The Point to Writing on Your Arm

This week being National Suicide Prevention Week, I've been looking up info on various suicide prevention organizations. While surfing Facebook, I came across a page calling To Write Love on Her Arms Day "gay."

Now, I have two problems with this: first, a Facebook page has no sexual orientation and second, the starter of the group sees the day (on which supporters of TWLOHA write the word "love" on their arms in order to raise awareness) as "pointless" and a way of getting attention in the same way that self-injurers who do not hide their scars do.

Yes, some who self-injure are seeking attention... usually because they don't know how else to ask for help. But no, not everyone who self-injures wants anyone to know. It's addicting and shameful; those who SI because they feel like they need to punish themselves or because they are too numb to feel anything but the physical pain are probably the ones hiding their scars. It's an addictive cycle and a serious problem.

Both years that I participated in TWLOHA Day, I've had peers ask me why I had love written on my arm and what it meant. I got to tell them about an organization who aim to find help for those struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicidal thoughts-- a group of people dedicated to giving hope to the hopeless. A teacher told me that after a relative's child completed suicide, they discovered that the sibling had been self-injuring. The teacher passed on TWLOHA's website and both the parents and their child have found hope.

If that's the kind of impact writing "love" on my arm for a day has, I don't see anything pointless about it.

Resources:
What You Can Do on World Suicide Prevention Day
Facts on Suicide, Self-Injury, Addiction, and Depression
Self Injury Factsheet

Remembering and Relevancy

First off, I apologize to anyone who read my last blog about clothing. Unfortunately, I ignored the purpose of this blog and posted a rant based off of things that various peers said to me without remembering that those choices were specific to those people and not relatively to everyone else who shares similarities. The fastest way to become an unreliable narrator is to show bias and I'm sorry for risking that.

On to a different topic, today's post involves forgetting the past; not in a happier hakuna matata sort of way, but a different one.

Many books for required reading are thought to be "boring" and some have been considered for replacement in order to make the reading seem more relatable.

As recent as 2009, J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, first published in 1951, has been on the ALA's list of most challenged books. Still, many are simply not reading it anymore, claiming that young Holden's older language and angst in hard to relate to for a modern teen.

A list on Amazon.com not only includes Catcher in the Rye, but The Scarlet Letter, about an adulteress in a Puritan society who is forced to wear a letter "A" to mark her sin and is ostracized despite her kindness, and To Kill a Mockingbird, which discusses racism and prejudice through a child's eyes. The list these books are on is titled "Classic Books that STUNK!"

Yes, these books were written long ago and the language used is different than our own. The wordiness can make one wary and the length can make one's eyes droop. However, to consider these books something that cannot be related to would suggest that people no longer experience teenage angst or see prejudice. Specific events and language may differ from today, but the emotions and ideas carry a similar theme.

Not only in books and music (one roommate gave a confused shrug at my Jimi Hendrix poster,) but in general, history is forgotten. Books, textbooks, and modern events tell us that history repeats itself. In 1989, many were shocked at the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill's effects. 21 years later, we watched the BP Oil Spill happen and take months of cleanup along with billions of dollars to attempt to fix everything and everyone touched by the spill.

Of course, mistakes will always be made and many more attempts will be made to stop them from happening. Sometimes they are preventable, but sometimes we just need to look at the hidden ideas along with the big picture and do the best we can to prepare for the future.

Resources:

Is Catcher in the Rye still relevant to teens?
Classic Books That STUNK!
Opinion piece on oil spills
NY Times article on BP Spill vs. Exxon Valdez

There is Always Someone

"Todo aquel que piense que esta solo y que esta mal, tiene que saber que no es asi, que en la vida no hay nadie solo, siempre hay alguien." -Celia Cruz, La Vida es un Carnaval

The lyrics from this song translate to something like, "Everyone who thinks that they're alone and that it's bad, has to know that's not so, that in life no one is alone, there is always someone."

Recently, an acquaintance of mine who is an older woman with her kids already grown, met a handsome man online. The man claimed to be in the military and requested a lot of personal information from her. Then, he told her he wanted to come home and asked her to fill out a form as his girlfriend. She willingly did so. As it turns out, the form was not real, leaving her with the possible risk for identity theft and other trouble. How could she not see it coming even when she became suspicious? The simple promise of having someone special again.

One of the reasons that people attempt suicide is because of the loneliness that's part of (or maybe the cause of) their depression. Often they feel that no one understands, no one will miss them, or no one even cares. Ellos tienen que saber que no es asi-- they need to know that is not so.

You are not alone. As Taylor said in her post "Please Don't Jump," you are loved. It may seem like you really have to stretch to find that person to relate to, but maybe they sit in the same classroom as you do or wander through the same workplace.

There are an estimated 6,859,114,834 people in the world. If you believe in a God, remember that he's there along with over six billion hearts that feel pain too. With all of those people, chances are pretty high that someone on earth cares. Even if their problems are not identical to yours, they still experience the same kind of feeling of pain. Someone out here is willing to listen to you. No matter what you believe in, siempre hay alguien-- there is always someone.

Resources:
Identity theft in the military
Preventing identity theft
Teen suicide info and statistics
Pyschology Today

On Banning Books

I did have a video up, but because it's basically me ranting about books, I took it down and instead I'll leave you with a thought- What is the point of banning a book? I understand if you don't want to read it, but don't tread on other people's right to read a book of their choice. If you don't want to read it, fine. You don't have to. But don't tell me that I can't read it.

Food for thought. There should be some sort of video of substance up on Saturday/Sunday, as me and the Mariah will be together then.

Until then, I salute you.

On Tolerance and Saving Souls

This post has been brought to you by an intolerant woman on Facebook.

Hello, world. Before I start, I'd like to say something.

My name is Taylor, and, if you haven't already realized, I'm less-than religious. This does not, however, mean that I'm an atheist. Or that I'm even agnostic. I'd like to think of myself as spiritual. I don't necessarily believe in God, but I do believe that there's some sort of higher power. Whether it's some sort of god or a supreme overlord or even Big Brother, I know that there's got to be something.

So, this is where I start. My post today is on tolerance, religious or otherwise.

People come from all sorts of beliefs. To list a few:

Christianity

Catholicism

Protestantism

Gnostism

Islam

Judaism

Unitarian Universalism

Buddhism

Hinduism

Confucianism

Shinto

Taoism

Paganism (which pretty much includes any religion that is polytheistic and non-Abrahamic)

Agnosticism/Atheist

Zoroastrianism

(and this isn't even half of the known religions)

With all of these religions, how can we possibly choose one over the other? Isn't it true that in America at least, we have the freedom of religion? Which, coincidentally, translates to the freedom from religion.

I'm not a fan of organized religion, personally. I think that too often it's used to promote prejudice and bigotry, and unfortunately, the negatives outweigh the positives in my mind.

However, I completely respect people and their right to choose to believe in whatever they believe. Most of my friends are some form of Christian and I totally understand. For some people, a belief in God gives them a higher sense of purpose in the world. I'm totally for that. Some of my friends have been raised in religion, and I understand that too.

What I don't understand, however, is why some of the people I know are intent on "saving my soul."

(This is where those of you who are intent on saving my soul should pay attention.)

There is nothing wrong with my soul.

Honestly, I'm probably have better morals than a bunch of the so-called "Christians" that I know. Sleeping around on a Saturday night

and praying for forgiveness does not make you a Christian. Smoking, doing drugs, and drinking underage, but asking God to forgive you does not make you a better Christian. It's actually people like you that make me wary to even associate with Christianity.

Like Mariah posted earlier, Mahatma Gandhi once said "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

If every Christian I met was as the Bible describes them to be, I would have absolutely no problem with Christianity. But the fact is, they aren't. Now, don't get me wrong. I do have friends who I respect completely because they adhere to what their religion says. I respect them because they don't do one thing and say another.

You know what I don't understand either? Why am I the one who needs saving? I don't drink, smoke, do drugs, or curse. I am tolerant of people, no matter their sexual orientation, gender, religion, personal beliefs, race, ethnicity, or political beliefs. (However, I obviously draw the line at murder and things of that nature.) Yes, I do understand that in the current age, ideas such as abstinence and a straight-edge lifestyle are almost archaic, but still.

Why am I the one who needs saving?

I know several people (hey, woman from Facebook, pay attention) who will use their religion to promote and further their prejudice.

Am I missing something? Do religious texts support prejudice and I'm not aware of it? And how on Earth do you have the authority to deem whether or not someone deserves every right that you have? Isn't that God's job? If you believe in God, shouldn't you live your life to the best of your ability and leave it to God to judge whether or not someone's worthy? Stop playing the position of the all-mighty deity.

And, for all of those people who think that those who aren't part of your religion need saving, leave it alone. Forcing your beliefs on someone else is not the way to spread your religion.

I'd like to say one more thing though before I stop ranting and go do something else.

I'm not saying that people should stop talking about religion to people that aren't religious. I'm just saying that presenting me with the fact that my soul is at risk. I love learning about religion. I have read about different religions and I think that they all have their benefits. I just think that people use it to their advantage instead of living how their religion says they should.

I know this turned out to be more of a rant on simply religious tolerance, I'm sure I'll get riled up enough to write something else soon.

Marrying Your Pillow and Other Love Mistakes

It's impossible to go to the movies without there being at least three romantic comedies to choose from. It's always the same story-- boy likes girl, boy goes through trouble to get girl, boy gets girl, boy almost loses girl, boy and girl live happily ever after. The only change might be girl likes boy, etc. So why do we keep paying to see someone else find their "one true love?" Because we're just too scared and impatient to find it ourselves.

Earlier this year, a 28-year-old Japanese man married his pillow. The pillow has a picture the anime character Fate Testarossa on it and it (she?) goes everywhere with her... husband. And yes, they were married in front of a priest.

January 2008, it was reported that a British couple who had gotten married had felt an "inevitable attraction." The reason for the attraction being that they were twins. Separated and adopted at birth, the two hadn't met till later in life and did not know that they were twins. The marriage was, of course, annulled.

Is this what the human race has come to? Unable to relate to another human being enough to experience love, we must turn to inanimate objects or mistake a sibling-like bond for one of romance? Maybe opposites don't truly attract, but there's one thing that makes those differences important: they help us grow.

Still, young people have sex and mistake it for love, regretting their decision later on; slightly older but still young, they get married despite studies that the brain may not fully develop until age 25, then prove themselves to be the group with the highest divorce rate. Then, the more times a person gets divorced, the higher their chance of getting divorced again.

We read these books about falling in love and watch actors make passionate love on a big screen, and now we're trying to simulate that couple days it takes to read a book or one week time span portrayed in that adorable movie. I used to see old couples holding hands in the park. Now I see 30-somethings arguing with their 4th marriage spouse.

Yes, that perfect romance seems like it's just around the corner and you must have it now, but it'll be even easier to find with some simple waiting. High school and college (and maybe even after) are the times to figure out who you are as an individual. How can you love, appreciate, and understand another person before knowing how to do any of that for yourself?

I don't know about anyone else, but I'd rather be one half of that old couple.

Man marries pillow: http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/816601-man-marries-pillow

Parted-at-birth twins married: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7182817.stm

Divorce statistics: http://www.divorcerate.org/

Please Don't Jump

Have you heard of a little site called PostSecret.com? It's a place where people can mail an anonymous postcard revealing a secret that they haven't revealed previously. Starting off as a small website, it has since expanded to not only the website, but books, galleries, and PostSecret events, where people can come up and share a secret with people who won't judge. It's a fantastic website that gives people an outlet to share secrets in a non-judgmental atmosphere.

The reason why I felt the need to write today, however, comes from a specific secret. It's already got a ton of press (including on Time Magazine's website), but I'm more interested in speaking about the overwhelming response it has gotten from total strangers.

The secret to the left was sent to PostSecret and subsequently posted on their website. It's message is sad - a person claims that he is not wanted, and that they plan to jump off of the Golden Gate Bridge this summer.

In response, a Facebook group was created called please don't jump, where people have been posting encouraging messages for the person who submitted this secret, everything from a simple "I love you" and "Please don't jump" to stories about how someone that they have cared about committed suicide and how even one life could change the world. While there are a few idiots who have posted things encouraging the poster to jump, for the most part, the people have been extremely kind in what they have posted. It's not known if the person who sent the secret in has seen the group, but I hope he has. People have even posted pictures, writing on their hands sentiments of hope or poems that they think will help this person refrain from jumping. This group already has over 16,000 people and is continuing to grow.

If the person who sent in this secret hadn't seen the group, I highly doubt they'll read this. But I'd like to extend the following statement to everyone who has ever thought about, contemplated, or attempted suicide, and to everyone who has ever felt like they don't belong, aren't loved, or are useless.

You are loved. Each person on this earth serves some purpose, and the Earth wouldn't be the same without you. Sometimes, it's not until someone's gone that we realise how much we love them, and that's sad.

Every day, tell someone how much you love them.

Every day, know that you are loved.

Every day, know that there will always be someone there for you. Reach out - there's always someone within arm's reach.

Don't be afraid to ask for help - there are people willing to do so.

I LOVE YOU.

And I'd like to plead with the person who sent in the postcard - please don't jump.

Oh, Westboro Pt. 2: "Your Christians are so unlike your Christ"

Oh, Westboro. You're aware that you're sinners. Just by being human, you live a sinful lifestyle. Some lifestyles are simply filled with more than others. Go ahead and argue that God does not love everyone. But when God is love and you are filled with so much hate, what presence is really filling up your heart?

When an adultress was about to be stoned, Jesus said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7). Since every one of those people was a sinner, they simply left. After Jesus asks the woman that no one has condemned her, she confirms that no one did. Jesus then says, "then neither do I condemn you" (John 8:11) and tells her to leave her life of sin. While you condemn such sins today, our savior and the man who is the reason we call ourselves Christians did not. He did a little something he is quite known for: he forgave.

How about the parable of the two sons (Matt. 21:28-32)? Need a reminder? A man had two sons that he asked to work in the vineyard. The first son that he asked said that he would not, but changed his mind and did. The second son said that he would, but did not. Who did what his father asked? The first, whose action proved more important than his words. Jesus told his disciples, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did." Even prostitutes can believe in being righteous, giving them the way to become a fellow Christ follower. And just how might God feel about a Christian hating his brother in Christ? "Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him" (1 John 3:15). Are you murderers? "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar" (1 John 4:20). Are you liars?

As you beat down those who already treaded upon, the Bible says "do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29). Who are you building up other than yourselves?

As you judge everyone with a harsh eye, you are warned "do not judge, or you too will be judged" (Matt. 7:1).

After all of your deeds, Matthew 7:21-23 says this:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

You want the people you persecute to repent? Who would want to believe in a God who hates them and his son whose followers are cold and close-minded to every belief that is not their own? Mahatma Gandhi stated "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." How can you expect anyone to become a Christian when you are not reflecting the loving, humble, forgiving man that you claim to follow?

I cannot fathom these kinds of views because where you read God's word and see a need to hurt people into following Him, I see a need to show them why it is so amazing. Where you find ways to use Christ's death as an argument to show that he only died for certain people and not for everyone, I want to cry thinking about what Jesus did because I could never imagine how much love it takes to give your life for the sins of so many others.

Maybe you'll find that praying with an open heart is much more fulfilling than with a closed one.

For all of you who dislike WBC..

...enjoy this website, whose link was given to me by my friend Amanda.

The 30 Best Anti-Westboro Baptist Church Protest Signs

Oh, Westboro Baptist Church, what are we going to do with you?

Recently, I was pursuing the Internet, as you do, and I discovered a little gem of a website - GodHatesFags.com, run by the super fantastic Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. They also run websites like JewsKilledJesus.com, GodHatestheWorld.com (find out why God hates your country! I bet it's probably the gays that are causing all the trouble!), and PriestsRapeBoys.com (beware if you're a Catholic!).

At first, I thought it was a joke, because I was thinking, "Well, maybe it's a parody website, there's no way that a church could have a website that had such a hateful message." Sadly, it's actually legit.

Now, I'm all for free speech. They completely have the right to say whatever they'd like about homosexuals, Jews, Catholics, or anyone else. Like Voltaire said, "I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write."

However, I also have the right to say that the people at WBC are complete and total idiots.

Here's a few of the views that the Westboro Baptist Church holds:

HOMOSEXUALITY: "Every tragedy in the world is linked to homosexuality—specifically society's increasing tolerance and acceptance of the so-called homosexual agenda. The group maintains that God hates gays above all other kinds of "sinners" and that homosexuality should be a capital crime."

CATHOLICISM: The WBC describes the Roman Catholic Church as, "the largest, most well-funded and organized pedophile group in the history of man" and goes on to say that, "There are over 1 billion Catholics in the world—that's one out of every six people alive today—and every single one of them will split Hell wide open when they die—period. And there is nothing they can do about it."

JUDAISM: "The only true Jews are Christians. The rest of the people who claim to be Jews aren't, and they are nothing more than typical, impenitent sinners ... the vast majority of Jews support fags. In fact, it is the official policy of Reformed Jews to support same-sex marriage. Of course, there are Jews who still believe God's law, but most of them have even departed from that."

ISLAM: "So what if our guys flushed copies of the Quran down the toilet? We hope they did. They probably did; We hope they flush more. Mohammed was a demon-possessed whoremonger and pedophile who contrived a 300-page work of Satanic fiction: The Quran! Like America's own whoremonger and pedophile wangled his own hokey Book of Mormon!"

(Apparently, the Church's favorite words are whoremonger, pedophile, and fag. And all of the quotes were taken from the WBC website, which coincidentally is located at GodHatesFags.com.)

Well, at least they're not racist!

Okay, so here's some background on the church: it was founded in 1955 by Fred Phelps and located in Topeka, Kansas. The church mainly consists of Phelps and his family, which just shows that no one else really likes him except the people that have to. They claim that they follow Primitive Baptist and Calvinist prinicples, even though Primitive Baptists reject them.

See, even the religion that they claim to be a part of can't stand them!

Their ideas might be harmless if it weren't for the fact that they picket

• every day around Topeka, KS
• funerals of gay victims of murder, gay-bashing, and people who have died from AIDS
• Kansas City Chiefs football games
• live pop concerts

Why, you ask? Well, because all of these events either are directly related to or peripherally related to homosexuals.

What I think is the worst thing of all is that they're picketing funerals. It's not only the funerals of gay people who have been killed due to murder, gay-bashing, and AIDS, but also those who have no direct relevance to the gay community. Their rationale for picketing funerals? God is punishing His children who are "encouraging" homosexuals.

Most recently, in February 2009, the Phelpses protested at a funeral of a plane crash victim. In an act of true kindness and respect, students from the Buffalo area held up white sheets of paper so that the victim's family would be shielded from the WBC. A motorcycle brigade also revved their engines to drown out the extremely irritating voices of the Phelpses.

Oh, and they also protested at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, because they aren't prejudiced and hated enough.

Britain has the right idea, though. It was reported on the WBC website that they intended to picket in England and in eventually, they decided to ban Fred Phelps and his wife from entering the country because they have "engaged in unacceptable behavior by inciting hatred against a number of communities" and that "other church members could also be flagged and stopped if they tried to enter Britain."

Just another reason why I love Britain way more than I love America. Can't we deport the followers of the WBC to Antarctica or something?

I don't understand why there's so much hate in the world. Instead of preaching it, why can't they preach love?

I'll be the first to admit that I haven't read the Bible. But when I looked at their website and saw that they were citing Scripture to prove their point that homosexuals are sinners and should be punished, I looked into what they were citing, and then I discovered that Scripture can be cited in any number of ways to prove a point.

(John 3:16) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

So under this, I'm going to assume that gay people who believe in God are going to Heaven.

"As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on his children" (Psalm 103:13)

Except gay people, right?

This type of hatred that the WBC is exhibiting is absolutely disgusting to me - what do you think? Comment and tell me what your view is on the WBC and their "peaceful" protests.