omg Jilli, that's a ton. You should take a break. Maybe make some brownies, or watch a movie.
glares sternly at omnis
Yes, you're absolutely correct. You are no help.
(And blessings to Liese -- I frequently think of the unknown-to-me-personally girl who was kicked out of DH's hardcore fundie high school and her family from their church for practicing freakin' witchcraft, when only her crime was being the only goth kid in a tiny town in New Hampshire.)
Oh, poor kidling! Yeah, this GCS is going to be a tricky one. I've got lots of info and advice for the gothling who's parents are concerned she's abandoning her faith because she's wearing black Victorian clothing and likes Nightmare Before Christmas. But the other letter is from a reader who went to Christian school for six years, and after leaving school started exploring other spiritual paths and has become a Satanist. (Which, fine. I know some very nice Satanists.) She wants advice on how to explain to her still-Christian friends that she doesn't intend to go back to their faith.
That
letter, that's the one that has me scratching my head. It's a great question, and I really want to address it. It's just going to be complex.
t movie tangent
Ooooh, Admiral Norrington! (What? I have a weakness for handsome, somewhat stern, British men. Look at who I married.)
t /movie tangent
I don't know why I think "very nice Satanists" is funny.
Given the numbers of scary Christians, I shouldn't be surprised, but still...
It's a great question, and I really want to address it. It's just going to be complex.
we are the land of the free, home of the brave, who, from a very early time, had religious tolerances for all faiths (in theory). While you don't have to believe what I do, you should respect that I believe in something other than your religion, just as I respect you and the religion you follow. A little Patrick Henry, mixed in with Rodney King "can we all get along".
I am done with motivation for a bit. You can have it.
Is flea in here or Natter more?
also?
FLUMP
Shir - did you like the tunes? Ah. just read Good Riddance. I should read more.
ETA duh
Jilli, I have some thoughts on that, if you want to hear them. Also, I'd be happy to read your answer before you post it.
So, I've been working all day on CBD's Valentine's Day gift. I'm making a Serenity pillow. So, today I attacked embroidering the Serenity logo. Here it is: [link] It's a little blurry because the flash and I weren't getting along, but what do you guys think? Does it look cool or dorky or good enough or what?
Jilli, I have some thoughts on that, if you want to hear them
I'd love to!
So, besides talking about how to tell them (and I'm guessing you have pretty good ideas about that...it's just like telling anyone anything difficult), I would prepare the person for it not going well. Actually, if it were me, I would probably lay out the different scenarios...it goes well or ok, it goes badly but there's hope for figuring it out down the road, and it goes badly and she is disowned. And there may be others, but those are just off the top of my head.
I suspect if she's asking for advice on how to tell them, she's betting it's not going to go well. But, as you know, and as I've learned, if they can't be accepting, they're not her friends...they're not worthy of her.
I don't know. That may not be helpful. That was just what popped into my head when reading your original post. There really probably isn't a good way to tell them other than just telling them, then accepting either their acceptance or nonacceptance. And that will be hard.
I would prepare the person for it not going well. Actually, if it were me, I would probably lay out the different scenarios...
nods
I had planned on talking about the fact that the discussion might go badly. I probably won't spell out the different scenarios in full detail, but I am going to at least mention them.
