“I am impelled, not to squeak like a grateful and apologetic mouse, but to roar like a lion out of pride in my profession.”
-John Steinbeck
In these first few days of June, I’ve seen a lot of chatter on social media, from folks who identify as Christian, denouncing pride, and suggesting that tolerance of LGBTQ folks is a sign of the apocalypse.
Note that I refer to them as people who “identify as Christian,” and not “Christians.” I am certain no true follower of Christ would use their faith as an excuse to treat people with hatred.
These folks tell us that Satan himself has hijacked the rainbow. They say the tell-tale sign is that queer people march to glorify one of the seven deadly sins. They use words like degenerate and pervert to dehumanize some of the people on this earth who I love most. And go figure. They somehow find a way to square their convictions with the idea that we must, at all costs, re-elect Donald Trump, who is their chosen one.
This is the deadly sin of pride – the presumption that I know how another person should live or love. They say we’ll go straight to hell for using the words “Goddamn” or “Jesus Christ” in anger. But, if hating someone in the name of God isn’t using His name in vain, I don’t know what is.
All of this reminds me of my very last conversation with my mom, who was as religious as anyone I’ve ever met. Among the many things we discussed was her pride in her youngest grandson. Specifically, she mentioned how proud she was of him for having the courage to be openly gay, and unapologetically so, at such a young age, in a culture of people who “identify as Christian.”
That pride is the kind worth marching for. And, if you believe, it’s that love the rainbow reminds us we were promised.
Glossary of Feelings entry XXII
Pride (noun)
the quality or state of being proud: such as
a: reasonable self-esteem : confidence and satisfaction in oneself : SELF-RESPECT
b: pleasure that comes from some relationship, association, achievement, or possession that is seen as a source of honor, respect, etc.
c: exaggerated self-esteem : CONCEIT
respect and appreciation for oneself and others as members of a group and especially a marginalized group : solidarity with a group based on a shared identity, history, and experience
This Week in History
June 2, 1948 – Jerry Mathers, American actor who portrayed Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver in Leave it to Beaver, was born in Sioux City, Iowa.
June 3, 1906 – Belgian King Leopold II claimed the Congo as his private possession.
June 4, 1615 – The Siege of Osaka: Forces under the Japanese shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu took Osaka Castle.
June 5, 70 CE – Titus and his Roman legions breached the middle wall of Jerusalem and took the city.
June 6, 1925 – Walter Chrysler founded the automobile manufacturer Chrysler Corporation.
June 7, 1769 – American frontiersman Daniel Boone ascended Pilot Knob, setting sight on the fertile hunting grounds of what is now known as the Bluegrass Region of of Kentucky.
June 8, 632 CE – Muhammad, Arabic prophet and founder of Islam, died of suspected fever at around age 62.
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What I’m Reading
The Writing Life, by Annie Dillard
Can’t Be Satisfied: The Life and Times of Muddy Waters, by Robert Gordon
Blood Meridian, by Cormac McCarthy
What I’m Watching
Major League Baseball
What I’m Listening To
Live on Red barn Radio I & II, Tyler Childers
Bleachers, Bleachers
Journaling Prompt for Week #22 of 2024
Write about the time in your life when you were most proud of yourself.
Thanks for reading. Have a great week.