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Fuel

You take the good, you take the bad, you take 'em both and there you have the facts of life

mood: thoughtful thoughtful
New pre-Community Group coffee place: Fuel. It's a block from where we meet and doesn't have the hubub of Victrola.

In the not-news department: many (if not most) of us would like a pick-and-choose reality. This came to mind today as I read someone on LiveJournal lauding the incarnational beauty of Amish culture while displaying a "bisexuality is real" banner in their profile. These are not perspectives which reconcile with one another. Not that I have a problem with tension and conflict, nor with appreciating aspects of something while not fully embracing it. I simply think we'd benefit by being more honest about our pick-and-choose natures, admitting that we are very often more enamored with our image of a thing (and perhaps even moreso by what we believe our fascination says about us) than with its truth.

I think that pick-and-choose nature is part of the reason behind my poll from last week, too. For those of us who recognize Scripture as an authority for our lives, reconciling it with our own desires regarding marriage (or anything else) still seems like work some would rather not do. Perhaps this is because it forces us to lock into a reality that makes us uncomfortable, or to admit that we're going our own way and recognizing no authority above our own pastiche.

Rejecting a perspective or authority has integrity, as does struggling. I have no integrity issues with honestly wrestling, or with clearly adopting a view different from my own. But I don't have much respect for approaching reality as a smorgasbord, subject to little beyond our likes and dislikes. Truth deserves more from us than that.
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Posted on Oct. 10th, 2006 at 06:23 pm | | Communicate | 7 communications |

Comments


extra300

Amish

While not entirely sure what you are driving at here, I am familiar with the Amish. They are when you meet them surprisingly like you and me. I know one fellow who I'm quite sure is gay, though I would never ask him, it not being any of my business. I was speaking to a Mennonite woman who told us of an Amish man who committed suicide. In other words they have all the same troubles we fancy folk do. The difference is that instead of judging the suicide the community got together to support the family both spritually and economically. They were caring for the widow and children.

I was at the Amish market Saturday and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Also, Amish life is not what the media portrays. They have nice furniture like you and I, but the lights are powered by gasoline, like Coleman lanterns, but otherwise look like ours. They do use electric, but are not connected to the grid. They use generators. They also have refrigerators and freezers, but they run on propane. I have one like it on my camper.
Posted on Oct. 11th, 2006 01:07 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

banzai

Re: Amish

Having grown up in Southeast Iowa, there's nothing particularly strange or exotic to me about the Amish, either (which doesn't lessen my appreciation). I'm simply noting that we are quick to extol what we tickles our fancy about a thing without dealing with where its reality conflicts with our other values. Bisexuality and Amish belief hang together about as well as kosher deli serving bacon double cheeseburgers.
Posted on Oct. 11th, 2006 04:25 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

extra300

Re: Amish

You're going to hate me for this but because it's true I have to say it. I once owned a house in upstate New York which I sold to an Israeli woman. Her father was a pig farmer in Israel. Naturally I was flabbergasted and opined as to how this must be for export. No, she assured me we sell it in Israel and it is called white steak.

I guess life is just full of contradictions.
Posted on Oct. 11th, 2006 06:31 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

banzai

Re: Amish

Hilarious! It still wouldn't pass kosher laws, though, and a big ol' slice of cheese on it would be a dealbreaker as well.

I guess life is just full of contradictions.

No doubt, and especially so when our own interests are being served by them.
Posted on Oct. 11th, 2006 06:37 pm (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply

chestnutcurls

I agree. I'm guilty of that in some areas, too, but it doesn't mean I don't find it frustrating in other people. :\
Posted on Oct. 11th, 2006 01:57 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

benjaminady

what is pastiche?

Banzai,

Wondering what this means: "recognizing no authority above our own pastiche". I wikied 'pastiche', and it seems to be undergoing semantic drift, but I coulnd't wrap my head around this phrase using either meaning. help!
Posted on Oct. 11th, 2006 11:01 pm (UTC) | | Thread | Reply

banzai

Re: what is pastiche?

I meant our cobbled together, derivative imitations of reality that we so often place our faith in and substitute for the truth.
Posted on Oct. 12th, 2006 02:24 am (UTC) | | Parent | Thread | Reply