BIRTHDAY!!!

 Today, I would like to thank everyone that participated in my birthday celebrations. I would like to just show a few pictures of what it was.

At Carrabbas. DELICIOUS FOOD!

This is how happy I felt to be there

Look at all the food shrapnel on the table. YUM!

Here is my majestic steak at birthday dinner: Part 2 - Texas Roadhouse

Anna and buck were really happy to be celebrating my birthday with me.

So this weekend was my birthday. And I just wanted to thank everyone who came and who helped make me feel so loved. I know other people have already blogged on this, but I wanted to add my two cents.

So thank you, everyone. Dinner at both restaurants, and the small gathering in Logan (courtesy of Shano) were wonderful.

Hitler ruined it for everyone didn't he?

So. Today, I would like to assert an idea which I have, at long last, adopted. An idea that may be considered elitist. Or maybe even reactionary. But once again, I make the point: if you don't like it, read someone else's blog. Although you would be missing out.

I used to be of the belief that every person is entitled to their opinion, and that therefore, most opinions should be respected. I have since corrected my ways, and I unabashedly and unapologetically declare the following:

Some people's opinions are unresearched, unfounded, reactionary and, in short, completely retarded.

I will not try to declare that stupid and/or uninformed people do not have opinions; unfortunately, they do. However, I assert my right, as an "intellectually superior" being, not only to ignore their opinions, but to demand their silence on certain issues.

Isn't in incredible that we can expect foreigners to speak perfect english with no accent and have a functional knowledge of US history and the Constitution, while some of the more prominent faces in our society have proved their ignorance, stupidity, and downright unabashed bigotry by mis-quoting the documents upon which our society is founded?

Freedom certainly breeds many kinds of people. And so I ask you, idiot collective of America, to unite in silence.

I'd say forced sterilization is the obvious solution, but Hitler ruined it for everyone didn't he?

Thank you for your time.

So what really is moral courage?

So.... I recently watched/read about a finding that apparently has shaken the foundations of Christianity. The Gospel of Judas. The "truth", according to this hidden and controversial document, about one of the most deplorable men in history. Judas Iscariot. His name evokes images such as these:

But if this document is what it claims to be, then the betrayer whose name itself has been used to describe the morally debase throughout the centuries, was actually one of the most morally upright, humble people to ever walk this earth. The man whom the Lord could trust above all others to perform one of the most debase acts in all of religious history, who was willing to suffer the ultimate shame so that the Atonement of Christ could be carried out.

Now I am not debating whether or not this is true, but it makes me wonder; which is more admirable? The man who outwardly lives his standards, praised by men because he cannot be thought of anything other than admirable and good? or the man, who, knowing his strength, is willing to suffer villainization for a greater cause?
I would argue the latter. And while I wish I were strong enough to join their under appreciated, misunderstood, and courageous ranks, I thank the higher powers in which I believe that I am not nor ever will be noble enough to suffer such a fate.


You'd be surprised to see who they are, when you look around you.

DISCLAIMER

So it seems I've offended some people with that last post.

My honest first reaction is "get over it".

And then I realized that I should just explain. That was not written in reaction to or because of specific people. My interaction with some people made me wonder about certain things, and that post was mostly about GOD rather than anyone esle. Yes, recent events helped all my thoughts come to the point where I kind of had to spew them out, but I was not even mildly enraged or worried or upset when I wrote that. I was just thinking.

So much gets lost in semantics over the internet.

So if you think it was about you, it wasn't. It was about friendships in general. It was just me wondering. And trying to reconcile my idea of perfect love with what people tell me it is.

-L

Friend is a four letter word?

Isn't it funny that criticism coming from the people we love the most is supposed to be a sign of their love?

I mean, if a random stranger on the street came up and told you something negative about your personality, how would you react? Probably initially, shock and/or confusion. And then maybe humor. And after that, you'd forget all about it. What about if your enemy did so? You'd probably find a reason to slander that person, villanizing them to justify yourself in disbelieving what they had just told you.

But what about when it comes from people you love? Supposedly that's supposed to mean that they love you enough to correct you. That they care enough to want to see you change. And I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Isn't the fact that they love you supposed to mean that their care and affection is unconditional? Then why is it supposed to be flattering or a sign of trust? Isn't it just an evidence that they don't love you unconditionally - that they would love you more if you could just change this one little teensy thing about yourself?

Just something to think about.

Goodbye Leah, epic mormon

SO.

At my job, after we are done chatting with someone, we have to mark what kind of a chat it was. There are many options, such as "just looking for information", "willing to learn about the church", "member of the church", or "willing to keep commitments". Of all the types of chats we get, marking one as a 7 is the most depressing. 7s are "obnoxious, crude, or inappropriate".

Now there are some websites out there that for some reason just love to terrorize the internet.... nonviolent cyberterrorism, if you will. And usually, as soon as they would ask one of the classic questions ("did joseph smith receive revelation from a tophat? how do magnets work? Jesus had 2 dads and he turned out ok... why are you so anti?), we would mark it as a 7 and end the chat. Well, this past week, a new policy was instated....

be nice to the tools.

Or Dufuses. Dufi? Spazes. Whatever you want to call them. The TROLLS. (that's what they're called for realz.)

Well, sometimes they still just say crude things and act dumb. But sometimes, in the jewels of chats that encrust my usually mundane mornings, I actually have a legitimate conversation with these people. Their real issues with religion come out - whether it's evolution, the creation, gay marriage, or not believing in God. And it is so fulfilling to have a real conversation. Not because I got to stuff my beliefs down their throats or anything, because I'm thoroughly anti-that, but because we get to actually discuss things that are actually bothering them.

Well, on friday, I had one such conversation.

And his name was Alfred. And he started out by pranking. And we actually ended up having a good conversation about the nature of God and why bad things happen in the world.

This is how the conversation ended:

alfred: srsly:

alfred: you are the best mormon i ever met

Me: well thanks

Me: I certainly try

alfred: i came with pranking purposes

alfred: and leave confused

alfred: good troll. you deserve a medal.

Me: well, alfred, i have to go now, but if you would like to continue talking to someone I can transfer you

Me: hey thanks

alfred: bye then.

Me: bye!

Me: come back now ya hear?

alfred: k ill do so :)

Me: have a good day alfred, former troller

alfred: you too leah, epic mormon

Me: thanks

 

This is why things are fulfilling. Being able to take someone who ridiculed you and help them kind of see your perspective. Or just being able to see from their perspective.