Armenian Genocide

This is a picture of the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Armenia.  The genocide is memorialized on April 24, and this year, it will be 100 years since it started.  When I first heard about it I wondered what it was and why I had not heard about it before.  So I set out to do some investigation.

One hundred years ago, during and after the First World War, the Ottoman Empire set out to eradicate the Armenians from modern-day Turkey.  The males were killed or sent to work camps, the women and children sent on a death march to Syria.  It is estimated that between 800,000 and 1,500,000 Armenians died during this period.

This is the first time the word genocide was used to label eradication of a group of people.  The second instance and  most widely recognized one is the genocide of Jews during WWII.   

I also wondered why in Jerusalem, there is an Armenian quarter, along with a Jewish, Muslim, and Christian quarter.  Armenia is the first country to accept Christianity as its religion.  Therefore soon after its adoption, monks and clerics sought to establish a presence in Jerusalem.   I have seen parts of the show listed and read the related book.  It tries to have an objective viewpoint on Israel, and explains in layman's terms that even this uneducated historical scholar can understand.  

I found this info on wikipedia and Rick Steves Israel.  

Memes

I needed a good laugh.  I just got some irritating news.  But after reading these memes, I can smile again.  Oh, change is so irritating.  First, one of my crabs already dies!  I thought they were supposed to live longer in captivity but apparently not.  Also, next month there will be no more Saturday evening services at my church.  Finally, where I teach English as a Second Language, we might have to move elsewhere, who knows where.

BUT, some possibly good news from the changes.  First, church will finally start the Transformation Center in the fall, which I am excited about.  The reason school might have to move is because an alternative high school may move in to the college, and may take up space that my classes use.  But they may have a day care which I could work at.  I do miss child care.

I read a blog about how someone was having issues with the Dillard's interview in People magazine last week.  I did'n't read it as I usually don't watch reality TV as it is anything but.  I have enough reality as it is.  The blogger felt cynical and discouraged about what the young new mom said.  I won't go into it but I can relate with the blogger.  If I read it I would feel the same too.  As Christians we get into a thinking that we have to be "perfect" all the time.  I know I do.   But I am a perfectionist.  But does this encourage anyone or bring anyone closer to Christ?  I don't know.  Maybe it does some but for me, it just seems to draw me further away.  Also in the same magazine was about Rock Hudson having AIDS.  He wanted the world to know he was dying of it, and it was from having unprotected sex (being a homosexual).  I thought this very brave, at a time where people were being VERY judgmental towards those with AIDS, even those who got it from blood transfusions.  To me that speaks more of Christ's love than people who act like their lives are all unicorns and roses.  I don't mean to demean the Dillards, but I just can't relate to them.  I can relate to Rock, I can relate to the LGBT community in  a way, for I know what it is like to be different, to be born different.  I don't really know the cause of being gay, but I do know that people can be born with mixed up things, like me, like those with both gender's reproductive parts or neither.   I am not sure but I think this is not an easy choice, if it is even a choice.  Things are not as black and white as we would like to think they are.  There are lot of grays.  I think we make them black and white to help us to feel like we have some sort of control over things that scare us, or things that we don't understand.

I know this is a weird blog, from one topic to a seemingly different and unrelated topic.  I sometimes know what I am going to write but sometimes, it just pops out.  I have been thinking about the gay issue for a while, knowing full well that it may offend some.  I just have to speak from my heart and mind, and not worry about what people think.  It is the love of Christ that transforms us, not the rules of the Torah.  If that was the case, His death would have been in vain.

Holocoust Rememberance Day

Thursday, April 16, is Holocaust Remembrance Day.  Let us not forget that 6 million Jews died 70 years ago, only a lifetime ago.  The people who bear witness to that crime are leaving us.  But I hope that we can carry on the memory so that we don't allow it to happen again.  These following quotes reiterate this point:

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.

Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.

The most violent element in society is ignorance.

This poster commemorating the Holocaust Memorial Day this year was defaced in London, England.  I am appalled that after all that we know, after all the eyewitness accounts, that people still stupidly and stubbornly believe that it didn't happen, and think that Jews are killers.  This boggles my mind.  I feel for the Jews.  They are constantly being persecuted for where they are born, what linage they come from.  It's not even a religious issue.  It is an ignorance issue.  And there are an amazingly enormous amount of ignorant idiots out there who continue to persecute.  God has not forgotten His people.  He made a promise to them, and He never backs out on a promise.  I believe this, which encourages me that whatever I may face, God made a promise to me: to never leave me nor forsake me.  He is with me forever: Emmanuel.

May we never forget.

Stupid is as Stupid Does

I had an altercation last night.  I dutifully went to my NAMI mental illness group, and it was ok.  I like the women but the men I don't as I can't understand what they say.  So I guess it is not their fault.  Anyways, a new lady came in late and told us a bit about herself and why she was there. Like the rest of us she was struggling with her own mental illnesses and other things, and like us, just looking for a listening ear and and a supportive  heart.  A man started to argue with her.  After a few back and forth of this she started to get visibly upset and asked him to stop.  He wouldn't.  I looked to the woman and gave her some encouraging words in the hopes that the man would shut up.  He didn't.  The woman looked on the verge of tears, so I told the man to stop, he was upsetting her.  He did not.  I got mad and started to cry.  The man said something like if we couldn't handle it we should leave.  I got really mad and upset and told him that we are here to support each other, not argue.  If he doesn't like that he needs to leave and I pointed to the door.  He did not but kept arguing.  FINALLY, the leader (a man) looked at me and told us to stop arguing.  The man continued arguing and I said I am trying to defend this poor woman. I lost it.  I got up to go, crying and trying to catch my breath, I was so upset.  The woman wanted me to stay but I wouldn't.  I refused to stay there and take that abuse and not be supported.  I left and no one followed me.  So far, the leader has not tried to contact me.  

If a leader can't control the group, they shouldn't be leading a group.  I don't know how many times over the years I talked with the men in the singles group at church about things, trying to talk to them about being fair, respectful, and welcoming.  No such luck.  The last meeting I went to there I had an altercation like this.  Why do I find myself in the position of having to try to reason with people who don't care?  Why do I find myself trying to do what's best for the group, being fair, following mores of society, being respectful, being welcoming?  I am the one with training and experience, and yet these men act like they are better than me, and other women.  

You see why I have issues with men.  I know I am not perfect, but I will be damned if I let some man abuse me or another woman.  I don't know if the NAMI group episode had to do with the man/woman issue, but I felt the same, and had the same outburst.  I can only take so much before I explode.  I know it's not the best way to deal with it, but a "support" group should be a group of people supporting each other, not someone who keeps picking a fight or trying to control.  

It is beyond me to understand why people, one who professes to be a Christian, and one who professes to have a mental illness and is there for support and to give support, and yet they do the complete opposite. They just think they know everything and everyone else is stupid, or at least me and other women.  

As I have said before, I am tired of being bullied and have chosen to make a stand.  I have.  But it is hard. I go looking for support and I get bullied.  I just feel for the poor woman who came last night.  She was already struggling. I kept praying for her, that she could feel God's presence and know that God loves her.  I hope and pray she gets the real support she needs.  

So now I am going to open my parcels from Amazon.  I ordered a few things for my crabs with a gift card I got from my mom.  I have a nice mommy.  I love my family, they are always so good to me.

Two New Pets

Don't worry, I did not get cats. I got two Hawaiian crabs, named Crabby and Patty.  My niece used to chew these Spongebob Squarepants gummy candies that looked like a hamburger named a Crabby Patty, hence the name.  I bought these at the Mall of America on Monday, at a kiosk.  I had seen them numerous times over the years and always wanted one.  I just didn't think I'd better with Chocolate, the most curious cat around.  I got two as it was suggested they would be happier with a crab friend, and no, they won't mate.

I was inspired by the movie Thirty Days with Sandra Bullock.  She played a woman who had to be in rehab for thirty days for alcohol and drug addiction.  When she got out she went to the pet store and saw a fellow rehabber there who was grieving because his pet or plant, I can't remember, died.  In rehab, they were encouraged to get a plant or pet when they got out, something small and easy, to help them develop responsibility.  Since I am going through a "rehab" of my own, I thought I'd get something small and easy too, thus the crabs.  We had planned on going to the mall, my mom, sister, niece, and I, and since my mom is always so generous I knew she'd help pay for them!  

So far so good.  They don't do much but when I take them out they do walk around.  They like to hunker down in their coco hut.  Other than that, I haven't seen much movement.  They did say it might take a few days to get used to their surroundings.  But I figured this would be a good start.  No noise, no mess, and no wrecking of things!