I don't often write about personal things here, but this has been bugging me to no end, and I really don't know how to handle it anymore.
I have a good friend who, within the past month has told me the following things:
1) Families don't matter, mothers and fathers don't matter, marriage doesn't matter, none of these things matter to the raising of children, after all, marriages are a source of misery for most people anyway, so what does it matter - it's just a moralistic sham (this despite the fact that he is from an intact family with parents who stayed married 50 years and produced three wonderful children who do many things to help others) ...
2) People, in general, need to be told what to eat, how to raise their children, and how to handle various aspects of their lives because "most people are stupid" - most people are incapable of handling their lives, so government intervention in these matters is a good thing ...
3) It would be a good thing is an Electro-Magnetic Pulse was set off that decimated all technology because technology is evil, it only adds more evil to the world, makes our lives more miserable, does not help us at all ultimately - the person who would set off such a EMP attack would be "a saint", "a mystic", "a beautiful Buddhist" ...
4) He (my friend who is a middle aged man) had no idea that the Jewish Sabbath was on Saturday - he thought it was on Sunday - and when I expressed surprise that he didn't know this because he is in daily contact with far more Jewish people than I am, he replied, "yeah, but none of my Jewish friends are religious, thank God" ...
5) He told me Christianity is a Pacifist religion - Jesus was a Pacifist - the incident in the Temple when Jesus used violence to drive out the money changers was just an example of him having a bad day ("Jesus was human, after all"), and that Christians don't live up to the wonderful example of Jesus - I noted to my friend that he doesn't even like Christianity, and I asked him why he should be able to define a religion he doesn't like, he responded, "I don't like ANY religion, it's not just Christianity, I HATE ALL RELIGIONS" ...
These are only some of the subjects my friend has extemporaneously held court on of late. The sheer volume of his strongly held opinions is mind-numbing. Taking notes on our conversations would be impossible. Such "blasphemous" opinions fly out of this guy with a force rivaling the Big Bang at the origin of the Universe.
In fact, that has always been one of the things I liked about him. I always liked that the guy was opinionated, and that he was willing to explore any topic from almost any angle.
I am not sure why it is I feel at my wit's end with my friend after so many years of friendship.
When I think about it, I believe it is topics #2 and #3 above which really got me. I am coming to realize that my friend is so caught up in the current political momentum of our world that he has become a Fascist - or at least, with regard to topic #2, he has become a person who believes that Fascism would be the correct policy under the current Administration.
As for Topic #3, such an EMP attack would be tantamount to Genocide. Tens of millions of people would die as the result of exposure to the elements, losing medical services, etc.
I did not bother to point this out to my friend, because frankly, I was afraid to hear the response. I truly believe he would tell me it would be a good thing, because the world is overpopulated anyway, and we've got to get back to what he believes would be a more natural life.
Meanwhile, he works in the entertainment industry, the primary source of the unnatural life, the fount of the artificial and of our burgeoning virtual world.
I am actually excited by change, and I love the prospect of the new avenues that are opening up for the expression of creativity and innovation that will be afforded to us by the virtual world. I certainly do not curse technology, and I don't think people are sheep who need to be herded by the government. I love my family and I love the fact that people get to choose whether to be religious or not, and those who do choose to be follow their God are often among the best people I meet.
I sometimes wonder what world my friend lives in. But I guess the answer is clear. He lives in the bitter and cynical world of the Hollywood Entertainment Industry. And, he has become a product of his environment.
I would swear he was not always like this. In fact, I know he wasn't.
Why do you maintain this friendship? I have had to release several similar "friends" with similar resumes and opinions. A waste of time and energy. I prefer to focus on those who may come to agree with us. Some are beyond hope. C
ReplyDeleteWOW.
ReplyDeleteNo offense but if this was someone other than a friend of yours, I'd say the guy is a bigot who's strong opinions are perfectly in line with what the world these days accepts as "enlightened". You know stuff like:
1) Family structure is old fashioned. Two fathers (or two mothers) instead of the normal family structure...and calling a household with a father and a mother normal? OH NO! Blasphemy!
2) Governments know whats good for you better than yourself.
3) Overpopulation and we're killing our mother earth. That's why murdering human babies before they're born is not bad because we humans are destroying the earth. But hey, let's go protect that little animal over there or that insect from extinction shall we?!
"And technology is evil". Oh where have I heard stuff like that before? Oh that's right..."Guns are evil...". Same BS. Same repeated old crap that the masses are fed every day.
4, 5) All religions are the same and they are evil. Let's only rail against Christianity and Judaism though because Buddhism is oh so beautiful and Islam is a religion of peace...
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Again I don't mean any offense by this Pasto but your friend sounds like every actor, every politician, every liberal/hippie and every Muslim that I am sick and tired of.
Nicoenarg
And to Anon's point above. I too used to have friends that were so stupid that I just couldn't stand to be around them anymore. Breaking those friendships off was probably the best thing I did because there was no intellect found there and no hope for any enlightenment on their part.
ReplyDeleteI am frankly too tired to keep fighting for idiots to change anyway. I recently broke off friendship with an Arab Christian who wished Israelis would all die because they stole his land (he lives in America, BTW).
I'm not that old but I have already come to the conclusion that some people are just too stupid to ever see the truth.
There was a reason Jesus "fashioned a whip" at the temple, instead of standing there and having a discussion...no he wasn't having a bad day...he just knew those people only understand force.
Nicoenarg
We are able to remain friendly with most of our congregation (most of whom are either in social services, medicine or work at the state U) because when we state facts, they actually shut up. But really while it would appall them to so self identify, they are LIBERTARIAN HIPPIES, who could never admit it to themselves.
ReplyDeleteWhich is why 2 and 3 would jam them into open revolt.
As far as family structure .. what society has ever been beneficial to itself WITHOUT IT?
Both my wife and I would be DEAD without technology (FOR YEARS), and EMP, btw would probably take out about 5-6 billion of the earth's people. The poorest, oldest, youngest and sickest ALL GOING FIRST, and who would be by FAR the most vulnerable and dependent.
Your friend is a maroon in need of facts.
Govt, by the way can only do one or 2 things batter than I can.
#1 - WAGE WAR
I build a better road. With my neighbors (the most effective govt).
Pasto,
ReplyDeleteI am not sure why it is I feel at my wit's end with my friend after so many years of friendship.
I know why.
Because he has undergone such change (COUGH) that you know longer are speaking to the same person you once knew.
I no longer take my valuable time to associate w/ friends and family members who ascribe to the tenants that you describe your friend as having--
ReplyDeleteLife is too short --
and-where is John Gault :-)
Carol-CS
< strike>Family structure< /strike> Friendship is old fashioned. . .
ReplyDeleteI'm very depressed about this right now. I don't have any response.
ReplyDeletehe hasnt changed its just that the divisions that mark out our two nations inhabiting the same space have become much more marked and you are the one having the moment of clarity.
ReplyDeleteclarity concentrates the mind.
also he seems to be flirting with fascism of the government telling people what and how to live because they are "to stupid to do it alone" but I bet he would be all agahst if the "direction" the government was impossing on stupid people was something he was politically against and it effected him as one of the stupid people masses he was excedmpting him self from being lumped into.
ReplyDeleteP,
ReplyDeleteAre you sure it was not just an example of him having a bad day (he was human too, after all)?
Rumcrook,
ReplyDeletehe hasnt changed its just that the divisions that mark out our two nations inhabiting the same space have become much more marked
That's also part of what's going on.
It's like these people are now on political steroids.
Emboldened?
Empowered?
Pasto,
ReplyDeletehe was willing to explore any topic from almost any angle
Maybe that was an illusion? Or maybe now that the Left is in control, there is no longer any need for your friend to explore the topics. He sees the light as far as he's concerned.
IMO, your friend is not unique. Many people are like him now.
Hi Abdoos,
ReplyDeleteThese conversations occurred over about a month in time. So it wasn't just a bad day.
I think rumcrook has nailed it.
ReplyDeleteI think he was like this all the time, but his side has gotten stronger, and more vocal, because of the prevailing winds, and I notice it more, because it's more of a threat.
Ask him how he feels about his beliefs being a threat to your way of life.
ReplyDeleteIf he is comfortable with this, HE is not YOUR friend.
Epa,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree.
That might be a good idea, Epa.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about just showing him this post.
You'll note that, in this post I tell you two things,
1) his parents stayed together for fifty years (his mother died) and they produced great children who do a lot to help others - that includes my friend, he is generally a kind and helpful person
and
2) I have always enjoyed our friendship because he is willing to blaspheme anything and everything as part of the creative process - I generally do not get along with traditionalists because I find them narrow-minded and hypocritical, often trying to shut down exploration and using "traditionalist" beliefs as an excuse, when I don't think they are, because I think Traditional Americanism is Free Will prevails over everything. (And by the way, I believe that of the Judeo-Christian paradigm as well.)
My point is, he's not a bad guy, or has not been, but his ideas are, imo, moving in the direction of fascism.
ReplyDeleteI watched a documentary about jews who hid themselves in plain sight during ww2 by pretending to be "aryan" one even fought with the SS and said his commrades were all good guys who would lay down their lives for each other. no closer bond of brotherhood,
ReplyDeletehe noted how ever that if they knew he was really a jew they would have shot him in a second.
leading up to ww2 their was a huge growing trend towards fascism here in the states as the solution to all ills