This is a rant.  I will not really apologize for this.

It all started innocently enough; someone asked me what I was reading and I responded I'd just picked up The Sea of Monsters tonight by Rick Riordan and I'm about halfway through it already.  The conversation then proceeded to spiral downwards as one person launched into how terrible and cliche these types of books are.  Perhaps they are a bit cliche and silly - but they're teen-young adult books; they're going to be a little cliche.  Unnamed person continued to go on at length about how high fantasy books are awful and people need to write more real, gritty, bloody books.  This person went on at length and continued to be utterly intolerant of anyone else's view.  It then made me want to laugh outright because it was then announced that said person was writing a book from the viewpoint of a sarcastic college student who experiences some abnormal things; which means that said person is basically writing a dream book about what they wish their life is about.

I generally don't react well to intolerant people.  I think that while I don't like everything, I can learn from it and appreciate the value of something I don't necessarily like - to other people.  It's kind of a way I operate universally; opinions, beliefs, all of it.  I will offer my own opinions, views or what have you and when it's offensive I'll state this is my opinion, you might not like it, but I'll just express it this once.  This happens a lot with religion; I have a lot of friends who are not even remotely friendly to the subject.  I have had the conversation many times when I explain what I believe, that it's important to me that my friends understand that, and if they don't want to hear about it - okay - I can live with that, but at least saying it once is important.  I do it nicely, but everyone's respectful.  I don't berate people for having a different opinion than myself - even if I think it's hair-brained ridiculously stupid.  I do not, however, take well to people who believe their way is the only way for something to be done. 

Of course the one thing I do believe in whole heartedly that is the only way - is Jesus.  In my mind believing that Jesus is the one true Son of the Living God, who was killed, resurrected, and sits at the Right Hand of the Father is the one and only way to enter Heaven.  I can - however as much as it pains me - understand that not everyone shares my belief.  There are things that this belief dictates that I, personally, think are wrong or not permissible, but I can also understand that not everyone sees things the way I do - and I can love them despite that.

I think that intolerance is an issue.  We aren't a segregated country anymore, but intolerance still ferments.  It grows into something else.  I'm rambling now, so I'll stop and go clean.  Maybe I've said something of value here, maybe I've just ranted about something that makes no sense to anyone but me. Oh well.