Welcome 2010
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ID
This weekend I was talking with my dad and uncle. The subject matter at one point turned to names and how someone should call you based on familiarity. Before we reached this topic however, my dad said something that kind of stuck with me”
“People who have multiple names like Johnathan, John, or John David [names that I go by] should clarify what name to be called because your name is the first part of your identity that anyone every receives. Leaving it up to other people to decide what you are called gives the impression that you don’t know what your own identity is.”
When he said it it didn’t really click with me at the moment what he meant. After giving it some thought though I started to realize what he said. I simultaneously realized that I don’t clarify what I wish to be called. I have friends that call me Johnathan, John, jRoss, Ross, J, JR and all sorts of other names but I never clarify what I want to be called.
At first I felt a little bad because I realized that I really don’t know how I want to identify myself. But the I realized that I didn’t specify because I don’t want people to be sure of my identity. I feel that I keep my identity a secret to people, at first, because it’s one of the few aspects of my life that I have complete control over. I eventually let everyone that I meet see my real identity, but the first taste is alway different for everyone.
I don’t think that at 18 anyone should be so exactly sure of who they are because there is still much to learn and much to be seen that could change the way someone identifies themselves :].
The “R” Word
So on the topic of religion people get sthuper-duper defensive. I figured that I’d throw in my 2 cents. I guess that right now I don’t fall into a specific religion (ie Catholic or Muslim). The religion I align with best is Non-denominational Christian (which some might call the equivalent of saying idk what I want right now, lol). Even though I would say that this is my religion I still have a problem with this and most other religions in the world.
The main problem I have with religion is that it is too concrete. For most (if not all) religions there is a somewhat clear understanding that if you believe in religion A, then religion B-Z are wrong (in some shape, form, or fashion). I don’t agree with this idea at all. I believe that just because one person has one set of beliefs or ideas that they are “right” or ” wrong” compared to another persons beliefs or ideas. This concrete line of right and wrong allows for religion to be the cause of many conflicts that usually leading to violent conflicts due to the passion that many people hold for their own religion.
That being said I’m not saying that we should do away with religion. I think that religion is good for the masses of people who are looking for something to believe or some kind of faith. However, I don’t believe that they should be tricked into thinking that there is a concrete line of right and wrong (in regards to beliefs) because there really isn’t. Instead people should be taught more tolerant and open minded views about religion. People should learn to accept that just because they have different beliefs doesn’t mean that they are the wrong beliefs.
