I have been thinking about writing this blog for awhile now...I just did not want to sound whiny in the blog, as that is kind of what this post is about....so, if I sound whiny in this blog....my bad.
Facebook offers numerous ways in which to read articles and opinions that you otherwise would not read. People post articles from magazines of which I would not gravitate, and it gives me a way to see how certain people view the world; and from my purview...people are just way too darn sensitive.
I read an article where a mother bemoaned the fact that when she took her daughter to the local mall Santa, all he did was compliment her on how cute and pretty she looked. The mother bemoaned the fact that he did not ask her what her favorite school subjects were, what she was interested in, her hobbies, etc....she took this as just one more piece of evidence that when men look even at little girls they see only that their beauty is skin deep....I am not kidding. This was a real article. A real person wrote it. Let me tell you something - she needs to calm down. It was a Mall Santa trying to compliment your daughter. I have three of them myself. When someone says, "aren't they cute!" I reply, "thank you" and then move on. I do not attempt to mentally process the misogynistic horrifying motives of that darn mall Santa.
I read another article from a dad who had three daughters who was perennially annoyed that people asked him and his wife, "are you going to try for a boy?" He wrote a list of things that he was not able to have because he did not have a boy. Admittedly, it was kind of a funny list; however, he was genuinely irritated that people would say, "are you going to try for a boy?" Again, I have three daughters myself and I have had numerous people ask me that question. I have never once even gotten close to being offended by it. Why? Simple. People are simply asking what is an obvious point - I have three kids; none of them boys - do I want a boy? It is harmless. It is meant to be harmless. We need to calm down.
I was working out the other day. I belong to a Gym and do, "Art of Strength" classes. I was obviously doing something funny with the rope because a guy in the class asked if I was having a seizure. I laughed. It was meant to be funny. He does not know that I have a daughter that suffered with epilepsy for many years and she had to have brain surgery to cure this problem. Even if he did know this, I would hope he would still tell the joke; because it was meant to be funny. Is it inappropriate? Perhaps. But we are guys and it was meant to be funny. I absolutely did not take offense. Not one bit.
Many years ago I was working out in the Gym with my friend. I was lifting a certain amount of weight and he was lifting a lighter weight. I said something along the lines of, "come on ya lady, lift it!" A woman came over very upset. She told me that making fun of other people, even a friend, is not nice; especially using a woman as an example. She asked me to never do that again. I am not kidding. This happened. I, being a Christian, apologized, and have since not called my friend a lady....within her earshot :)
My point is simple. We live in a hyper-offended class of a culture. Everything offends everybody. Our politics is just one more example of this. I legitimately feel badly for politicians in this country. One slip of the tongue - one bad joke - one laugh - can ruin your career. Many of us no longer vote on issues - we vote on politicians' gaffes. I do not care if a politician slips with his mouth; I do care if he votes to protect the life of the unborn, etc....It is time to make the important things important and the not so important things...well, not so important.
I am convinced that if these sensitive people, especially Christians, would read their Bible honestly they would be offended constantly. Isaiah 64:6 is usually rendered, "we all are like an unclean thing, our righteousness is as filthy rags...." But in actuality what the Hebrew says is, "our righteousness is like a used menstrual cloth" That's right - God says that our righteousness is like a used Tampon. But that is too crass to say...so we have to clean it up....filthy rags is better.....
Or Paul. In Philippians 3:8 he says that he counts all things as, "rubbish" to the surpassing knowledge of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. Well, the Greek word there is Skubalon, and while perhaps not a curse, it is alot stronger than rubbish. It is more than dung. He is being pretty...dare I say...offensive?
In America today everyone thinks they have a right not to be offended. Everyone takes things so personally. We need to lighten up. Take ourselves less seriously. Be ready to hear the motive in the person's words.
Now, I know that the Bible says, "love is not rude...." And I agree. In that vein I am called to learn the culture that I live in and attempt, for the sake of others, to not be rude. However, the Bible also says that love thinks the best - and we have to look at the motive of others. Are they really trying to offend? Are they really trying to hurt? If not, then come on - love them too. Bear with them. The Bible tells us to bear with one another. And it is not simply for the less sensitive to bear with the overly sensitive...it also tells the overly sensitive to bear with the less sensitive.
Now, I know I am dangerously close to being overly sensitive about being overly sensitive...it is the risk of this blog post...hey, maybe I simply need to lighten up....:)
Chris
Facebook offers numerous ways in which to read articles and opinions that you otherwise would not read. People post articles from magazines of which I would not gravitate, and it gives me a way to see how certain people view the world; and from my purview...people are just way too darn sensitive.
I read an article where a mother bemoaned the fact that when she took her daughter to the local mall Santa, all he did was compliment her on how cute and pretty she looked. The mother bemoaned the fact that he did not ask her what her favorite school subjects were, what she was interested in, her hobbies, etc....she took this as just one more piece of evidence that when men look even at little girls they see only that their beauty is skin deep....I am not kidding. This was a real article. A real person wrote it. Let me tell you something - she needs to calm down. It was a Mall Santa trying to compliment your daughter. I have three of them myself. When someone says, "aren't they cute!" I reply, "thank you" and then move on. I do not attempt to mentally process the misogynistic horrifying motives of that darn mall Santa.
I read another article from a dad who had three daughters who was perennially annoyed that people asked him and his wife, "are you going to try for a boy?" He wrote a list of things that he was not able to have because he did not have a boy. Admittedly, it was kind of a funny list; however, he was genuinely irritated that people would say, "are you going to try for a boy?" Again, I have three daughters myself and I have had numerous people ask me that question. I have never once even gotten close to being offended by it. Why? Simple. People are simply asking what is an obvious point - I have three kids; none of them boys - do I want a boy? It is harmless. It is meant to be harmless. We need to calm down.
I was working out the other day. I belong to a Gym and do, "Art of Strength" classes. I was obviously doing something funny with the rope because a guy in the class asked if I was having a seizure. I laughed. It was meant to be funny. He does not know that I have a daughter that suffered with epilepsy for many years and she had to have brain surgery to cure this problem. Even if he did know this, I would hope he would still tell the joke; because it was meant to be funny. Is it inappropriate? Perhaps. But we are guys and it was meant to be funny. I absolutely did not take offense. Not one bit.
Many years ago I was working out in the Gym with my friend. I was lifting a certain amount of weight and he was lifting a lighter weight. I said something along the lines of, "come on ya lady, lift it!" A woman came over very upset. She told me that making fun of other people, even a friend, is not nice; especially using a woman as an example. She asked me to never do that again. I am not kidding. This happened. I, being a Christian, apologized, and have since not called my friend a lady....within her earshot :)
My point is simple. We live in a hyper-offended class of a culture. Everything offends everybody. Our politics is just one more example of this. I legitimately feel badly for politicians in this country. One slip of the tongue - one bad joke - one laugh - can ruin your career. Many of us no longer vote on issues - we vote on politicians' gaffes. I do not care if a politician slips with his mouth; I do care if he votes to protect the life of the unborn, etc....It is time to make the important things important and the not so important things...well, not so important.
I am convinced that if these sensitive people, especially Christians, would read their Bible honestly they would be offended constantly. Isaiah 64:6 is usually rendered, "we all are like an unclean thing, our righteousness is as filthy rags...." But in actuality what the Hebrew says is, "our righteousness is like a used menstrual cloth" That's right - God says that our righteousness is like a used Tampon. But that is too crass to say...so we have to clean it up....filthy rags is better.....
Or Paul. In Philippians 3:8 he says that he counts all things as, "rubbish" to the surpassing knowledge of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. Well, the Greek word there is Skubalon, and while perhaps not a curse, it is alot stronger than rubbish. It is more than dung. He is being pretty...dare I say...offensive?
In America today everyone thinks they have a right not to be offended. Everyone takes things so personally. We need to lighten up. Take ourselves less seriously. Be ready to hear the motive in the person's words.
Now, I know that the Bible says, "love is not rude...." And I agree. In that vein I am called to learn the culture that I live in and attempt, for the sake of others, to not be rude. However, the Bible also says that love thinks the best - and we have to look at the motive of others. Are they really trying to offend? Are they really trying to hurt? If not, then come on - love them too. Bear with them. The Bible tells us to bear with one another. And it is not simply for the less sensitive to bear with the overly sensitive...it also tells the overly sensitive to bear with the less sensitive.
Now, I know I am dangerously close to being overly sensitive about being overly sensitive...it is the risk of this blog post...hey, maybe I simply need to lighten up....:)
Chris
