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some tv watching Ads that make me want to scream more snow Most Wonderful Times Snow Days How to ask a question worthiness Me, two dogs, and an unusual event Case in Point Belief is not a plan Justin Oldham - Politics and Patriotism
Wilco The Flaming Lips The New Radicals John Mayer Zero 7 Dream Theater Radiohead Death Cab for Cutie The Notwist O.S.I. Ani Difranco The Shins Elliott Smith Badly Drawn Boy Chroma Key Coheed and Cambria The Streets Andrew Bird Sufjan Stevens Atom Site Feed 
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2.15.2007
There is a misunderstanding of non-religious people. In particular, there is this outrage from the religious when non-religious people fail to take their beliefs seriously. Its pretty simple to understand. Religion in any form is not important to me. Its just not part of my considerations. There is this notion, that even though I profess to have no interest in religion, that I should still take it into account when I make decisions in my life. I find it strange that people might be offended or outraged when I say that their religious faith is completely unimportant to me. Its almost as bad as when I tell jazz fanatics that I don't really like jazz. Its not that I can't appreciate a good jazz song or that I haven't marveled at some stupendously talented jazz artists... but I don't listen to jazz because its not my taste. Religion is not my taste. I consider it a fortuitous circumstance that I find myself in an era where I can openly express my disinterest in prevailing the mythologies without fear of my life. Its simply an annoyance. I recognize that people before me did not have that privilege. I can't express how much I dread ever going back to the "good ol' days" where we all had to pay lip service to the authorities that pressed us all to fall in line. I would say though that I am actively hostile to religion. I see it as a threat to my freedom. Saying yes to religion means saying yes to an authority. Religion is a social authority. That is its appeal to many. Religion has the answers to what we are "supposed" to do. It sets up pretty clear guidelines for us to follow and we are supposed to follow them. It makes things cleaner and easier for people to understand the world. Now consider that you are a non-jazz person living in a jazz world. Everywhere you go people want to talk about jazz and are asking you what your favorite Miles Davis song is. There are weekly jazz concerts that people keep inviting you to attend. On corners throughout town there are jazz halls where people hang out and learn about jazz. In the summers there are free schools to teach about jazz to kids. Ok, annoying, but still understandable... you might just scratch your head a little and go about you life. Now consider, that you not only fail to like jazz, but that you really like rock music. Consider that everywhere you go people expect you to be listening to jazz music. They want to talk about it. Some people even look at you strange when you start talking about rock music. Others go on about the evils of rock music and express in public, without recrimination or debate, that we should all just like jazz and that the people who like other kinds of music are deviant and should but subjected to all kinds of social strife as a result of their deviancy. Some feel so strongly about their love of jazz that they put up billboards, they go door to door and they put stickers, decals and license plate frames on their cars promoting jazz to non-jazz people that may be following behind them... Sound silly? It is. Religious people get away with such silliness all the time because non-believers are treated to such confusion when they express their utter lack of interest in the fantasy world in which people immerse their minds. | |
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