My Problem With Pride

Is Pride A Good Thing?

I believe each of us gets to live our lives the way we want.

There are many gods but the one I serve is all about freedom to choose.

He’s huge on free will and while he has standards for living He never pushes them on anyone.

He never forces anyone to believe Him or follow his rules.

If you know me you know I’m all about people doing what they want to do even if I disagree.

Who cares what I think but I still get to do my word therapy and type out my thoughts to figure out what I believe.

I guess the reason I’m like that is because I don’t like to be told what to believe or how to live my life so I sure as Hell have no right to tell anyone else how to live theirs.

I also will do my research and make up my own mind about issues, your pressure won’t change that.

And while I’ll listen, when I make up my mind, I’m good.

Somethings been grating at my soul and I want to talk about it.

Remember that God I told you I serve, or try to?

One of the things He tells me not to be is prideful.

Over and over He warns me about pride and the slippery slope and destruction found when I get there.

There’s a lot of talk right now about Pride.

I don’t think anyone needs to be ashamed of who they are unless they’re horribly cruel and inhumane to their fellow humans.

I think folks should be able to celebrate this month as they wish.

For me it’s the month of my birth and how I choose to celebrate is no one’s business.

If some choose to celebrate LGBTQ and call it Pride, okay.

Put up flags, hold rallies, get together with friends.

Celebrate as you wish.

But when it comes to public entities(schools, courthouses, city halls), I think they need to remain neutral.

Not everyone see’s the PRIDE the same way so it’s important our public entities be neutral on the issue.

Before you jump down my throat, let me step on a few more toes, I don’t think we should put the Ten Commandments in public buildings either.

Fair is fair.

Public space should be ideology free.

As I continue to think on this issue I also wonder if the name “Pride” best describes the goal.

I’m trying to tread lightly because I know, the nature of social media is, I will get pounced on for my next comments.

I grew up and still believe humility is what we should seek as human beings.

Pride is the complete opposite of humility.

I know some of you don’t believe or follow the teachings of the Bible but I do.

I Googled “what does the bible say about pride”?

The Bible presents pride as a destructive force, both spiritually and practically.

It says God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.

No one wants to spend a lot of time with prideful people instead we gravitate to those who are humble.

So why Pride Month?

Some of you will come after me with the argument, that being proud of who you are is admirable.

I agree that we need to look at our positive attributes and not focus on the negative.

But if we put too much emphasis on pride, do we know when we slip into dangerous waters?

But when someone says “I’m proud of myself” or acts in a prideful manner, it’s not a positive for most of us and doesn’t draw us to those people.

Humility is a magnet.

The meaning of words does matter.

So this is why Pride seems like the wrong goal.

We should strive for Humility.

I remember 30 years ago, ticking off a women’s rights activist when I asked why she didn’t want to be referred to as a  lady or female but instead a woman, when woman literally means “From Man.” Seems odd to me a feminist would want to be called From Man?

So then why “Pride?”

I have plenty of people in my life who would identify as falling under the Pride Flag but they are the most humble people I know and they don’t  push they just let our relationship be.

Maybe it’s time we stop identifying people based on their party or a flag or a group or what they believe or how they see themselves.

Instead of separation and pointing out differences maybe we should come up with a new flag or make June a new month.

How about the “Stop Labeling People Month?”

Or “Leave me the F—k Alone Month.”

Or “Humility Month.”

That’s all.