Society is its Own Religion

Religion, from my standpoint, is a tool to inspire me to live in a higher, kinder way. It teaches me to forgive others and myself, though the forgiveness of God.

I love forgiveness.
I love, frankly, my religion. And it's not important for me to share what that is, because the product is me, the way I am.

But I have a question: What makes religion?
I guess I'm talking more about a "belief system" than a religion. As in, I speak broadly of the behavior patterns and moral values in which a person chooses to live their life.

But here's the thing: regardless of what religion/belief system you belong to (including atheism!) you belong to society. And society has its own rules. Vague rules like "be yourself, as long as yourself conforms to standards." or "be sexy, but not too sexy or else you're a slut." There is no clear objective for what to be, only judgement if you are anything else.

If religions shamed sinners half as badly as society shames people for being ugly or fat, nobody would believe in God. We hold religion to such high standards - what about the belief system that literally EVERYONE belongs to: what about society?

We can't change everything all at once. But I challenge you all, (and myself,) to change yourselves. Look for the good in people and seek to reward them for what they accomplish rather than to tear them down for their failures or shortcomings. People matter in a grand and important way. Let's all try to treat them as if they do.

Instead of Sheep...

It interests me that the things we crave most are small. We want this phone, these shoes, this boyfriend, this date. These insignificant desires almost rule our lives because the needs and the greatest wants are already fulfilled in our lives! We are so darn lucky!
What do we already have?

• Modern Homes: Roofs over our head, heating and air conditioning systems to make even our AIR convenient.
• Clothing: We have enough to be warm in winter. We have thinner fabrics to stay cool in winter, and a culture where you can pretty much wear any fashion you want to wear.
• Families: true, not everybody has one. Not everybody has a GOOD one. But for those who do, they are a support system, built-in friends, parents to support you, a sense of constancy.
• Education: we are given literacy, math skills, scientific knowledge, an a wealth of elective education for the low price of paying taxes. Our country cares enough about our minds to make sure we are educated. And I, at least, have gotten a great deal from the education system of America. No, it's not perfect. But it's pretty amazing, I think.
• Food: We live in a country that produces more food than anywhere else in the world. Whatever your taste, whatever level of health you choose to eat at, you can have your pick of sustenance at any grocery store. 
• Money: America is rich. Even the poverty level in our country is insanely high - aka, our poorest poor are richer than the average human being in the world. 
• Safety: Aside from optional safety precautions (guns, pepper spray, locks, security systems, etc.) we are provided, through our tax dollars, with a police system, a fire department, FBI, etc. So many people work so hard to make sure we are safe. 
• BASIC UTILITIES: aside from utilities like cable/satellite television, internet access, and phone service which are widely available to even the poor of this country, we have things like CLEAN, FRESH WATER and ELECTRICITY at our constant disposal. With seriously minimal effort, we have control of things other people will NEVER have access to. 

These are such enormous blessings! I can't wrap my head around what it must be like to not have these things in my life. If I run low on things to be grateful for, there's always a baseline of incredibly gratitude for the high quality of life enjoyed by myself and the people of this country. There's so much to be thankful for! I hope you can find something good in your life today that you are glad and grateful for.

Thanks for reading. Have an attitude of gratitude, and have a great day! 

My, What a Guy! Why He's Called "The Beast"

*Spoiler Alert: This Post criticizes a Disney Prince! If you ain't into that, this won't end well for you!*

Tale as old as time: girl marries her abuser.

Dearest Women,
I think we can all relate to Belle - she wants more than the steady income and secure home offered by Gaston. He's selfish, narcissistic, and a chauvinist. He's fabulously handsome, a talented hunter, wealthy (from a small-town perspective,) and popular. While he could keep her sheltered, fed, and clothed, he probably couldn't offer her true love, and he definitely couldn't offer her mental stimulation. She wants a marriage for more than just physical security - just like most women do.

Stockholm Syndrome is Not the same as Love.

I want so badly to have a fairy tale. I want to meet a prince, and fall in love, and SING ABOUT IT (you better believe I want to sing about it.) I totally believe in true love that lasts through time. I guess you could say I want to marry a prince...but NO prince, NO castle, NO magic, NO "fairy tale ending" is worth being abused for. The moment a man hits you, the happy ending goes away, and the man is no longer a prince. 

It's hard to break away. Every woman says she's not the type to stay after the first hit...but then how do so many women end up staying with their abusers? Belle, independent, brilliant Belle, married the man who cut her off from her family, who flew into rages at the drop of a hat (or a flower petal.) He locked her away for hours at a time, tried to starve her into doing what he wanted, and even pushed her down. These are classic signs of a domestic abuser: emotional damage, cutting you off from potential influences, food manipulation, yelling, projecting his rage, and finally physical violence. 

Those of us who are lucky enough to be safe from that, let's not judge too harshly. Those who may be in an abusive relationship: please seek help. Yes, people can change. But don't count on it. If you feel like you are being abused or are in danger of abuse, call 1-800-897- LINK (1-800-897-5465)

My Point:

Women are not condemned to choose between the Gastons and the Adams of the world. "The Lesser of Two Evils" does not apply to our partners in life. We can choose to wait until a truly good person comes along who treats us well. Even being single is better than being abused. Wait for a prince - not just a crown.

Would you choose a pig over a beast?