Reading an entry of by a friend of mine has prompted me to write this. You see, I'm a religious person, and I thoroughly enjoy the big picture of what my beliefs offer. I happen to subscribe to the Mormon way of thinking, in case you didn't know (officially The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints--so I don't ruffle any of my Mormon friend's feathers). Whereas I am not married, I attend a congregation that is made exclusively of other single members like myself. I like the idea of this, as it offers the large number of us in our geographical region to have a network of others who become a second family or support net for most of us who are far from home and out on our own. Ultimately, (I think) the grand-scheme of it is to put singles in their twenties with pent-up sexual tension and anxieties together so that they'll be in closer proximity to other Mormons who are feeling these same feelings. They'll date, fall in love, marry (hopefully in that order), and make lots of Mormon babies. Now, Mormon friends, don't get angry, you know that's what "they" want. So, that being said, I have been in my current ward for a little more than two years, and I quite enjoy it for the most part. There have been ups and downs, but I have met some of the most interesting and enjoyable people during these past two years in the Langley ward. I happen to find myself in the previously mentioned pattern of dating, falling in love, and...well, you know the rest, and it comes as a result of being in said ward.
So, I don't really have a beef with the ward itself, but rather how we're being treated. As I mentioned in my previous post, we just got booted from our old building (which, incidentally is a bit of a deal, as it now takes 20 minutes to get to church rather than the previous location, which was seven), which was centrally located in the ward boundaries, was within walking distance from public transportation for those of us who don't drive (that was me a year ago), and now we are forced to meet at 2:30 because of "limited" parking spaces--never mind that there's a whole block of street parking on the very quite street. And, the ward's schedule will remain that way indefinitely because no one will complain to anyone who could change it. Before we were constantly at the later, 1-4 pm time slot. The logic is that the "family" wards have small children, and the early schedule works better for them. Last I checked, I was a small child in a "family" ward once, and we rotated every year, like every other congregation in the world. My parents dealt with it. So should the McLean Virginia stake!!
This is merely an illustration of an over-reaching mistreatment of singles in the church I feel. Maybe mistreatment is a harsh word, but I don't know what else to call it. You see, we're active, we contribute a lot to the church, we have the highest temple attendance in the stake, we volunteer time in our stake's family history center and at stake service projects, and we get shafted in return. All this because we haven't gotten married. Last I checked, we were all God's children, and equal in his eyes--regardless of marital status or fertility (heaven knows Sherry Dew harped on this a lot).
I refuse to see myself merely as a half of a future Mr. and Mrs. Darin. And, no accomplishment that I have made, or those of my many single friends, is of less worth because I , or they, are not married. I've worked hard for the life that I have, I've struggled, and have worried about a lot of things over the years. I have had many opportunities that I feel will help me be a better husband and father for them one day. Had I been married, I very well may not have had these experiences.
I don't want to belittle the lives of those people my age who went on a mission, came home and married a few months later and now continue to live in my home town (okay, maybe a little). It's not easy to raise a family, but to assume that I am not as mature as someone who is in this boat simply because I am single is preposterous.
I don't know entirely where I meant to go with this post, but just to get some of my sentiments out of me. I am not disgruntled with anyone who happens to be married. In fact, I'm quite gruntled with the prospect of being married and having a family, but I think some people need to take a look at what we singles are capable of and not treat us any differently because we don't have a husband or wife.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Monday, August 4, 2008
Today's List of Things That Must Go
It's been a few weeks since I have posted an enumerated weekly list of complaints, so here it goes:
1). Butt Parkers--Why do some people insist on backing their cars into parking spots? It irritates me to no end. I'm guessing that there is some theory of a quick escape if necessary. But when I see it in my parking garage at work(or at the grocery store), I know that it's less than likely that these folks are going to pull off a bank heist, and will need a quick escape. Besides that, in witnessing people backing their cars into a parking stall, it's apparent that it takes much more time ease your way slowly into the spot than to drive in forward and then back out fairly quickly when you leave. This must go (not always, but the people who insist on it every time they park must).
2).Cathy Mitchell--Well, not her in particular; she seems like a lovely lady, but the infomercial line "Who has the time?" must go. You see, I'll admit that I enjoy the occasional infomercial, and I have seen Cathy on quite a few of them. In fact, her latest endorsed item, the GT Express 101, is one that I personally find quite intriguing. What gets me though, is that while expounding on the great time saving benefits that the little machine offers, she says over and over "who has the time?" (to sit and wait for cinnamon buns to bake, or a chicken breast to cook, or what have you). Cathy, obviously someone who has nothing better to do than to spend 30 minutes watching you peddle a glorified George Foreman grill HAS THE TIME!!
3). 2:30 p.m. church--This is insane, we were informed yesterday, over the pulpit, that our congregation will be moved to a different meeting house about 1.5 miles away, which doesn't bother me much, but now we will begin at 2:30. Having a 3-hour church set means that we won't get out of our blasted meetings until 5:30. Come Sunday night football, I may have to start leaving a little early to make it home for some games. Ridiculous I say. I don't really think that it's fair that because we're the singles ward, we get stuck with the worst schedule possible--indefinitely at that.
4). John McCain--He must go. I'm sure I'll dedicate an entire post to my reasoning of why he's now a miserable human being, and is better suited to be the grumpy old man, sitting in a lawn chair, hand-watering his lawn while yelling at the "damn neighbor kids" for running over his hose with their bicycles rather than being the leader of the free world. But for now, suffice it to say that he must go. He complains that Barack Obama is "just talk," but he's not even that. Though Obama hasn't been entrenched in Washington the requisite amount of time to have the "experience" that the old codger has, at least he offers ideas. McCain doesn't even offer that, he offers bile, anger, a yellowed, slimy smile and a guarantee of four more years of the same failed policies that we're currently living with. So that grumpy old man must go.
5). People who try to make their testimony in Sacrament Meeting a stand up routine-- a joke or two is fine if that's your style, or if it puts you at ease to speak in front of a crowd, but seriously, when you go off on complete non-sequitur for the sheer purpose of a laugh--that ends up not being too hearty of a laugh at that--is not acceptable. 'Nuf said.
There are so many things that I think of, but never write them down. I'll try to keep better track of my annoyances as they come.
1). Butt Parkers--Why do some people insist on backing their cars into parking spots? It irritates me to no end. I'm guessing that there is some theory of a quick escape if necessary. But when I see it in my parking garage at work(or at the grocery store), I know that it's less than likely that these folks are going to pull off a bank heist, and will need a quick escape. Besides that, in witnessing people backing their cars into a parking stall, it's apparent that it takes much more time ease your way slowly into the spot than to drive in forward and then back out fairly quickly when you leave. This must go (not always, but the people who insist on it every time they park must).
2).Cathy Mitchell--Well, not her in particular; she seems like a lovely lady, but the infomercial line "Who has the time?" must go. You see, I'll admit that I enjoy the occasional infomercial, and I have seen Cathy on quite a few of them. In fact, her latest endorsed item, the GT Express 101, is one that I personally find quite intriguing. What gets me though, is that while expounding on the great time saving benefits that the little machine offers, she says over and over "who has the time?" (to sit and wait for cinnamon buns to bake, or a chicken breast to cook, or what have you). Cathy, obviously someone who has nothing better to do than to spend 30 minutes watching you peddle a glorified George Foreman grill HAS THE TIME!!
3). 2:30 p.m. church--This is insane, we were informed yesterday, over the pulpit, that our congregation will be moved to a different meeting house about 1.5 miles away, which doesn't bother me much, but now we will begin at 2:30. Having a 3-hour church set means that we won't get out of our blasted meetings until 5:30. Come Sunday night football, I may have to start leaving a little early to make it home for some games. Ridiculous I say. I don't really think that it's fair that because we're the singles ward, we get stuck with the worst schedule possible--indefinitely at that.
4). John McCain--He must go. I'm sure I'll dedicate an entire post to my reasoning of why he's now a miserable human being, and is better suited to be the grumpy old man, sitting in a lawn chair, hand-watering his lawn while yelling at the "damn neighbor kids" for running over his hose with their bicycles rather than being the leader of the free world. But for now, suffice it to say that he must go. He complains that Barack Obama is "just talk," but he's not even that. Though Obama hasn't been entrenched in Washington the requisite amount of time to have the "experience" that the old codger has, at least he offers ideas. McCain doesn't even offer that, he offers bile, anger, a yellowed, slimy smile and a guarantee of four more years of the same failed policies that we're currently living with. So that grumpy old man must go.
5). People who try to make their testimony in Sacrament Meeting a stand up routine-- a joke or two is fine if that's your style, or if it puts you at ease to speak in front of a crowd, but seriously, when you go off on complete non-sequitur for the sheer purpose of a laugh--that ends up not being too hearty of a laugh at that--is not acceptable. 'Nuf said.
There are so many things that I think of, but never write them down. I'll try to keep better track of my annoyances as they come.
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