If you're looking for rainbows and bubbles, this is not the place.

[bloodsong1]

All I've got right now is about a foot of snow heaped on my lawn, mostly clear roads to drive on and the sad, exhausting realization that SLB's mother is the kind of Christian that makes me want to bang my head against a brick wall, as that would actually accomplish something.

I cleared most of the table and did dishes instead. Go me.

On the nature of hypocrisy, which is "more hypocritical"? Thinking and believing one view on society but not saying anything because you know it could end with a punch in the nose, or saying exactly what you think and believe, thus risking said punch in the nose?

Yay for pageofswords! He's a very good friend and brings sensible viewpoints and logic.

This isn't helping much, really. But it's giving me something else to think about.

Comments

[chezelliott.livejournal.com]

In my opinion, keeping in mind that being pagan means respecting that the beliefs of others are as valid to them as ours are to us, I vote for keeping quiet. Speaking up is not going to change her mind and will only add to your stress. When it's me facing this, I grit my teeth and remind myself that everyone's religious experience is valid to them, and that I have no right to discount that experience. I then remind myself that personal interpretation of religious experience is likely to be flawed, even severely so, and I walk away.
Some people are jerks in the name of religion, and calling them on it doesn't change them. Grit your teeth and change the subject. Something blatantly obvious like "Did I tell you what the cat did yesterday?!" with an appropriately fake-enthusiastic tone of voice. Repeat as necessary to change the subject. That's the approach I take with my brother when he starts arguing that Kwanzaa is a fake holiday.

[bloodsong1.livejournal.com]

Using religion to advocate strip mining and fracking and destroying Alaska for the sake of oil is, I feel, not so much a religious experience as it is abusing the Bible. But you're right. Gritting teeth and bailing to do a helpful chore or screaming for a subject change (only way to be heard in that house!) is the Enlightened action.

[page-of-swords.livejournal.com]

I will mention that the oil drilling in Alaska is done under tight environmental controls.

I did forget to mention after coming back from B&A I am going to get a sign that says "Don't argue when it's not going to accomplish anything?"

[sheherazahde.livejournal.com]

Keeping quiet is not hypocrisy, unless you usually advocate for not keeping quiet.
Keeping quiet is called discretion.

The freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation, or the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.

Discretion is the better part of valor. There is no virtue in getting into a fight when you know there is no possibility of a positive outcome.

[bloodsong1.livejournal.com]

Zhade the Walking Dictionary to the rescue! (^_^)

I looked up hypocrisy and while I was right in the correct definition, I was using the word incorrectly. Neither one of them were being hypocritical. My problem is that the views both SLB and his mother vouch for I oppose vehemently. So now I will have to learn to accept the fact that I am in love with someone who's more conservative then I realized and his family's previous generation are Christian Conservatives, much like MY mother and, if I'm honest, much like Mama A. My MO will be to not speak of religion or politics while in earshot and flee the room if necessary.

[chezelliott.livejournal.com]

My brother is a very, very conservative right-wing gun nut. I used to argue politics and whatnot with him for years, until my mother finally told me (me, not him) that listening to us argue upset her very much. Now, whenever he starts, I actively change the subject in a flagrantly passive-aggressive manor. I throw out complete non-sequiturs. I have a brain full of bizarre facts to change the conversation to something non-confrontational. Believe me, there is nothing like tossing out a "Did you know that octopi have four penises?!" in a fake smile voice to stop those confrontational conversations.
BTW, I have no idea how many, if any, penises an octopus has.

[bloodsong1.livejournal.com]

A good idea, but SLB informs me that trying to change the subject will be like trying to stop the tide and could, in fact, prove detrimental to my relationship, such as it is, with his mother. Well, Italians appreciate dishwashers.

[chezelliott.livejournal.com]

Yup, in that case, just withdraw from the battlefield. You can't win the fight and you can't change the subject, so just walk away and refuse to engage. It's the only thing you can do.
And here are some cute baby otters to make you feel better. Because, well, otters!