A Contradiction in Terms

I've been doing a lot of pondering today, and I think that's what I am. Just one big walking contradiction. In the recent past, I've been furious over my church's involvement in Proposition 8 in California; but equally outraged that many Prop 8 opponents have opted to harass temple workers with pointless white powder mailings and occasional physical violence (most temple workers are retired senior citizens, by the way); not to mention vandalism rather than through the appropriate (and, on my part, encouraged) peaceful protesting. (Yes, there has been that too, and I'm heavily in favor of it. But to me, vandalism and bullying are junior high behaviors no matter how frustrating the situation is-and I agree that it IS frustrating.) Because I still feel that Proposition 8 violates the "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" part of the Constitution, I will continue to oppose it. But seeing pictures of spray-painted temples and hearing stories about protesters being physically rough with the senior citizens who work in them have certainly given me much pause to re-think my stance in the last several weeks.

In a related scenario, I am furious at Focus on the Families decision to cave to the pressure of moronic Christian fundamentalist groups and yank a rather inspiring interview with Glenn Beck off of their website. My husband finds my indignation funny because he knows darn well that I'm not a fan of Glenn Beck, dislike Fox News, and will probably never read The Christmas Sweater. But I'm still angry. I find it funny how Focus on the Family wasn't above pooling their resources with the Latter Day Saints (which, according to the protesters, was quite a bit of money and a huge pool of volunteer workers) in order to get Prop 8 passed. But, when it comes to being treated as equals in the Christian community? Not so much. I also think it's worth noting here that it was the Catholic church who was first to rush to our defense in the state of California. Why? Because Catholics have many more centuries thean Latter-Day Saints under their belts when it comes to having their beliefs distorted and their faith mocked by mainstream Christianity. And while, again, I completely disagree with their reasons AND their coalition, I do thank the California Catholic community for having our backs-and I'm not at all surprised they were the first to rush to our defense. I know many amazing people of that religious persuasion and learned a great respect for that religion while serving a mission for my church in Italy. Which is probably not what my church intended when they sent me to Italy as a missionary, but again, I am just one big walking contradiction.

There are many other contradictions I could write about at length, but I'll spare you (for this entry anyway) the details and summarize them like this:

• I'm pro-choice, but I could never have an abortion (granted as a 36 year-old who is married with health insurance and high school and college behind me-it's an easy call for me to make)
• I don't support organized prayer in school, but I hold an organized prayer with my children every morning before we leave the driveway
• I oppose the death penalty, but I believe in the Book of Mormon which endorses it
• I abstain from drugs and alcohol as per my religious beliefs, but I love being with my very Irish family and laugh at their liquored-up antics.
• In fact, I love my fairly pagan family and friends and all of their so-called imperfections. I love being with them and I know (in ways that I will never know from acquaintances at church) that they love me unconditionally as well.

OK, there was no real contradiction in that last one and I'm running out of steam, so it's time to end this. And what better way to end it than with The West Wing quote that inspired it in the first place:

Josh Lyman: In the mean time, remember pluralism. You want to get these people? I mean, you really want to reach in and kill them where they live? Keep accepting more than one idea. Makes them absolutely crazy.

-taken from "Isaac and Ishmael," their Season 3 premiere filmed in just two weeks as a response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It was good advice in 2001 and I pray it continues to be so in 2009.