Re: Narnian creed

Hi--

Regarding religious songs--I get a little tired of the kind of person who gets offended at another person singing a religious song at a filk. If your belief system is so shaky that you can't even listen to some other kind of religious song, that's your problem and you need to solve it.

However, being asked to sing along with something you don't believe in--that's different. That's asking someone to utter words out of their own mouth they don't agree with--and that's not right. I remember vividly being in a circle when some BNF decided that EVERYONE was going to join in the "Pagan Round". She looked at me as though I were some kind of intolerant lout when I refused--because the words contradict my beliefs. I wouldn't ask people to sing along with me to a song which directly invokes the name of Jesus Christ--I'd appreciate being shown the courtesy in return.

If I sing religious songs, I prefer to sing either traditional or humorous ones. I'm very content to leave the heavy gospel stuff for church. I don't think they're appropriate for a filk. That's my own decision however, and obviously I can't hold anybody to it.

Regarding stepping on toes and BNF's having more of a license to do so--maybe that's true for everyone else. It wasn't for me. I was a BNF at one time, and I found the rules for that role bewildering and frustrating. All I managed to do was step on toes--I think the BNF is held to a different, if not higher, standard of etiquette. And the trouble is that no one will say anything if the BNF offends, because they are so damn afraid of offending the BNF. Pfui! Enough already--I'm glad it's over.

Mice who don't squak when they get stepped on die. Those who do squeak have a better chance of living. I get frustrated with people who let themselves get stepped on until their egos bleed and then blame the person "doing" the stepping. Come on, if you feel frustrated, speak up! Maybe then someone can do something! And, no, being shy is no excuse. If my Huntington's disease-affected friends can learn to follow that rule with their slurred, slow speech, then so can almost anybody else.

I hope my comments in the last paragraph don't offend anybody--but it's something I've been meaning to say for a while. I mean it as a thought-provoking statement, not a slam at anybody in particular.

I guess I'd better go do some real work now.

Anne Received on 01/31/97