I too have been judged by others and feel that we should not judge others - sometimes it is hard especially when we feel so passionate about something.  For example I hate it when people judge me by saying something like "You do puppets?! You are really strange!!"  or "Puppeteers are just not right in the head!"  Puppets are a passion of mine (and many of yours as well!!) and I actually feel badly when others don't have that same passion.  I can try to introduce them to my passion, but it doesn't always work. It is not wrong to want to introduce others to our passions, but it is still up to those other people as to whether they understand or want to know more. We may not understand why others would not want to be part of our passion, but it is still their choice.  We may know they are missing out on something wonderful (we all know puppetry is wonderful), but like the saying goes, "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink".  This same thing can apply to other things in our lives as well obviously.
And yes PUPPETS ROCK!!!!

I can relate LJ................... You should see the looks I get when in conversation with most men when they ask:" what do you do for a living?" I answer................... I make puppets? Say what! LOL

Puppets do rock!
BD

I wasn't sure about adding my two cents, not being religious at all... But I have a question: do you find more Americans discuss their religious beliefs than other nationalities? (Or at least online anyway?)

Personally, being an Aussie, we don't really discuss personal religion. I think actually we're a pretty secular country in terms of quantity and quality of theological discussions. I always notice on American blogs, the bio is always something like: "I'm a mom, with three kids and I'm Christian". The religious position is always noted, as if that's the main defining characteristic of a person. Here in Oz, we don't wear our religion on our sleeves as it were. (Generalising of course) Or is it just that puppet ministry tends to make some discussions a bit biased towards religious positions?

When I first saw this thread I was confronted by it; not so much because I'm not religious, but simply because I'm so used to people keeping their beliefs to themselves. (It's not a freedom of speech issue here - even though we don't have a legal right to it in Australia, don't ask - more that we're just not putting it front and centre of everything in comparison to the US)

I think you may be right Na about the fact that Americans are more public with their religious beliefs. I think it is also a core of christian faiths to "spread the news".  I know that growing up in the baptist faith that we had revivals and also there was also an emphasis on going out and witnessing about your faith to people.  I guess it is like other things we have found out about here on PandS, that there are cultural differences.  It is one thing I really love about having members from all over the world.

Thank you everyone for keeping things civil and making this a learning experience!

@Shawn, I find it odd especially when you talk about spreading the news. I attended a Methodist school for 8 years, where it was compulsory to attend chapel services once a fortnight (being a Jew, that was a weird thing at first, but I got used to it). Despite this, at no time did I feel I was being preached at or being asked to convert. Additionally, there are considerably less "spreading the news" in mainstream media, politics, and general life here.

Or maybe I just never got exposed to it - but it certainly seems more the done thing from what I see and hear from American media. 

Na, I understand what you are saying and allow me to make an observation based on my year of being the only American living with a group of Australians in Papua New Guinea. (I know one year is not enough to really make a valid observation but it is what I experienced) Americans tend to be more open about most things while Australians tend to be a bit reserved when it comes to discussing things of a personal nature. In fact after my year in PNG was over and I returned to the US, one of my co-workers at the school where I was teaching in PNG came over to visit me in the States and apologized to me after seeing how most Americans are.  She said "Now I understand why it was so hard for you to be around us Aussies, you Americans are much more open and verbal about things."  That helped me a lot - I had thought that they all just hated me and I didn't know what I had done!  My students loved me, but children tend to be more open and verbal anyway, but I never could "build relationships" with any of the adults (at least relationships in the way my American mind was thinking). So yes, I think that culture does have something to do with all this as well.  And I too, LOVE the way we have so many other cultures and countries on this forum.  I feel it is part of my education to others around the world!!

. You should see the looks I get when in conversation with most men when they ask:" what do you do for a living?" I answer................... I make puppets? Say what!

Once after I told someone I was a ventriloquist who does programs for children I was asked "So what is your REAL job?"  When I said, "This IS my REAL job.", they didn't know what to say and just walked away!!

Yep I suppose being in the puppet ministry does sort of gear the conversation to religion. I have two passions. Puppetry and Preaching and it is important to me to get the word out. I think it is awesome that I am getting nice replies you all are wonderful! Sometimes I get fussed at but that comes with the territory.  It is awesome to have people from all over the world here . It is nice to chat with interesting people with the same passion for puppets! like I said before Puppets Rock!

I don't know anything about Australia and America I know from the series and films on TV. But I noticed is that the Americans it is more open and more normal to talk about God.
It is difficult to explain in another language what I experience here in Holland.
You have to live what you believe in so they can see and feel that what you believe you show it to the world. And many people in Church forget the living part it is a word and wall you can't talk to and not a believe. I love it when people let is see and are open to talk about it so you can understand eachother. I hope you understand what L was trying to explain.........

Awesome gompie! I like what you said here. You know all of us no matter where we are from should live what we believe. The problem is that a lot of people don't.  That is why there is so much trouble with Church. People go in expecting to be treated fairly and good no matter what they look like etc. The Bible tells us to love one another. The sad thing is that some Churches judge people by how they look or what they did in the past or even judge them by how much money they have. If Christians in particular would really live as they should by the Bible Churches would be wonderful places to be. There are still a few good ones. I like what you said gompie thanks for your comments. If you ever want to talk religion or have any questions just email me or send me a message on my profile here. That goes for all you guys. I can honestly say that this is a wonderful community to be a part of. I love you guys! And don't forget. Puppets Rock!!! lol