Turns out my homemaker is a Muslim, so today we had a very interesting talk about religion and me being atheist and all.  He is very knowledgeable for someone so young, although maybe all Muslims are.  He is the first I have interacted with that I am aware of, and definitely the first I have discussed religion with.  Learned some things, one of which is how alike all major religions are.  How ironic is it that we all share the same basic beliefs, and yet use any small differences as excuses to hate and even murder each other.  You just can’t seem to get past the basic flaw in humanity, which is hate, kill, look down upon any and every one who is not exactly like yourself.  Sad.  If there is a god, and he did create us, either he made a huge error somewhere along the process, or if he made us like himself, he is a very flawed character.  I am happier being atheist.

I did feel it necessary to question one thing.  The Koran seems to condemn homosexuality, like the Bible does.  So if, as he says, the Koran is the last written of the four major books of religion, and the most unchanged and perfect, is it implying that, if god made each of us, that in the case of homosexuals, he made a mistake?  God was wrong?  How can that be if god is omnipotent and perfect and does not make mistakes?  Seems a bit of a contradiction there, at least to me.  He didn’t really have a good rebuttal for that, and I think it made him uncomfortable, which was not my intent, but if I have a question, I’m going to ask it, cause I have no tact, as my friend Beth delights in reminding me frequently.  No tact and no filters.  Religion puzzles me, because it does seem that it used for hate more than for good, in spite of what the religious people would have you believe.  I am proud to be atheist.  I do my best to do the right thing and treat people with kindness and compassion, because it is the right thing to do, not because some religion tells me I should.  If I only do right because I’m afraid of retribution, then I am not really a good person.

Lots to think about.  I do love a good discussion, and very few people seem open to discussing things without getting angry or resentful.  Discussions are not arguments, they are exchanges of views, sometimes heated exchanges, but not angry or malicious exchanges.  We don’t talk enough, we don’t hear other people’s views enough, without our defenses going up.  There’s nothing to defend against.  Your point of view is yours, mine is mine, and I learn from hearing yours, as I would hope you learn from hearing mine.  Doesn’t mean minds are changed, or attempts made to change them.  Okay.  Done.

Okra.  Definitely okra.  Probably liver, too, but definitely okra.  Ick.

Re yesterday’s menu, the only thing on there that I don’t approve of is marshmallows on sweet potatoes.  No. No, no, no.  My dad made the best candied sweet  potatoes, with nary a marshmallow in sight.  He cooked the potatoes, peeled and sliced them, and layered them with butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Then he baked them til the top was crispy.  He used a 13×9 pan, cause there were five of us, plus guests.  Too deep and the potatoes don’t get the right finish.  My dad was a fabulous cook, so was his dad.  He even made his own waffle cutter for fries, among other things.  He made a steak roll, with some kind of bread stuffing in it, that was fantastic.  Oh, I must be hungry.  LOL  Lemon meringue pie.  Deep-fried shrimp.  Onion rings.  My mom, on the other hand made pickled watermelon rind, watery spaghetti sauce, other barely edible things, with the occasional spectacular dish, like pot au feu, which was the best thing ever invented in the world.  I make great toast.  I used to cook a lot, and always from scratch, but once I became ill, it sort of fell by the wayside.  I miss cooking sometimes, but it’s just not on, except for the rare good day when everything comes together.  Guess I’m done for now.