The Gray Monk

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January 29, 2006

Half full; half empty - it's all a matter of perspective

The sign, they say, of an optimist is that he or she sees a glass that is half full, when a pessimist sees a glass half empty. I recently rediscovered a link to a blog entitled "The Nice Jewish Website" and the first post I discovered there reminded me of this. The post is entitled "G-d damn it!" and he goes on to say that most people using that expression and "Jesus C****" are actually using it to express something good!

So why not say "G-d bless it"? Perhaps it is sheer idleness of speech, perhaps it is something else and perhaps it is just the way we express our surprise, but this lad is absolutely right about one thing - we should be thankful for everything we usually say "G-d damn" about. I recommend that you take the time and the effort to visit this site and ponder on his thoughts on this little issue. In fact, to wet your appetite, I am going to include a little bit of his writing ...

I cringe every time I hear it. All the same though, I just bite my tongue. I really don't understand why it is such a hot phrase. It's even more popular then yelling out "Jesus Christ!" all the time. Now don't get me wrong. Yelling "JC!" is still a popular local colloquialism for both non-Jews and Jews. I learned everything I know about Jesus from my Jewish mother who won't admit it, but yells it all the time. Even in Israel this summer there was a very sweet Jewish girl I was following around and whenever she saw something amazing like ancient ruins in Jerusalem or five thousand year old Torah texts her first reaction was "Jesus Christ!" He'll save you, babe, I would tell her. She always smiled big afterward.

So what is the deal with that? If you look at it right, all the G-d damn things people seem to be bitching and complaining about are really, Baruch Hashem, God blessed things. Beer? What a blessing that is. Your girlfriend? God's most gorgeous gift in the world. Television? Okay, often times it is a curse, but God gave us freewill and we can turn it off whenever we want. The Democrats? Thank God for them. They are the reason I am a Republican. I could go on and on.

This is the sort of attitude we should applaud, it really does make a difference to the world and to everyone you meet. I would dearly love to have been a fly on the wall when he told his girlfriend that Jesus would save her! Especially in some of the places it would have been said. And her a good Jewish girl too!

Reading this guy's ramblings I could not help but draw a contrast to the rantings from the Iranian government which has now decided to make a very public and International declaration that the Holocaust did not happen, that it is a "Western Conspiracy" and a "Zionist Fabrication". All I can say is that I find their rantings less and less palatable, and less and less rational. Their glass is definitely in the "half empty" category and will continue to drain away as more and more people find their behaviour and attitudes unacceptable.

I agree entirely with the author of "G-d damn" when he says that everything we have, every waking moment and every contact is a gift from G-d, and one we should give thanks and praise for. Perhaps if we can persuade enough people to join in with that action and the sentiment that underpins it - we can finally drive the advocates of hatred and distrust out of the limelight and out of power!

As all Jewish blessings begin, let us continue ...

Baruch atah Adonai, Elohaynu, melech ha-olam (Blessed are you, Lord, our God, King of the universe,)

Saying together,

Blessed are you, Lord, our God, king of the universe,
for you have given us life, hope, love and fellowship.

What more do we need?

Posted by The Gray Monk at January 29, 2006 02:49 PM

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Comments

Posted by: Max L at April 2, 2006 06:25 AM