Throwback Thursday: Religion Explained As Directions to Ma’s Doughnut Shop


Going through our archives, we came across this great post by Dr. AnnMaria De Mars from December 10, 2015 “Religion Explained As Directions to Ma’s Doughnut Shop” that we wanted to share in case you missed it the first time around.

Someone made a video explaining sexual assault in terms of tea. It was brilliant.  For example:

If someone asks you for tea, you make it and you come back in the room and they are passed out drunk, you don’t pour the tea on them just because you made it. Unconscious people don’t want tea.

 

I was flying home today through multiple airports where I passed people wearing hijabs and cowboy hats and yarmulkes and it got me thinking for some random reason about how religion is like directions to Ma’s Doughnut Shop in Trenton, New Jersey.

           

Say you think Ma’s Doughnut Shop is north of Broadway & Main and I think it is south. There are four possibilities:

1. I’m right

2. You’re right.

3. Neither of us is right. It’s east or west of Broadway and Main.

4. It’s impossible to be right because Ma’s Doughnut Shop does not exist. Maybe it never did exist, or it closed down five years ago.

Here is what is perfectly okay :

I can tell you that I think I am right and I don’t believe the same as you. I think you are wrong.

I think I’m right but I don’t tell you anything because you can go off north if you want. I don’t really care what you do.

You can tell me that you think you’re right and that you think I’m wrong.

You can think you are right and keep it to yourself, because what do you care if I go south.

We can argue and try to convince each other until we get tired of talking.

Here is what is NOT okay.

You shooting me for thinking Ma’s is to the south.

Me grabbing you and trying to force you to go south.

Me shooting you for thinking Ma’s is to the north.

You trying to force me to go north because that is the correct direction.

Refusing to hire someone because their belief about the location of the doughnut shop.

Refusing to rent or sell a home to someone because of their Ma’s Doughnut views.

Refusing to allow anyone into the country because of their Ma’s Doughnut orientation.

I’m Catholic. That’s very important to me in my life. But it’s MY life. If you are Jewish, Muslim, atheist or worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster, that’s your right. I disagree with you – a lot, actually – but we have this thing called freedom of religion in America.

So, while I feel pretty confident that I’m going to end up eating some chocolate doughnuts while you’ll be cooling your heels in Hoboken, you’ve got every right to keep heading north every weekend.


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