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Being pretty good at boundaries, having grown up with a father with no concept of them, I rarely get seriously stuck in social embarrassment. I tend to either walk away, or go silent, or just smile ruefully. But there have been times when there was no escape. I don't consider the oddnesses of my patients to be conversations, since I never thought I had to do anything but listen kindly. It's only when I have had to respond that I count here.
The one that happened to mind this week was when I was ride share hostage to an elderly Mormon woman, not long after my moving to the Mecca of this particular church. Ok, I was only 22, which added to my shock. So, I buckle up, and we drive off, and she says, relatively casually, "You know, Jesus preached to the Indians here in those lost years." She may have also mentioned something about dinosaurs being planted by god as a test to her faith. Maybe that was another time. Now, I knew a bit about what the dominant church here teaches, but, Jebus made it to the pre-Columbian western US to teach natives? Really? Literally? You really believe this is factual? I think I managed an "Oh, well..." Worse than meeting a trekkie or a UFO believer, because she seemed so nice-old-lady mainstream.
And I grew up Catholic, which is full of damned odd corners. I mean, I was once taken to see a weeping statue of the BVM. Stood out in the cold saying the rosary with my mother, shuffled through to witness the miracle, saw nothing (nada, zilch, zero) and left feeling cheated and even more prone to atheism, or at least agnosticism, than before. I've seen weird. I've kissed the nailed feet of a statue of Jebus every Good Friday as a kid. I've had my throat blessed with candles on the Feast of St. Blaise, I grew up with a picture of a saint with stigmata in our LIVING ROOM. And this elderly, conservative woman assuring me of this peculiar fact, out of the blue, startled me badly. And made me want to get out and take the bus.
On the other hand, I was nearly as shocked when I heard about the local custom of flocked Christmas trees. Not artificial trees with artificial snow, I've seen that, tasteless, but sure, fine, whatever. But artificial snow on REAL trees. This struck me as obscenely funny, and peculiarly perverse.
So we choke on gnats and swallow camels, and maybe it would be better to think about what we believe in.
The one that happened to mind this week was when I was ride share hostage to an elderly Mormon woman, not long after my moving to the Mecca of this particular church. Ok, I was only 22, which added to my shock. So, I buckle up, and we drive off, and she says, relatively casually, "You know, Jesus preached to the Indians here in those lost years." She may have also mentioned something about dinosaurs being planted by god as a test to her faith. Maybe that was another time. Now, I knew a bit about what the dominant church here teaches, but, Jebus made it to the pre-Columbian western US to teach natives? Really? Literally? You really believe this is factual? I think I managed an "Oh, well..." Worse than meeting a trekkie or a UFO believer, because she seemed so nice-old-lady mainstream.
And I grew up Catholic, which is full of damned odd corners. I mean, I was once taken to see a weeping statue of the BVM. Stood out in the cold saying the rosary with my mother, shuffled through to witness the miracle, saw nothing (nada, zilch, zero) and left feeling cheated and even more prone to atheism, or at least agnosticism, than before. I've seen weird. I've kissed the nailed feet of a statue of Jebus every Good Friday as a kid. I've had my throat blessed with candles on the Feast of St. Blaise, I grew up with a picture of a saint with stigmata in our LIVING ROOM. And this elderly, conservative woman assuring me of this peculiar fact, out of the blue, startled me badly. And made me want to get out and take the bus.
On the other hand, I was nearly as shocked when I heard about the local custom of flocked Christmas trees. Not artificial trees with artificial snow, I've seen that, tasteless, but sure, fine, whatever. But artificial snow on REAL trees. This struck me as obscenely funny, and peculiarly perverse.
So we choke on gnats and swallow camels, and maybe it would be better to think about what we believe in.
Posted by Zhoen on Thursday, March 11, 2010
9 comments:
I could easily join you in the Catholic rant, but at the same time I take a peverse delight in the revered saints and martyrs who so clearly display classical symptons.
(o)
I had an aunt, only a Baptist, who was like your elderly Mormon lady. She was a preacher's wife, and couldn't seem to help herself. In the hospital cafeteria, while my mother lay dying upstairs, she started in on my siblings and I about our eternal souls. We all had that deer in the headlights look.
Thank goodness you escaped relatively unharmed.
I have a sister whose Facebook page says she is "Episcopalian with Buddhist leanings". She also believes in crystal healing, astrology, and sundry other silly stuff. I just keep quiet these days, though I have offended in the past.
Why do people believe these impossible things?
Six impossible things before breakfast...
(o)
I believe Tim Winton expresses my feelings on the subject...
h,
Bunch of his stuff at the library, will take a look tomorrow.
Hell! I meant to type Tim MINCHIN!!!! ( sorry too may !)
Although I do enjoy Tim Winton's books too.
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