Discrimination…

Happy Thursday Everyone,

How are you all doing this fine Thursday? What a beautiful, cool and breezy morning it is. I love mornings like today. I slept in a little, then got up, went for a little walk and then came home, made a cup of coffee and a yummy PB&J, extra peanut butter of course. I then spent a couple hours on the phone talking to the labor board. UGH is all I can say. It’s crazy how a company can discriminate, yet they fall just under the radar to be considered unethical instead of discriminatory. It makes me wonder how people sleep at night. I suppose they justify their actions simply by knowing that, even though they aren’t “breaking” the law, they are merely adjusting the law to fit their selfish and greedy way of life.

Have you ever experienced discrimination? Have you ever discriminated? I am right in the middle of it all and I hate it. Have you ever wondered what constitutes discrimination? According to the cdc.gov/eeo., some of the different types of discrimination are, “age, disability, sexual orientation, religious, race, color and sex.” Reading through some of these things, it makes me wonder how and why someone can in their mind, justify discriminating against someone. I mean, we are all entitled to our opinion and we are absolutely entitled to not agree with or even like what someone else chooses, however, to treat someone badly or unfairly, that’s a whole other level. Jesus says in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Perhaps if more people followed this simple command, we’d have a lot less hatred and discrimination in the world? Thoughts?

Having certain people discriminate against me as of late, really makes me do a self check. I think about my thoughts regarding people and I will admit, I’ve made comments that aren’t always so nice. I’ve done it out of frustration, however, that is no excuse. John is always saying that the Universe has us learning lessons or that it’s teaching us lessons. I suppose that the reason I’m being discriminated against right now is that the Universe is teaching me to judge less and be more compassionate. I know for me, right now, being shunned by many that used to be my friends because I don’t believe the way they do anymore, it’s hurtful. I feel strongly that Watchtower teaches discrimination at the same time professing to love their neighbors the way Jesus instructed. A double standard at it’s finest.

You see, in my opinion, Watchtower discriminates by telling their followers that unless you are a JW and you are meeting all the requirements to be one, you are “bad association.” In the workbook, April 2020, it starts out under the heading, “the tragic results of bad association,” by saying this. “Although we likely see some good qualities in our neighbors, workmates, or schoolmates, does that mean that they are good associates? What can help us determine if someone is good association or not?” Notice how it says, we will likely see ” although, we likely will see some good qualities?” What determines “good qualities?” According to Watchtower, it depends on if “their companionship helps us improve our relationship with Jehovah and it their conversations reveal what’s important to them.” I get the impression here, if they don’t talk about and help you become a stronger JW, then they aren’t good association. Basically, if their belief system is different, then they aren’t good association.

We absolutely have the right to chose who we associate with and perhaps it’s in our best interest to associate with those who share our beliefs, however, in my opinion, Watchtower is in a subtle way, teaching discrimination, or at the very least, teaching their people that those in the organization would want to limit their friendships outside the their JW world. Using terms like, “companionship instead of friendship, or depends.” for example. Maybe it’s not teaching discrimination. Maybe it’s simply teaching conditional love, conditional friendship, conditional companionships. On my journey, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to talk to people of all backgrounds and I’ve learned so much, not only about them, but myself. I have learned more about the things I agree with, the things I still question and what I want to gain more of a deeper understanding about.

Discrimination is very hurtful to the person on the receiving end. According to thenationshealth.org, “for many adults, dealing with discrimination results in a state of heightened vigilance and changes in behavior, which in itself can trigger stress responses, that is, even anticipation of discrimination is sufficient to cause people to become stressed.” I know for me, the stress of being retaliated against and discriminated against has caused so many health issues. The hardest thing for me to swallow is, knowing I’m being discriminated against because I faded from the religion and the people discriminating against me are according to legal council is that those treating me unfairly are just under the radar and are immoral, however, they skate just under the law. Sad, that’s all I can say on that is, sad.

Discrimination touches everyone at some point. For some, it’s more extreme then to others, yet it can hurt all the same. I am thankful for the lessons I’m learning regarding unfair treatment and I hope to take these lessons and become a better person for having been taught them. I hope to have my story help someone else who has experienced or is experiencing such prejudice to be able to cope and get through it. I’ve always said, the whole purpose of my blog is to not only help myself deal with life’s challenges, but hopefully, what I write can help someone else too. I honestly feel, no matter who you are or where you live, if we can come together as a community and change the negative ways of thinking into positive and productive ways, we will be a stronger, more united and loving community.

I am so thankful to have so many people from all over the world reading my blog, commenting on it and encouraging me to continue. I am so humbled by the many responses I receive and I just want to thank you all for your continued support on my journey. I hope you all have the greatest of days and don’t forget, until next time, Love Life+