I no longer talk politics with the religiously insane.

[CTyankee]

We have these folk among us and sometimes we cannot choose a person with work with or know in other domains of our lives.

I work with a young man on the design of my art projects since he has the skill set in computer technology I need. He is a member of a very strict Lutheran congregation in which he has his drill in anti-abortion religious propaganda each and every Sunday, along with other insanities. He also had some form of dyskenia (sudden jerking of his head, etc) which I think he controls with meds. He believes abortion is a grave sin.

I have spent entirely too much time muttering about this guy. I now allow myself about 15 minutes each morning to quietly vent my spleen, muttering against all of the religiously insane folk, get it out of my system and move on.

YMMV.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. I avoid the subject with relatives.

At the mention of the word "politics" I don't take the bait, I move on. But I did manage to characterize other portions of the family as narcissistic abusers with boundary, sanity, codependent, medication, and self-esteem issues that evolved from others doing the same thing. They couldn't deny the reality of what I said, their histories and my histories match, but they were shocked into silence. Surely the topic will be gossiped about for months. I'm beginning to wonder if a new reality of loving, boundaried generation will emerge. We just need to clear out the old. Unless of course the cruelty we are about to experience spawns a new generation of abusers the likes of which haven't been seen since the Spanish Inquisition. That is how hierarchical societies control the masses.

[CTyankee]

2. I love your description, "loving, boundaried" and hoping like you that these folks will emerge.

We can be role models of kindness and compassion, but that's about all we can do. They will have to evolve and emerge on their own. We can show them our kindness in our business interactions with them, show them we aren't constantly berating others, and stress goodness in our hearts. "You see! We're not crazy."

[usonian]

3. They're a cult, still being brainwashed daily.

Highly skilled therapists take years to undo the programming, and the victim has to agree that there is a problem first (other than "the libs."

Recovery seems to be surviving the Kool-Aid.
WAIT, none did at Jonestown, IIRC.

[CTyankee]

4. we can be role models based on how we treat them.

Let them reflect on how we wicked, awful libs are kind and not full of hate (in contrast to whatever they hear in church on Sunday).

[usonian]

9. That's always the case.

I belong to a Buddhist group based on the Lotus Sutra.

Very briefly, it holds that every person has the potential for Buddhahood inside, that all people are equal but different, in the equality and dignity of all beings, and fairness, no preferential treatment -- but teaching and caring based on the individual's capability and needs. Hard to condense, but I can give examples later/elsewhere.

It's not the traditional idea people have.

The upshot is that by cultivating the state of Buddhahood, overcoming obstacles in daily life based on that inner light rather than blaming others for one's own weaknesses, fears and failures, one achieves a wonderful state of life, worthy of emulation! It's not in denial; it's that what one attains is put to service for oneself and others.

The overarching principle is that life is not a punishment or a way station, but in this universe of exploding stars and galaxies, "one tough town", it's one's mission to improve life equally for oneself and others. Every other path (which we have been on for millennia) leads to destruction, just like all the old sci-fi films predicted. "The surviving inhabitants found a way to cooperate instead of fight."

Hate and aversion are replaced with an understanding of cause and effect ... i.e. blaming others for your own weaknesses only makes you weaker ... and so forth. Replacing that inner weakness, externalizing everything, with inner strength, is fundamental to climbing out of a hole. It's a ladder out of a hole, instead of a shovel. Of course, some people are so deluded that they can't imagine  world without blame and retribution. (the shovel, digging deeper). That's why we set examples, whether in religion or in politics. It ain't easy!

But replacing that "division" is fundamental. It is deliberately created and maintained by those who would exploit. It blinds people to their own abuse at the hands of exploiters. So, I'll close with a couple of favorite graphics that explain why people are deliberately set against each other. For exploitation.





All smokescreen to blur a clear mind.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. I don't understand the reference to dyskenesia in this context.

[CTyankee]

6. Sorry, it is a disability and I try to listen quietly while he is obviously struggling to contain it.

What I am trying to do is be a role model of understanding and kindness so he knows we liberals are not mean and hurtful. He has personal experience in how we liberals treat people who are "different." I would call it just good manners.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. Ah it wasn't clear at all from the OP that you interact with him at all -- I don't always assume that "work with" means

you're interacting with someone regularly.

[CTyankee]

8. Oh yes! He was recommended to me by a former professor I had in grad school. He comes to my house and does routine

computer maintenance and refresher instruction in using Word that I might need, also. So it isn't all on my art projects.