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ok, well, i was asked by poloboy to keep y'all updated, so i will indeed do so..
Before she and I sat down to talk about the situation, my best friend and I went to dinner and discussed it first. I asked him his opinion because it affords me a unique perspective; he's a pastor's son, and himself very devoutly Lutheran, but in many regards his faith breaks from that presented by his church. Furthermore, he understand well my particular religious philosophy, and knows a great deal more about her church (she's a southern baptist). He brought up some good points, and, forearmed, I sat her down and we held palaver.
Anyway, the end result is that we're dating. I know most of you feel as though I should have "dropped her like a used bible," but I wasn't exaggerating when I noted that she is, in my opinion, the perfect combination of humor, intellect, and beauty. I have a really great time with her, so I determined that, even if it requires abit of work, I'm willing to do that.
What it comes down to, for her, is that she doesn't really know what she believes. She was indoctrinated from her birth into the Southern Baptist church, and she never really had anyone say, "Now wait a second.. That doesn't make any sense," or "That's incredibly contradictory to what Christ spent his life trying to teach." She had, instead, a social group of other unquestioning Southern Baptists, and a father who prevented anyone with differing beliefs from entering her life.
She's at college, away from home now. She has new people and new philosophies to cope with, and I merely pointed out flaws in what she was taught. She's rethinking a lot of what she grew up believing, something she never had to do before. I certainly don't begrudge her isolated upbringing. Until I read Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, I myself never questioned Columbus's legacy, something which I was taught to be quite pure. I can empathize and understand the environment from which she comes, and the reasons why she never really thought to question her authority figures.
She won't introduce me to her parents as her boyfriend, and frankly, that doesn't really bother me. I'm young, I want to have fun with people I care about, and I've always played it from the cuff, and simply rolled with whatever hand I was dealt. So, I'm content enjoying her company, and just seeing what happens.
Anyway, I want to thank everyone for their advice, especially the ladies lurkette and raeanna for their invaluable insight into the context of the passage.
__________________
I'll be the one to protect you from your enemies and all your demons.
I'll be the one to protect you from a will to survive and voice of reason.
I'll be the one to protect you from your enemies and your choices, son.
They're one and the same I must isolate you, isolate and save you from yourself."
- A Perfect Circle
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