it. "Catholics" who use birth control despite the Church's prohibition.  "Mormons" who drink coffee or soda pop.   Your true religion is not inside a building or a book or some other person.  If you think it's a sin and you still do it, that is the true hypocrisy.  You will answer for it, to yourself if to no one else.  

You rise in the morning and go about your day. Certain ideals are more important than others.  There are things you feel you must do and things you feel you must not do. That is your true religion, no matter what label you or society puts on you.  And it does influence all aspects of your life and is a part of your everyday experience.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go outside and hug a tree.  

Are Stereotypes really that bad?

Does any rational human being really believe stereotypes?  I know nobody who actually thinks all lesbians hang out at Home Depot or that every black person on the planet loves watermelon.  At least, not that I know of.  I joke about stereotypes because I find the entire thing ridiculous.  I'm mocking the very idea that anyone, anywhere, takes them seriously.  Who watches Mythbusters and really expects Grant to suddenly go all Ninja on Tory?

My favorite example is Speedy Gonzalez.  He steals cheese because he is a MOUSE. His record of petty theft has nothing to do with his being from Mexico.  In fact, if I were a Mexican guy, I'd find Speedy a compliment.  He's a go-to guy with all the senoritas in love with him.  He's clever and resourceful.  How is he a negative?  Why is it bad for them to make Speedy Gonzalez cartoons?

Stereotypes often have a basis in reality, too, like it or not.  Historically, tribal societies from all over the world celebrate music and athletics... and yes, those things do filter down through the generations.  Food stereotypes have historical or cultural roots.  If you don't believe me, look it up.

Yes, a stereotype can be a bad thing.  But a word is not automatically an insult, not even the "N" word.  Look at the big picture before you get upset.  Ask why.  I'm in therapy for my persecution complex and I get this concept.  What's the excuse for society at large?

Don't be an Ashley Carter.

Many years ago, I picked up a couple books at a yard sale.  They were "Taproots of Falconhurst" and "Scandal of Falconhurst" by Ashley Carter.  I eventually read all the Falconhurst books and was confused.  Did Ellen get freed and later murdered by Ransom Lightfoot, or did she die in the slave uprising on Falconhurst?  Why did one book contradict the others?  Just what was going on?  I sorted them out finally, not by the chronology of the story, but by publication dates, and what I discovered was this:  The series had three authors, two of which sometimes worked together.  These two quit, or died, or were abducted by aliens, and Ashley Carter took over.

I can't begin to describe how angry this made me and still makes me.  Not that another author took over, but that he ignored the established reality of that world to suit himself.  Using the works of the first two, I could have made a viable timeline, family tree, and maybe even a map.   For example, the character of Ellen was the young master's (ahem) favorite.  She came to the plantation as a teenager, bore many children, and was killed in a slave uprising.  I don't remember if her dalliance with a fellow slave was included in the Onstott/Horner books, but if it was, she was forgiven.  Ashley Carter, however, decided that Ellen's dalliance resulted in Ellen's being freed and sent away, then murdered.  WHAT?!

I can't imagine doing this to another author, but it seems to be fairly common and even accepted practice.  I argue all the time with my fellow Protoculture Addicts about Jack McKinney's novelizations of Robotech.  I just read a 'prequel' to Jane Eyre that did it - and has gotten good reviews.  There is an official Dracula sequel, written by some kin of Bram Stoker's, that does it.

Now, let me clarify.  I am not talking about works that take a "what if" approach.  I am not talking about alternate realities or reboots.  They don't claim to take place in the same reality as the original and promptly contradict it.    Play in the worlds of others if you like, but respect the creator of that world.  Don't be an Ashley Carter.

I guess I should mention my writing.

I've mentioned in my profile that I write fiction, and it's been suggested to me that I post some of my stuff here.  I don't know that I'd post anything big, but some of my shorter stuff is possible.  I have been known to crank out poetry, usually from the depths of depression, and have written (as mentioned in my profile) a few bits of fan fiction.

As a general rule, I don't care for fan fiction.  I've seen too many pornographic, badly written ones.  By badly written, I refer to both the story and the writing itself.  I don't care for explicit sex - a personal preference, I know - and I'd like all the spelling and punctuation to be correct, and I really do not want characters acting unlike themselves.  I once stumbled across one in which Harry Potter was coupled with Draco Malfoy.  My brain still hurts.  

Most of what I write is ostensibly romance.  I've gotten grief from jerks because many of my characters are Cherokee and I'm not, but I don't see a problem with it. Gene Roddenberry was not an alien, after all, and  I  research like a madwoman.  In fact, my current project is stuck at the moment on a very trivial bit of research, something I could fudge on.  Cindy could quite easily say "I think the place has been abandoned."  It's not even important to the story!  It's a bit of back story for a secondary, maybe even tertiary, character!

Anyway, I've already completed "Ghosts", in which Danny and Megan take their Internet friendship further.  There are literal and figurative ghosts running around.  The current project (Seventh Son) is actually a prequel to "Ghosts".  It's about Danny's mother connecting with her Cherokee roots. In the process, of course, she meets Danny's father.  I've got ideas for more Stillwater Farm stories, too!

I've been told my best work is a piece called "Regrets", which I may post here.  Some of my readers have clamored for me to fill in a twelve year gap between the main story and the epilogue, but I'm stuck.  Olivia won't tell me about those years.  (And if you've read "Ghosts", this is the same Olivia.)  I wrote another I'm hoping to expand into a Stillwater Farm novel, but I am really unhappy with the resolution.

That's what I write, besides this blog.  What I write seriously, anyway.  ;-p

Bazookas and Barbies

If you buy your kids guns, they will be Jack The Ripper.  If you buy your kids fashion dolls, they will be prissy and brainless.  What?!  That's possibly the silliest thing I ever heard of.  A BB Gun or a Barbie is an inanimate object.  It has no power over you or yours.  What has the power over you, particularly as a child, is other people.  I live with a seven year old boy who plays with both weapons and dolls.  He is not growing up to be either Charlie Manson or Liberace.

He knows not to shoot anything with a face and a pulse - unless he is going to eat it, or it is trying to eat him - even with Nerf.  Violence he sees on TV and video games is explained in context.  "Yes, James Bond killed that guy, but that guy was trying to blow up Europe."  "Captain Kirk was bad to want to kill all the Klingons.  I'm glad he figured that out."   

The dolls technically aren't his, they belong to the crazy aunt in the attic.  At least, the evil fashion dolls are.  His plastic people are 'action figures' and therefore either belong in the War Toys discussion or are socially acceptable.  The fashion dolls generally have what he calls "Barbie School".  He is teacher and principal.  Curriculum has covered subjects like Pokemon, volcanoes, video games, dinosaurs...  never fashion!  His class has a variety of skin tones (many of them aren't even human), they all get along, and most of them look like they've been through a wind tunnel.

We teach by example.   I have used Barbies for many years to teach kids of both genders about the things that make us different, and how it ultimately doesn't matter unless you're hurting someone. My Barbies have had adventures that'd curl Mattel's hair!  The hunters and military men in my family have always been very big on the safety issues.  And, no, that doesn't meant put the safety on before handing the gun to Junior.

Inanimate objects do not have that kind of power unless YOU give it that power.  Even the official toy company line has no power once that toy is in your kid's hot little hands.  Hand your little girl a Barbie and she's going to emulate the people around her.  Hand your boy a Nerf Bazooka and he's gonna do what he's been taught is appropriate. Switch the toys and the kids will be fine.

I used to get really mad about "Boy Toys" and "Girl Toys" because I felt that it limited the child's options, but I've come to realize that it is a generalization.  Most boys prefer certain toys, most girls prefer other toys.  This is not meant to be a limitation, no one is going to stop a little boy from buying Barbie.  Except maybe you...

 

Homophobia, Religious Freedom, and Boycotts.

The recent fuss over the Christian stance of Chick-Fil-A's CEO and the proposed boycott has me defending a "homophobe".  The guy is within his rights, and even strikes me as a better Christian than many, but this requires some explaining.  The stance of the Bible (you know, that book the Christians use as an instruction manual) is clear - homosexuality is a sin.  Those of us who approach the Bible from a more intellectual standpoint can fill in the gaps of historical content and cultural bias, but the true Christian runs on faith, not on facts.  It would be hypocritical of him to do other than run his business by his own standards.  He catered an event that made a lot of money for his business - an event that also supports his beliefs.  When asked about it, he gave an honest response.  I do think he is in the wrong to support legislation that infringes on the rights of others, because of this little thing called Separation of Church and State, but I otherwise have his back.  


The gay community is calling for a boycott of his business.  I will not be participating in this, or any, boycott.  Boycotts hurt more people than they help.  Think of all the people employed by this company - how many of them are you willing to put out of work? How quickly will you judge them when they apply for Welfare?  If I boycott every business run by, or employing, people whose private lives I disapprove of, I'd never go anywhere.  The girl who rang me up sleeps around, the boy who bagged my groceries smokes, the manager of the store is a racist...  it could go on forever.  I'm sure someone working for the company that made my truck is a really bad person, but I still want my truck.

We can't just let nature run wild!

I read that quote somewhere and laughed at it so hard I hurt myself.  I think it was a politician who said it, which wouldn't be surprising.  Look at the stuff they are trying to ban or already have banned.

Did you know that many areas ban breast-feeding because someone might see a boob?  I guess because a boob is what they call a "secondary sex characteristic".  So is chest hair (not that you see much of that anymore, but that's another rant)  and beards, which you can legally flaunt.  Some of us find a hairy chest or a beard just as sexy as others find a boob, and I've never heard of those providing nutrition and/or boosting immunity.

The whole gay marriage debate is stupid.  Homosexuality DOES happen in nature.  It is a deviation from the norm, yes, but certainly more natural than living in square boxes. It's against someone's religion?  So are cars.  Which, by the way, are not natural.  Gonna corrupt our youth?  No more than legal and unnatural things like books and schools.  

Then we have a plant that could do wonders for the environment, the economy, and the world in general.  Hemp seeds are nutritious and their oil can be used just like linseed oil.  We can make clothes from hemp.  The use of Hemp Fuel and Hemp Plastics could replace Big Oil.  Petroleum is natural, but refined into a pollutant, by the way.  Rope, canvas, even oil dry can be made from this evil plant.  How many of these things can be done with tobacco or alcohol?  Both of which are legal and one of which does not grow naturally?  


Seriously.....  "We can't just let nature run wild."