Comments on: You Know What They Say About Assumptions…

By: real live preacher

real live preacher — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:19:02 +0000

It is hard to be a complex thinker in our world. I was always the boy who thought a little bit too much. Julie, you will spend your life with these frustrations. We all will. I’ve come to a place of understanding the inevitability of simplistic categories in a culture like ours.

So I just refuse to participate. But yeah, these things are maddening.

By: Angela

Angela — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 03:06:02 +0000

You know, it’s even worse in the blog world. We look at a single post from a person and think we have them “all figured out”. We look at Godly people and think “they must be more spiritual than me”. We need to remember that we don’t always know everything and nt to assume is great advice. Good post.

By: kent

kent — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:23:12 +0000

Sorry it has taken mwe a while to get back to you, but you are right. Being self-aware is what I was working toward, but it goes even beyond that. It means that you know you are and you are the one who makes that determination. You know what you passions are and what your political stances for example, you do not allow others to box you into their pre-conceptions. You don’t cut them off, but you determine what you think and what you believe.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:52:43 +0000

Hey Julie-

I’m new to your blog. I think your annoying assumptions are some of the same things that annoy me too. I am interested to see how this election plays out and in turn, how it will effect how the churches chooses to voice itself.

By: Karl

Karl — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:02:31 +0000

I think you are hitting on an unfortunate but near universal human tendency. Subgroups, cultures and nations stereotype and make assumptions about other subgroups, cultures and nations. It is nearly as old as humanity, not simply a fault of the American right (or left) wing. We all tend to do it to one another unless we make a great effort (or have been taught well) to do otherwise.

By: Pistol Pete

Pistol Pete — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 10:39:29 +0000

While I share your (and Molly’s)disdain for assumptions people make about us. I also think we sometimes make assumptions that more people are making assumptions about us than actually are.

By: Julie Clawson

Julie Clawson — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 06:16:06 +0000

Kent – your comments intrigued me. In many ways I would say I am less self-defined these days. Or at least less certain and dogmatic. But at the same time more introspective and self-aware. Which is perhaps what you are saying anyway.

Adam – good additions.

Josh – so true about getting a big head about the third way. I am guilty of that all the time. I’m still learning how to introduce alternate concepts into a conversation without being rude.

By: josh

josh — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 23:40:43 +0000

spot on julie. i also struggle with these people who want to force cram you into 1 of only 2 options. and then when you try to articulate your “3rd” view, they get pissed. and then i get a big head and think i’m a thousand times smarter because i actually try to understand and be informed about the issues. it really bothers me these opinionated people who have never read a book or an article or had a conversation with any of these issues.

By: Adam Copeland

Adam Copeland — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 22:26:16 +0000

Might I add, “Being told that, because you’re young, you’re called to youth ministry.”

And, “Being told your wife is slacking by not only letting you cook, but by somehow depriving you of meat by her vegetarianism.”

http://adamcopeland.wordpress.com

By: kent

kent — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:35:16 +0000

Interestingly enough Jesus resisted being pigeonholed by relentlessly defining himself. He was misunderstood by those both near to him and those who had no idea who he was. Self-definition is hard work but it is the essential work if we are going to be able to function the way we need to.

Don’t allow those around to do the defining, that is your right and privliege. If others cannot let that happen, let them go. Ironically the more self-defined we become the less anxious we become because of others.