4/4/04 - "Mormon meetings."

I have my second to last Mormon meeting tomorrow, and ususally I'm kind of excited for them because they're really interesting, but I don't really want to go tomorrow... too bad I had to cancel last week, so I have to go this week. I'm sure I'll be glad I went afterwards, because that's how it always is. I was supposed to go to one of their General Conference sessions today, but Anthony coming took precedence. It would have been interesting to go... but I wasn't too keen on spending an hour on the bus on a Sunday morning, especially just to witness a practice of a religion that I have decided is not in fact true. I don't think it's as dangerous or as subversive as a lot of people do, in fact I have a lot of respect for it, but the more I've learned the more I've realized is wrong with it. Anyway, I'll have to explain my absence, because one reason I agreed to go was that the missionaries got kudos for the more people they brought in... I hate it when I have to explain why I'm not going to their church on Sundays. They're missionaries, and they obviously weren't always missionaries, but since shortly after high school they have been, so I don't think they completely understand why being in a long-distance, long-term relationship, and with a person with no discernible faith, means not being able to just run around to churches during one of two (and now one of one) days you get to spend with them. I mean, they're not stupid, they understand the concept of it, I just don't think they empathize. Empathy is an important human emotion... sympathy can be feigned too easily, even subconsciously so that neither party realizes it's empty, but empathy... it makes an instant connection between two people. A girl you've never met is in the bathroom, her period just started and she's freaking. She implores you for a tampon, and you, knowing how awful that situation can be, start a frantic search through your purse, finally procuring one and saving her day. In that instant you are best friends. Afterwards you go your separate ways, but if you see eachother again you remember, and you both smile. That's why empathy is so cool. Sympathy... would take longer than I feel like taking to come up with another example, but you get my drift.