Mostly my intolerance comes down to an intolerance for intolerance. I can't tolerate judgmental people whose prejudices are most often made in ignorance of what they're actually intolerant about.
I'll admit I used to be a bit fanatical in my anti-Christian stances. Meeting and working with a more moderate Christian where I worked and establishing a dialogue with him led to numerous discussions wherein we found common ground. I'm not so absolute about this as I used to be. I'm fanatical against the fanatics of any religion however, because the Buddha's primary dictum of "Everything in moderation" includes a person's dogma.
This isn't a physical preference, but rather a social awareness kinda thing. I absolutely refuse to date hard-core Christian women, not because I can't respect someone elses religion, but that they most often cant respect my lack of one.
I will not spend an entire date being proselytized to, nor will I tolerate being looked down on because I'm a Buddhist and comfortable with my beliefs. I'm not saying I won't date Christian women, but if it becomes apparent that I must be "saved" before I'm acceptable, then I want her gone, and her Holier-than-thou self can get the flock out of here.
Spirituality does not imply the necessity of a deity. That is speculation outside of the rational.
Is there a need for a spiritual element in people's psyche? By all means.
Does this necessitate a belief in and subsequent fear of an invisible father figure? Not at all.
Everyone has different answers for the questions that arise in their life. I choose to leave the absence of what I consider a dead-beat deity to the faith of others to resolve.
I don't require a deity to function or be happy. There's something missing in the minds of the faithful if they think that I require their definition of reality in order to get from start to finish in the human race.
Car salesmen are always trying to get you to trade up. More options, better handling, faster in the turns, whatever the feature de jour is. So many people treat their love life in much the same fashion. This one's old, time to get a new model, etc.
Why is it people treat relationships as disposable commodities anymore? I'm old-fashioned I guess, but I think, if the shoe fits, and doesn't leak, why NOT keep wearing it?
Is it the mindless consumeristic age that we live in that translates over into how we live the rest of our lives? Has planned obselescence crept into how we treat other people, and if so, what does this say about our own Narcissistic Personality Disorders?
Life isn't like a fairy tale, You don't get a sword or A shiny coat of mail. You don't get chivalry You don't get maidens, You do get wisdom And a peace unladen.
I was looking for a princess To live with happily ever after Sometimes you get more than You're share of fun and laughter. I didn't find a princess, Instead I met an angel, fallen perhaps, But life is like a dice game sometimes, But its not always the craps.
I will live my joy, And be her boy, And make her smile, And all the while, We will live and laugh And be Happily Ever After.
Spinning ball, No way to treat a cue, Drive this vector Toil and hector Spin this language Spin the damage, Don't tell the truth No matter what you do.
The language is vague And made to obfuscate Building walls instead of bridges In the that we relate. Good-times under-handing A little misunderstanding This is how we dance, And the ESL student Doesn't stand a chance.
I dunno. My point is this. If we, in effect, shelter ourselves and ours from everything that is unpalatable in life, are we not, in effect, struggling for control in a world where that is impossible, and in all likelihood, damaging to the long-term health of ourselves and ours.
Case in point. My ex-fiancee refused to allow her daughter to play with the neighbor children because she didn't like their mother. Their mother didn't even live with them, it was their father that was our neighbor, and they were divorced. Once a week the mother would show up, take the children for weekend visitation, and in effect, had very little contact with my step-daughter even on the days she was around, however briefly. That didn't stop my fiancee from hating the children because she hated the mother.
Guilt by association, guilt by outward appearance, guilt by any one of the things that we choose to feel is not acceptable to us, is absolutist, and while being effective defense mechanisms, are not an effective means to personal growth. JMO.
No need to say please, trish my dear. Do we beg our friends to be our friends? Do we beg them to do the things that friends do? I think not, or they wouldn't be our friends. Moreover, when a friend of mine is in pain, they don't need to say please when requesting comfort or commiseration. It's all part of being a friend, at least IMO.
Which in effect goes back to the point I made in one of my threads. People are in some ways unfit for relationships because they don't accept the humanity in other people. This stinks of absolutism. My way or the highway.
My favorite game is Siamese chess, played with two boards of opposite colors (play black on one board white on the other) and you can put captured pieces from one board into play on the other.
Galactic_bodhi Forum Posts (9,196)
RE: When do romantic preferences become unrealistic expectations or even vintage intolerance?
Puts a whole new spin on the phrase: "Its not you, its me."