Pope Francis wants the phrase about temptation in the Lord's Prayer to be changed. I read his reasoning in here and agree with his diagnosis of the problem. But I think his suggestion, "do not let us fall into temptation" is not a good one. I see that as just a new way to pass the buck; it isn't my fault I ate the cookie or stole from the tip jar or whatever, it's God's fault because he "let me fall into temptation." I think a better phrasing would be "please help me resist temptation," because then if you screw up you know you screwed up and you hadn't put in your fair share of the effort.
I'm also *way* pissed at the video of some cop murdering a civilian. The story is here on the BBC and the video here. I know the jury found the officer not guilty but I don't understand how that is possible given the video. The video is terrifying if you have any sort of empathy and I'm still shaking (I saw it more than an hour ago). I also want to hear officers repudiate the shooter's actions. I know cops shout a lot (I watch far more true crime/cops/Live PD than can possibly be healthy) and I know they are trained to take control of the situations in which they find themselves (shouting seems to be a requirement). I don't think shouting helped anything here, other than ramp up everyone's anxiety. I also think Daniel Shaver was trying to comply with orders and I fear the officer was looking for an excuse to shoot him.
I think if it had been me rather than Daniel Shaver, I'd be likewise dead. Not that I drink or even own a projectile weapon of any sort, but because if I get too frightened it's like my mind short-circuits and I make dumb mistakes like confusing my right and left hands (the cop did say if he made *any* mistakes he would be shot). I also would not be able to crawl with my ankles crossed (not sure how *anyone* could) and even uncrossed I'm not sure how I'd do what with my messed up spine. There was a night while watching Live PD I thought it would be fun to follow along during one of the sobriety checks and failed miserably. I can't walk a straight line as my feet don't necessarily go where I tell them to go. And I can't keep my balance either, not even on both feet let alone while holding one in the air.
There's an event from around here I may have mentioned before and I think of often. I wasn't there, I read about it Metro Times in an article about an underground rave the Detroit Police raided. I know the rave was held in an abandoned building and drug use suspected; one of people captured is disabled and in a wheelchair. The officer ordered him to put his hands on his head and he couldn't. He tried to tell the officer his hand/arms couldn't do that; the officer said "well today they can," and wrenched them into the position he wanted. Causing pain and muscular damage to the guy in the wheelchair. I am unhappy that the guy was hurt but also troubled that the police have no way to know who is trying to deceive them versus who is telling the honest truth. I've repeatedly seen people lie to the cops on traffic stops, domestics, etc., so how is an officer supposed to know?
If it weren't for you folk on LJ/DW/IJ, I'd join Grumpycat in hating everyone.
This entry was originally posted at https://mrs-sweetpeach.dreamwidth.org/953638.html.