Deliver Me or Destroy?

Well, I have to admit, I have missed blogging and such the past few years.  Plenty of thoughts and issues with Covid, lockdowns, and all the other collective ‘stuff’ going on, but I just didn’t have the compulsion to write it all down at the time.  But, things have gotten a tad more normal, and I had an idea that simply wouldn’t go away for me until I jotted it down.  I still do this mainly so I can go back later and see what and how I was thinking and perhaps how my thinking changes over time on some of these issues. 

Anyhow, as a result of the move, the lack of a commute, I have almost stopped listening to the radio entirely.  For one, not in the car as much. For two, most radio stations now are just bland, similar corporate radio (think Walmart) and not the great local flavor we used to get with DJs, funny local commercials, and the like.  So, my influx of new tunes is limited.  But I tried streaming some random rock recently and it happened to play a newer song from a band I have liked for a long while, and the lyrics (pun intended) struck a chord with me.  Here are a few from the song:

When you throw your message in my face
Do you think it's over? Are you closer?
When you find out nothing's really changed
Does it make you colder or keep you sober?

 If you want closure, keep your composure

In light of all the social unrest whether over election results, protests over law enforcement targeting and treating certain groups unfairly and sometimes lethally, the leaked abortion decision draft from the Supreme Court, or the actual decision itself, there is plenty of examples of rather uncivil violence and behavior over the issues.  Those actions, reactions, protests and the emotion and vitriol which has manifested at times has me thinking maybe its time for the giant meteor, and a true great reset.  I semi-jest, but my point is humanity is indeed doing a piss poor job of being humane and civil these days. 

 

To get back to my thought, when the message, be it Pro Life or Pro Choice for example, there is this almost spitting anger for anyone who disagrees.  And it makes me wonder, how many people do you expect to rally to your cause when you are in people’s faces, just yelling, demanding those opposed yield to your side because…well your are borderline unhinged and no longer willing to behave civilly.  That is not passionate support for your cause, it is terrorism plain and simple.  Believe what I do, or else.  Do people REALLY delude themselves into thinking this wins hearts and minds?  And, when they realize nothing has really changed, i.e. people don’t really switch sides they just don’t respond with similar vitriol and angst, has anything really been done to help the cause? 

 

Then the last line I plucked from the song becomes relevant: if you can keep your composure, make your arguments in a civil and reasoned way, then you may get the closure you want. 

 

Maybe it really is just me and a minority of folks who feel like this.  I have never felt compelled to engage in social unrest, in societal bullying to force a capitulation to my beliefs or else, such a viewpoint is as alien to me as E.T. was on earth.  It usually makes me consider the other side honestly.  Hmm, side A wants to destroy property, or scare public officials and their families to the point of fearing for their lives, hmm, maybe I should help them be less afraid to simply live.  I am not saying I always side with group B, I am just saying, it does make me more closely look at … the other side and evaluate the entire situation. 

 

To be honest, I often caught flack from fellow Christians once upon a time, for not witnessing more, not cornering friends and coworkers and basically telling them in that exact moment, they were going to hell if they did not repent right then.  Jimmy Swaggart I am not, thank God (pun intended).  I let those who were disappointed in me go on being whatever they felt, I preferred to live the way I believe Christ wanted us to live, and allow those actions to speak to my heart and my beliefs.  I have never confronted a single person the way ye olde fundie Baptist churches wanted me to.  Whatever the right approach, I am comfortable with my answer if confronted or asked in the next life, thanks.  No need to throw the message in their face.  I preferred to keep my composure and be true to myself and my heart. 

 

And I tend to do that with the great issues of our day.  I don’t yell at people, I want to rally people to my causes and sides, but I do want to at least be aware of those who disagree, or have a different take too, because honestly, the tweaks to things are usually what can take something good and make it great.  I know I can’t see all the sides and angles, so I like to let others make me aware and investigate those. 

 

Anyhow, I could turn this into a very long blog on a variety of topics in the current debate, but that was not my intent.  I just wondered if there were others who simply don’t respond well to the sledge hammer, spittle flying in your face, let people walk in your yard, yell at you in the local restaurant or stores, or even follow you into restrooms to share their ideology via bullying or domestic terrorism?

Well, to word it better, I might ask, how many respond to having people yell in your face?  Or how many think storming government buildings, or stalking public officials in their homes are really going to lead to social harmony?  Honestly, if the answer to any of these are more than a handful in the world, it does make me wonder… how do we dig out of this?  Time for some more tunes I guess.  Anyhow, just some thoughts.  Well, time to do feed the dog; that is after all, important.