Friday, January 10, 2020

keep on spininning

 I spend too much time on social media, I know that, but it won't change. No sense trying to kid anyone about that. Last evening I saw a recipe posted for School lunch pizza. You know that pizza made on a cookie sheet. I remarked that I didn't remember having that when I went to school. A school chum of mine replied that we certainly did, on one Friday a month. Okay, so I stand corrected. I don't doubt the validity of his statement. He also remarked that it was because of the rule, no eating meat of Friday. I question how many younger folks would know anything about that. Not being a Catholic I do remember that in 1965, following Vatican 2 Catholics were allowed to eat meat of Fridays. What I didn't know was all the exceptions, provisions and rules that go along with that particular observance. It is an incorrect assumption but one I carried for many years that Catholics could now eat meat on any Friday they choose. Well it's not important to me at all and I mention it only because of that no meat on Friday restriction I heard about growing up. I was told that if a Catholic were to eat meat on a Friday that sent them to hell, immediately without passing go. Jesus was crucified on a Friday was the reason for that. At least that is what I was told. Whatever the case, the school would not serve meat for lunch on Fridays, I suppose, to keep those little catholic children from sinning! Only the wealthier kids could go to Catholic school and I believe it only went to the sixth grade, or something like that.
 I was thinking about that and thought, I guess the school wasn't concerned with the Jewish kids. I surely didn't hear anything about food being Kosher. I mean I had heard that Jewish folks weren't supposed to eat certain meats, something having to do with the beasts having a cleft foot or something, no bacon for sure. But my point is solely that as far as I know the school wasn't worried about that. That lead me to think, Muslims weren't even thought of. I can honestly say I don't recall a single kid saying they were a Muslim and I didn't know there were restrictions on their diet. I expect every school in America today makes provisions for that. I wonder are they making provisions for Catholics and Jews as well? I don't know not having any small children in school. What about Vegans and others? I'm not sure what Michele Obama was trying to get the kids to eat for lunch but heard it wasn't vey well received. I guess that has changed by now.
 But as I was thinking about all it occurred to me I didn't know the religious beliefs of most of the other kids I went to school with. I guess I wasn't interested in that , figuring that is there business. Yes, it was predominately Christians, but different flavors. I went to the Episcopal church and was familiar with that doctrine. All the others I only heard rumors about. You had those " shouting Methodists " known for their loud singing and preaching. The Baptists were a rowdy bunch as well, and in my hometown predominately African-Americans, which I thought all Baptists must be, The Catholics were full of ceremony and saints and Holy days. You could wind up in hell faster being a Catholic than any other branch. Then I remembered those Jehovah's witnesses coming to town and building a temple! Didn't know a thing about them other than they liked to knock on people's doors and give out a pamphlet called the Watchtower. I knew a few Jewish people and they seemed just like everyone else to me, except they didn't go to Church on Sunday, they went Friday night, at least that is what I was told. So I figured they did there sinning on Saturday night instead. Well, the point is, I don't remember ever being concerned with anyone's religious beliefs. I don't believe it was of any big importance to anyone else either. And I wonder, how did we get to this point? Seems like a lot of folks want to insist you follow their religious practices along with your own! Why they are offended if you don't. I was never offended by any other religious practice or belief. If you didn't want to eat meat, that was alright with me. If you went to church or a Synagogue or a Temple. it didn't matter to me.
 Now I understand a great deal of that was simply because the Christians are in the majority. That's why we had certain rules, customs, and sensibilities. Yes we had Christmas celebrating the birth of Christ, Easter celebrating his resurrection, the school didn't serve meat on Fridays and stuff like that. It was because the majority of the legislators were Christians, white and men. Yup, that was the reason for that. A great deal of that has changed over the years and it's a good thing, no doubt about that. We do have a more balanced representation of society in general. Although I would have to say the general push today is the imposition of the minority to become the majority! The pendulum has swung a little too far left for me. What I'm saying is the minority now believing they should be the majority! They are not seeking equality anymore, they want to rule because they are a minority. Something I have noticed and pointed out a few times is, " Everyone wants equality until they are treated equally " that's when the exceptions, the special cases, and excuses come out. The word " but " enters the conversation right about there.
 I have seen a lot of changes in my lifetime so far. I have always been one to observe and comment. A lot of people would have preferred I just watched and kept my mouth shut but that's another blog. I have observed people change their attitudes, change their outlook. In general I'd say the world is a more fearful place than it used to be. People are far less friendly, less trusting. I'm not saying it isn't justified, in many cases it is not only justified, but prudent. It just seems odd to me. Back in the day when we paid little attention to others religious beliefs and practices we all got along just fine; for the most part. Today with our heightened sense of religious affiliation and beliefs we are far less accepting. There is a greater amount of friction. Why should that be so? Maybe the minority ruling over a majority isn't such a good thing. Just sayin'. Of course I realize I fit into that majority demographic, at least for now, but that it is changing. I'm not saying it shouldn't either. Still I risk being called a racist, among other things for pointing any of this out. I do see a great number of the " majority " kow towing to the minorities in an effort to garner more votes. That's nothing new though, that's been going on for centuries, not just here in America today, but in Ancient Rome as well. Those in power only interested in staying in power, just give the population whatever they want. Don't be concerned with cost or practicality. Heck even allow some of those " constituents " to gain office if that's what it takes. And the world keeps on spinning and so too the politicians.        

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