In which we stretch an analogy a little ...

[blamebrampton]

I was talking with a lovely young person earlier today about her idea for an hp_religion fest. Despite the fact that I am a godless heathen, I find religion endlessly fascinating and think that it works very well as a lens through which to view the Potterverse (obviously, since the author was consciously constructing a Christian allegory in parts).

Thinking about this, I had an epiphany of sorts, which relates strongly to the current brouhaha* on mpreg among my fandom friends.

My atheism does not affect the religiosity of some of my friends. Their beliefs do not affect my atheism. I would consider it the height of rudeness to tell them they cannot believe in their sundry gods, and they, after a cursory effort to convert me in a few cases, do not tell me that I must believe in one of their religions.

Some of them do believe that I am going to hell. Some of them believe that I am missing some basic truth of the universe. I believe that they believe in something a bit basically odd. Every now and then I have one of those conversations that goes: 'But how can you believe there's nothing?' 'How can you believe in something that is obviously an anthropological artefact?' 'No seriously, nothing? How?!'

However, in both cases, it doesn't matter. My lack of belief, my friends' beliefs, they are things that are important to US, not things that we need each other to adopt. The things that unite us, that bind us, are far deeper and more important.

Similarly, I think that there are lots of things in fandom that we take very very personally, but they are important to us as individuals, and when we try to make the personal public, it's just a recipe for disaster.

One of my friends loves mpreg because it soothes her soul, one of them loves it because it allows her to investigate whole new ideas in stories. I think it's fairly daft because I think stories about babies and pregnancy are essentially daft, just as I don't like avocado and am the least romantic person in the world. It doesn't matter! I leave more avocado for pushdragon ! My mpreg atheism does not weaken anyone's mpreg faith! It's exactly the same as the way that gay marriage doesn't weaken straight marriages.

Anyway, heathen_archive , come back! Maggie and Liz, chins up! And everyone else, like what you like, even if it's not me ;-)


* It's certainly more than a kerfuffle, but not yet a schism, and too personal to some to be considered wank.

Comments

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of offering myself to be the official slapping spoon if she goes ahead with it. Mostly because I like slapping. Not like that. You have a dirty mind ;-)

Yeah, I get that, but I am also of the school of thought that says sometimes a little stoicism can go a very long way, and if that's too much, then an intellectual argument rather than an emotive one is always to be preferred since people can cope with 'I disagree' enormously better than 'you're fucked'.

Of course, I am a cyborg, so these things come naturally to me.

[bryoneybrynn.livejournal.com]

Of course, I am a cyborg, so these things come naturally to me

Ha ha! I knew it! This explains your small, compact body chassis - must be expensive to come up with all that titanium the 6 foot models require.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

According to pingrid, I am powered by Italian hot chocolate ;-)

I want a replacement kit for my knees and right foot, though!

[thisgirl-is.livejournal.com]

You should get an artist to make you a slapping spoon icon. Or possibly Mod-Goddess-Brammers with your attributes of slapping spoon and ban hammer.

I am bored with work and feeling silly. Sorry.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

You're ALWAYS welcome to be silly here! I am thinking of finding a woodcut of a spoon and photoshopping it in with my little doggie.

Cyborg, British, it's all much of a muchness.

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

What matters is that one retains an upper lip of Empire-building stiffness.

Emotion is for the, ah, unfortunately foreign. As you know.

Re: Cyborg, British, it's all much of a muchness.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

I find myself having to endlessly explain that, especially to our American cousins. Happily, most Australians seem fine with a lack of emotion in circumstances that do not involve sport, or animals, which works well for me.

'I find myself having to endlessly explain that, especially to our American cousins.'

[wemyss.livejournal.com]

Speak slowly, speak loudly, and use Very Simple Words.

Re: 'I find myself having to endlessly explain that, especially to our American cousins.'

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Not wholly fair! Some of them write the New Yorker

Of course, one of them wrote Twilight ...

[vaysh11.livejournal.com]

I was thinking of offering myself to be the official slapping spoon if she goes ahead with it. That'll be wonderful, Brammers!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Well, you've met me, never one to pass up a good argument!

[angelofcaffeine.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure I am going to go ahead with it. And you're very welcome to be the official slapping spoon. :P

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

YES! Angel, I promise to be reasonable and considerate in all my arguments on your behalf and to keep the word length to under 1000.

[angelofcaffeine.livejournal.com]

Lol! Thank you for being so considerate. XD It's going to be a difficult job to keep the wank from overflowing.

I shall make sure to remember to name you as the "official slapping spoon".