Being a 'has been' has given me a different perspective. Why do we need religious leaders? Why do we need to feel like "we" are right and "they" are wrong? And why, do we need special underwear?
If the bible is 'true' and Christianity is the 'true' religion, I think that we have all really screwed up. I don't think that Christ meant for us to live by a rigid set of rules. He certainly didn't want us to live with quilt. And, I really don't think He or St. Peter cares what kind of underwear we are wearing.
I think religion should be like preschool. Let's all get along. Play nice. Let's sing when we are happy. And cry when we are sad. Lets remember to help those less fortunate, be charitable. Be good. Be honest. Be thankful. Without the quilt. Do what you want, with pride. Don't hide who you are. Quit confessing of all of your sins. Start rejoicing in your triumphs.
And, if we get up to the pearly white gates and St. Peter asks us what underwear we are wearing or what Kool Aid we are drinking- I'm gonna say: striped granny pannies and cherry (with vodka?) Now can I come in or not?
Food for thought... Neopaganism? Might work? What do you think?
Whoever you are: Catholic, Buddhist, Jewish, Atheist, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Quaker(?), or Mormon. Whatever Kool Aid you are drinking. I dig it, just don't make me drink it with you. Unless you have some vodka.
Peace be with you.
-mama s.
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ReplyDeleteHere's a blog I posted last year on the subject (sorry to flood your comments with my old blog, but it fits, right?!)
ReplyDeleteNow, I promise not get too deep, but I find myself questioning the existence of a “higher power” a lot lately. I’ve always considered myself an “optimistic agnostic.” Meaning, I’d love it if I found a religion I could believe in, would welcome the existence of a God, but am pretty skeptical.
Let me start out giving you a teeny bit of background information. I grew up going to church and going to a Catholic school. We went to church *most* Sundays until I started comparing myself to Jesus at which point my parents knew I wasn’t getting the message and we stopped. This happened probably around the same time in the bible where Jesus skips from childhood to adulthood (there I go comparing again…).
Anyway, I’ve never been super religious and since about the time I got my driver’s license was very skeptical of all religions.
A few weeks ago Z and I watched Curiosity on the Discovery Channel. It was Stephen Hawking explaining why there is no creator (before the big bang, there wasn’t time, there wasn’t anything, so there can’t be a God). It kind of made sense to me, but this is where I always get stuck on my agnostic-ness. How can something come from nothing? If there wasn’t a universe before the Big Bang… what/who created the big bang? Maybe my brain is just not built to understand…
The next thing that has spurred my recent conundrum is karma. I really believe in karma. You get what you give. If you’re a jerk to someone, someone will undoubtedly be a jerk to you (probably when you least need any jerkiness in your life). You hit someone’s car and run, something bad will happen to your car. How does karma exist if there is no higher power? Positive/negative energy just knows where to go? I think not.
And more! What about coincidence?! How does just the right thing/person land in your lap just when you need it most?
I don’t know. Do you good catholics have any advice for me? Z is catholic, too (sort of), and I’m wondering if I should stop trying to brainwash him and maybe just go with his quasi-religiousness.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to become some crazy religious freak (I don’t know that I can ever except the bible to be the word of God or a lot of other stuff that I’m not going to say at risk of being stoned), but I’d like to know – what is the middle ground? How am I supposed to raise my future children? Am I going to hell for writing this?
Peace be with YOU,
Dani