Hello dear reader.
Today has been an interesting day, to say the least. I saw Dr. K. He said my MRI was “as normal as it gets for me.” Everything is “stable.” This is good news, and not so good news. It’s good because it means I don’t have to undergo another surgery, always a good thing, right? The not so good part is now we have to find out why my symptoms are returning. With surgery there would be a definite end in sight. That’s not the case now.
I remember at one point, when things were really bad with the pain (several years ago), I asked Dr. K. if this disease (Chiari) would kill me. He told me “not anytime soon.” I cried for days because that meant there was no end in sight to the pain, the weakness, and the feeling of being useless and a burden. I can endure anything as long as I know it will be over at some point. The hardest part of this is not knowing if that’s the case. So often it feels like it will never end.
Enough about that…
I’ve been very involved in some research recently which will probably raise a few eyebrows. I’m studying the Koran. I’m marking the similarities between it and the Bible. I intend to write a pretty extensive piece on how much the two religions have in common. I’ve found many things that are different, but have been amazed at how many stories parallel each other. I think it’s going to be a really good article. My hope is to reduce some of the prejudice toward Muslims by showing the things we have in common. Every religion has extremists who do horrible things in the name of God, but those are the exceptions, rather than the rule. I think it is a horrible shame that those people are seen as the norm, as representatives of that particular religion. For example, Pastor Terry Jones of the Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida decided the “Christian” way to World Outreach was to burn Korans. Then we have Pastor Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church who spreads God’s love by encouraging violence against law enforcement officers and especially gays and lesbians. People like that give Christianity a bad name, just as the Boston Bombers and 911, among others, give Muslim a bad name.
Since I’m on a roll with controversial subjects tonight, I would love for someone to explain to me how same-sex marriage will “destroy the sanctity of marriage.” I am a heterosexual who is getting married next month. No matter how many same-sex marriages happen, the sanctity of my marriage will not change.
I simply cannot abide all of the prejudice and judgement I see every time I turn on the news. I’m very sad to say that a large part of it comes from so-called “Christians.” The meaning of the word “Christian” is Christ-like. I’ve studied the Bible my entire life. Christ’s life was about compassion, love, acceptance, healing, forgiveness, etc. There is no place in the Bible where He condoned violence or hatred.
What I write here is strictly my opinion. You are certainly entitled to have a differing opinion. As a matter of fact, I would love to discuss these differences with you in a respectful and civil manner.
I have no idea why my writing went this way today, but it just goes to show that you never know what’s going to come out of my head. I’ll try my best to focus on something much more positive next time.
Until then…