You know what curiousity does...

I have a problem. But, after having a fun conversation with friends, I don't think it's that uncommon.

I become interested/obsessed with cultures/religions that I have no knowledge of.

For instance, Mormons. I started reading dooce's blog a while ago, and became interested in Mormons. Why won't they drink coffee? Why do some take many wives, and some don't? How do they get around that law-wise? You know, just general questions. Then the show Big Love came on and I became obsessed with knowing more. Scratch that. Wondering more. I will rarely google Mormons. But when SB had clients from Utah, we each wondered if they had a few sister wives at home.

Where I work, there is a large community of Hassidic Jews. I'm obsessed with knowing about them. Them, I do google. I see them every day, I want to know what's up with the hats, and the wigs, and the no touching the stove on Sabbath. In relation to the stove thing, I was working a day with one of the employees, and while I was dropping off some dogs, she was in the car waiting. One of the Hassidic wives came out and asked her if she could come in the house and turn the stove down. They aren't allowed to touch the stove, but they still use the stove on the Sabbath and get other people to turn it on/adjust the temperature. (Isn't that kinda cheating?) When I came out and the employee told me this, I was aghast "and you didn't GO IN????"

So, all of that to say, I am very curious about other cultures and religions. I want to know all about their tights and curls, and 10 million children and multiple wives and abstinence from caffeine. But I'm always worried that it will come off the wrong way, and be offensive. So I never ask the questions. Although, I don't really know any Mormons, and Hassidic men are notorious for ignoring women (apparently it's disrespectful to their wives...). But if I did, I'm still not sure I'd ask.