Heal the world.

On my drive home every day, I pass a stately old American Baptist church that sits in the center of town. There is always some sort of religiously related message (the sermon topic?) on the board our front. For the past two weeks, it has said, "Being different isn't the same as making a difference."

What??

What on Earth is that supposed to mean? Is being different bad? Do only conformists really make a difference? Do those kids who always try too hard to be different really think they are making a difference?

This is one of my (sometimes numerous) issues with organized religion. In an effort to say something profound, they've put out this muddled, potentially dangerous message. The only meaning I can take from it is: Being different is bad and doesn't change anything in the world, so you should just be like everyone else and concentrate on making a difference.

Yikes!

Why can't you be different and make a difference? In fact, I think that with so many things wrong today. With this whole culture where it's cool to be rude and nasty and not care about anyone or anything, maybe the way to make a difference is exactly the opposite of this church's message: Be different from everyone else. Don't be like everyone around you. Care about things. Respect people. Think. Then you can make a difference.