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superbadgirl
Had an "interesting" conversation with my mom today.
I should have expected it, as my brother had mentioned to me earlier this week that my parents had been getting lots of literature from a pro-life (anti-abortion) organization called "Priests for Life". As my brother put it, my parents were given "marching orders" to denounce all local/state Democrats as well as media outlets (except one - guess which) because they're all only attacking Trump because of his values and they all want to kill the babies.
Honestly. I don't have any issues with someone not approving of abortion, really, except the above rhetoric is so totally off base and false it makes it difficult to not lump them all in a crazy pile. Trump. Values. Oooookay.
Anyway, so at the very end of the phone call with my mom she asks me if I ever go to church an when I say no she wants to know why. Now, I have to tread carefully here, because I love my parents but disagree quite drastically with nearly every tenet of their religion. Oh, sure, I don't dispute that the Catholic church does a lot of good, but I find things like their stance on reproductive rights, their exclusion of women and their unabashedly intolerant views on gays to be dealbreakers for me. Discussing this with my 77 year old parents, lifelong and devout (ever since the, y'know, pre-marriage conception of my sister, cough) Catholics isn't going to end well. They won't change and the end result will be even more prayers tossed up for my "lost" soul. Don't get me wrong, I won't turn away prayers. Really, though, there aren't any opportunities for teachable moments with my parents at this point.
As if that awkward moment wasn't enough, my mom then mentions how a certain organization was handing out buttons about "reclaiming" Christmas and she said how refreshing it was to see Christmas again. To which I said, "I wasn't aware it had been missing." Cue the talk about "all the happy holidays instead of merry christmas" and I foolishly forgot about the no teachable moments and basically told my mom that I had never once ever heard anyone being told they couldn't say Merry Christmas and if people chose to be a bit more inclusive in their message - considering there are at least three other major holidays this time of the year (if we count the, gasp, pagans) - then I didn't see why people ever got their undies in a wad over it. Inclusivity should be a good thing, shouldn't it? My mom just let out a disgruntled, "Hmmm."
Yeah. So. That is why I keep the topics very surface and very light with my parents.
I'm still a bit stumped by the "values" and "Trump" connection. If that's what the Catholic Church is saying (outside of, y'know, the Pope, who seems to actually not be all that down with Trump's version of values, but who cares what the leader of the church says??), then it really isn't something I want anything to do with.
That kind of soured my day a little bit, and also made me regret quashing my inclination to buy the Kwanzaa stamps for my Christmas cards this year...but if the post office ever does Festivus stamps, I am SO THERE.
no subject
Date: 2017-12-04 12:00 am (UTC)And definitely THIS:
"I'm still a bit stumped by the "values" and "Trump" connection."
My grandfather is the same.
I'm like looking at Trump, then looking at the people saying Trump is their Christian savior...then looking back at Trump... WTF. Seriously, people W.T.F. They are so brainwashed by Fox "News" and Trump. SO SO VERY BRAINWASHED.
I've long thought Trump to be the tulpa of Fox "News" viewers.
Anyhoo, end of rant.
*takes deep breath and drinks some more wine*
no subject
Date: 2017-12-04 12:35 am (UTC)I can't think too much about it because I don't want to think ill of my parents, but naive is the kindest word I can think of to describe them.
no subject
Date: 2017-12-04 12:53 am (UTC)