The occasional prayer here and there. The rare and irregular attendance at mass. The brief twinge of conscience so I don't maim or dismember the odd member of society. Hardly the exemplary Christian boy.
Still I've always held religion to be something deeply personal. Never felt the need to share nor involve anyone else in whatever heathenish practices I might have. Pray when I must. Worship when I want. Fast when I like. Certainly don't need any morally upright do-gooders to police my behaviour, inappropriate or otherwise.
Paul : Dang. Is someone watching me eat?
So you can imagine how much it pisses me off when such desultory comments get passed during lunchtime.
Colleague : Eh, you're not fasting?
Paul : Does it look like I am?
Colleague : But it's the fasting month!
Paul : Maybe some folks might be fasting but why should I? Why should it affect me?
Colleague : Some of our friends are joining us in solidarity by fasting with us.
Paul : They can do so. Good for them. I'm going for a buffet.
Seriously. Fasting? Just because you do so doesn't mean everyone else has to do so. Doesn't mean everyone should stop eating just because you did. Doesn't mean every restaurant has to be shut down to reduce the temptation for you. Doesn't mean everyone has to edify the sanctity of the month because you do so.
Doesn't mean the world keels to a screeching halt because you said so.
And then they start running insulting public service advertisements like these that advocate a certain type of speech, behaviour and dressing deemed acceptable to them.
Do not impose your beliefs on others. Just remember it's your religion and not ours. Follow my main adage. What you do should affect no one but yourself. Go ahead and fast. Just don't expect me to do it.
3 comments:
it's even harder when you "look" like them. they don't even wanna serve you!
but i do think it's a little hypocritical. one holy month, and the rest of the year let hell break loose? how about not being so extreme?
compared to other ugly words certain politicians has spoken in the past, the ads are mere nothing compared to them.
Nice one. I used to get that too.
But I wouldn't let myself get pissed off so easily by these comments. Probably that guy is just being curious, not offensive.
Yes, maybe they are trying to impose their beliefs on us, but actually many are. I'm from a typical Buddhist/Taoist/Chinese folk religion family. I have seen even different sects in Buddhism trying to influence me to join them. IMHO it doesn't apply to a specific religion but it's in all religions. It's just the nature of people trying to influence others esp on the things they are proud of/feeling superior about.
My personal take is just take it as a joke. If they ask "why are you not fasting?", I'd jokingly tell them "only today" and they will laugh away.
And I think the ad is only a lame joke. Nothing racist to me.
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