Where Was I?

Sorry I never made it back. That pesky thing called work got in the way. Plus I had a headache. I hate it when I wake up with a headache.

I'm going to save the rest of the story of Sheryl for tomorrow. Instead, I have a few other things to write about.

First, an online literary journal has published a previously unknown poem by Sylvia Plath. She wrote it in the margin of a copy of The Great Gatsby she used during her senior year at Smith. The article I read said that the poem showed the characteristic combination of humor and darkness that is present in her later poetry. I think that is really cool, and it makes me happy that some of her very early work is being discovered. Take that, Ted Hughes (who said that Plath essentially became a poet when she met him...arrogant jerk).

Oh, and the poem was a Petrachian sonnet. Just in case you wanted to know.

Second, the whole mess with the evangelical minister and the allegations he had sex with a male prostitute. The bleeding heart liberal part of me wants to cheer that further hypocracy has been revealed in that whole religious/political movement.

But the Christian part of me worries for that very reason. It seems that the vast majority of what most people hear and read about prominent Christians in this country are all stories out of the evangelical right. And most people, I think, even some conservatives, can tell that there is something...extreme about that whole movement (yes, I am trying to be kind). And you know, there are a lot of people out there who's sole impression of Christianity is one of hellfire and brimstone preachers condemning homosexuality, premarital sex, extramarital sex, masturbation, alcohol use, drug use, abortion, euthanasia, , stem cell research, and tons of other things I can't even think of. Then they see these same preachers getting caught by the media in soliciting prostitutes, being drunk, using drugs, etc. It's no wonder that a lot of atheists, agnostics, and others see Christians in an unfavorable light.

I was thinking about that today as we discussed this mess at lunch. I know that my boss really has no love for Christianity (he grew up in Catholic schools, which is not a great place for a gay person to grow up - especially when he was young), and one of my coworkers looks at me with a little less respect whenever I mention something having to do with church. That makes me sad. Not every Christian thinks less of people who are gay, or believes that America needs to be run on Christian principles. Not everyone opposes researching what stem cells may be able to do.

But as long as things like this happen, as long as this is the only image of Christianity the media chooses to share, that is the impression that people will have.

I don't know what to do about it. I'm not suggestion that I have any...suggestions. Part of it is the fault of mainstream churches for remaining silent when we see our Evangelical brothers and sisters loudly preaching less than wonderful messages. Part of it is the fault of the media for only focusing on the sensational and the outrageous.

I don't know. I just know it makes me sad.

Finally, on a semi-related note, apparently Neil Patrick Harris has announced that he is gay. Part of me says, "Duh!" but part of me doesn't want to give up my Doogie Howser fantasies. Yes, I just admitted that I have had fantasies about Doogie Howser. Of course, he was always of an appropriate age in them, except of course when I was in high school.

I'm going to stop putting my foot in my mouth now. Have a lovely night.