A Little Vent

It's been a while, and a lot has happened, but it's not really that exciting, unfortunately...

There are things in life that I am very passionate about and other things that I'm really NOT at all.  And I think that everyone is like this to some extent (except for those people are just good at everything they do...they're just passionate about everything because they do it so well - arg!)

Some things I am really excited about, and I think most people would agree with this idea, but I get really fired up about my opinions - especially those that I think have some degree of merit to them.  Now, I'm not one to force my thoughts on others and I really don't speak up that often because I really don't want to cause conflict or be disareeable, but there are some things that really irk me.  So for just a few lines, I need to vent (and Rich has already heard this, haha, many times!)

In Religious Studies classes, and maybe other classes, too, I don't know...but in my classes, there are people that really just rub my nerves raw because they're really very not intelligent and rather ignorant.  Again, I'm not a "pot stirrer", but I just sit there fuming...because when it really comes down to it, I came to a university to learn in an academic setting, I'm not there to be told that "I'm wrong because I am not a Catholic"...really?  That's really what you're going to do?  Because the class is definitely called, "Greek and Roman Religions"...what does that even have to do with that....?

Enough on the rant, now on to the real frustration and it really breaks my heart for these types of people, and maybe I fall into this category in some way and that's why it weighs so heavy on my heart, but my thoughts on these people in my classes are this....Most of these people claim to be Christians...and do so VERY ignorantly and outright in the middle of class when there is no relevance at all.  You don't need to begin a statement with, "I'm a Christian and I think that...."  or "I grew up Baptist, and I think that..."  (Why do you have to do that RIGHT before you are about to slap someone in the face or discredit what someone else has questioned as a legitimate academic question in the middle of a geuninely academic setting?!)

The point...as Christians, are we ignorant?  As a whole?  Are we?  Do we truly care about other people? Or do we only care about furthering our own personal agenda, as Baptists, or Methodists, or Catholics?  Because it seems to me...through my classes, that the "Christians" are the most offensive people in the entire class.

I'm not saying that Christianity is only about "Jesus loves me", there are other things that are also very important like the cross and redemption, etc., but it's true, but he also loves everyone else - so why can't we embrace that in every aspect of life?!  Why does it have to change just because you're at school?  Are you only at college in religious studies classes to convert everyone there to YOUR faith?  Because that's not why I'm in class.  I'm there to learn, to become less ignorant, and to walk away with a further understanding of religion as a whole and the psychological, sociological, and theological implications in can have in various aspects of people's lives.  There's just so much more to the phenomena that is religion...

Maybe this is an unjust accusation, but it's been a HUGE frustration as I sit there in class listening to these people first claiming that they're Christians, and then completely putting down someone else...

I LOVE my degree program and enjoy just about every minute of class time that I have (even the readings are okay a lot of the time)!  I know that I will walk away with a degree from the University of Oklahoma and have a much more profound academic knowledge of religion as a whole, and various different religions, and it will help me in life, especially with the globalization that is happening at break-neck speed!

I just want Christians to not have the idea that breaking someone down will further the kingdom of God...especially when the person being "downed" knows full well you're a Christian because you used that information to justify the insult...