I have never felt so alone. It is the sinking feeling that you get when the person you thought gets you, doesn’t. It informs me in a way that is almost impossible to describe with words.
We are undoubtedly products of our environment. What we think we know, is a direct result of what we have heard or been taught, and what our culture subliminally passes on to us. And we often accept what we have been taught, because well, why would it be a lie? So, we do not think to question these deeply held beliefs. We embrace them with fervor and zealousness and passion, and pass them on to the next generation. And we use them to form simplistic responses to complex questions. But worst of all, we demonize the brave few who dare to ask the question: really? Is that true? Who says? Prove it!
I am tired. And at times sad. And I want a friend to talk to, who is not mired in ignorance and stubborn reliance on unfounded teachings. Who is not steeped in religious deception, lack of knowledge, and a crippling inability to listen, or see past deeply held beliefs that are rooted in the systematic and successful denigration of a people.
But I would rather be alone, and tired, and brave enough to speak the truth as I see it, than continue to be swept away in a wave of religious bigotry.
And so it is that I have a choice: do I stand and fight, or do I retreat? I choose to stand, because standing will save my soul. And even if I stand alone, I still stand. Anything else will mean giving in, and I am done giving in.
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