My Sunday Thought for 01292017: Man from Mars

I was recently asked by a young man how I lived life as a "man from mars". That was a phrase he had heard at work to describe me (I take no offense at their characterization of me). I have often said I look at life from a slightly off center view point and I make no apologies about it. 

He [the young man] is a very interesting person and has a lot views on things that differ greatly from his age group, which at times has caused him problems. I told him it took me decades to come to terms with who I am. I told him how I struggled to be "normal" without even having any idea of what normal might be. 

I changed my personality to please whomever I might be around. Life was a constant struggle to get others to "like" me. Then I read a book titled "Slow Walk in a Sad Rain," by John P. MacAfee. The book is about a group of men serving in Vietnam and as a Marine Corps Vietnam Veteran it touched a chord with me. One thing that really stood out for me though was a description of a sign that the soldiers had posted that read, "Normal ain't nothing but a cycle on a washing machine." It's true and I have held to that idea ever since. 

I explained to my young friend that normal is what makes him happy, that normal is who he is, and not who others think he should be. I told him that if someone calls you weird, say "Thank you for noticing!". I told him to own his individuality, that being one of a kind is a fantastic way to walk through life. Not cherishing individuality is my biggest gripe with many religions. They don't accept people as they find them. Instead, they insist that we become "normal," by their standards, if we want to be part of their religion. They don't understand that they lose many interesting, valuable people with those standards. Be yourself. It's the best way to be. 

Posted by Pastor David Martin

January 20, 2017

When I read this post by David Martin, I was struck by how I have managed to live my own life as a "man from Mars."  Our talent seems to be one of survival.  At first you morph into the chameleon, blending in with the crowd as best you can; becoming what they want to see or what they think you should be.  

There comes an "Ah ha!" moment when you realize they're the ones who have bought into your bullshit, the moment when you realize you're the one pulling the strings, fooling them into accepting what you want them to see, and they see because they are just shallow people with little or no grasp on reality.  It is the moment in your life when you discover "weird" is in the eye of the beholder and "normal ain't nothing but a cycle on a washing machine."

Others will come and follow the crowd, more than happy to walk through the door marked "normal" and drink their cyanide laced fruit punch, like lemmings off a cliff, they follow some faceless leader.

At that moment in time you discover you are truly different, and that difference is not a bad thing.  Your difference makes you who you are, deeper than shallow, more colorful than the black and white around you.  Like a man out of time, or not of this world, you become a man apart from the crowd; you become your own man, and return home - to your self.  

"Fifty millions miles apart, and no way to bridge the gap, no way to return my body and my soul to their true home."

-- John Carter (2012)

Being an individual is not a bad thing.  People are afraid of what they don't understand.  They prefer life to be one of structure and uniformity, and if you don't fit the mold, if you aren't their round peg for the round hole, they will look for another peg.  Maybe it's because, they know accepting difference will disrupt their uniformity, their constant.  

Square pegs and round holes is where hammers come in handy.  I've learned to think of myself as a hammer.  Don't concern yourself with what other people think, follow your own path.  If there's a brick wall blocking your path, make a door.  You're only beaten when you quit.  It's how we roll on the red planet.

“A man's deepest fear is that he is not good enough or that he is incompetent. He compensates for this fear by focusing on increasing his power and competence. Success, achievement, and efficiency are foremost in his life ... A man appears most uncaring when he is afraid.”

-- John Gray, "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus"

Should one ask if the only constant in the universe is change, or if the only constant is things that need changing?  Perhaps, in the end, we will find it is wiser to just be.  Until that time, however, never let it be said there aren't individuals among us who just can't leave well enough alone.  We are the difference which makes other people consider their own sameness.  We're the nondescript ones in the corner, the geeks in the basement office, and the folks that see the universe differently.  We tolerate, we understand, we love, and we follow our own path.

“I have ever been prone to seek adventure and to investigate and experiment where wiser men would have left well enough alone.”

-- Edgar Rice Burroughs, "A Princess of Mars"

Sometimes, when I'm bored, I begin to write of things not of here; flights of imagination which entertains as much as they bring clarity.  These are selfish moments for me; moments which help me remember why we're all here, and who we ultimately serve.  Are we men from Mars, children of God, both?  Sunday is a great time to practice being who we really are, and to consider why we're really here. 

“Whatever I may do to serve you will be prompted solely from selfish motives, since it gives me more pleasure to serve you than not.”

-- Edgar Rice Burroughs, "A Princess of Mars"

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to the intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, in the guise of the Congregation's official, online, blog, "The Path," of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead chaplain at a regional medical center.