A Lesson On Tolerance

[lupestripe]

You may remember that a few months ago, I told you about a friend of mine who lost his wife through a muscular disorder back in November. Today was his birthday and I spent the day with him, visiting a few pubs and museums in the area. After all the help he had given me to beat depression a few years ago, I felt honoured that he chose me to spend his birthday with this year.

Of course, today was a sad day for him, as well as  a day of celebration, as it was the first time in 32 years that he had celebrated his birthday away from his wife. Still, I think he had a good time and he told me one interesting fact - that because I am gay and was open about it, I had taught him humility towards homosexuals and those who deviate from the norm. Equally, he told me that my closest colleague had also learned a great deal from tolerating my homosexuality.

I have never been a big exponent over my sexuality yet I have never hidden from it either. Yet it is humbling to hear that I have changed the opinions of two of my closest friends simply by being who I am. I don't think I am all that special but it is clearly a confidence boost to be thought of in such ways. Meanwhile, I am proud that my friend decided to spend his birthday with me and to also have a good time with me, despite the mixed emotions that he was feeling.

P.S. Jacqui Smith has quit as Home Secretary. The most pernicious influence in this Government has now gone. Hopefully, this is the signal of good times to come, coupled with social freedoms that she fought so hard to stifle.

Comments

[darkone238.livejournal.com]

Good for you =) I wish there were fewer threats to being oneself over here though.

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I guess the difference between the US and the UK is that you have a large active religious movement which mitigates against individuality. In the UK, religion is effectively dead so we have fewer of those problems. That's how I perceive it, I may be wrong though.

[darkone238.livejournal.com]

It's not so much here that religion itself is so overabundant that it forces its views on people (although there is plenty of that), it's more that our traditions, laws, values, and culture all were built from people who were religious (specifically judeochristianity, specifically protestantism). Even those who are raised without specific religious views gain the tradition and culture of a religious society.

While we're far from theocracy, the churches still have quite a pull :)

[lupestripe.livejournal.com]

I imagine that is the case. I used to live in Louisiana and the influence of the church there - in every aspect of life from family values to education - was extremely strong.

The UK had religious influence in its set up too but events since have taken a different path. As I say, I read that over 50% of people in the US go to church - in the UK that's less than 2%. The US is not a theocracy, of course, but as you say, the influence of the church is ingrained in a way that it isn't in Europe.