So someone invited me to comment on religion today. And politics. And on a beef stroganoff recipe. The latter one is actually the most entertaining to me.
Religion reared it's head at the lunch table yesterday. Why don't I go to a church? Well, the last 2 churches I went to disbanded and decided to split families up. All in the name of religion. My home church told me that because I had premarital sex, I could not get married there. Even though the preacher was stealing money left and right....he thought it best to dictate this to me because God told him to. God, however, did not tell him to stop stealing.
The subject was on if college was making people think twice about going to church. My children went to college and actually go to church more now than they did previously. So no. That theory does not hold water. It holds the key that people are tired of doing things "Just because I said so".
Church is a hotbed of fellowship and spirit. Any time a group of people join to worship....that is church. In my eye, it is my choice to read my bible and learn what I can. I do not need anyone spoon feeding it to me like the local news chooses to do about politics. I am not saying I will not go back to a church but if there were a pew labeled :"Does not worship well with others" that is where you will find me sitting. I am rebellious and if given enough time to think on it, will openly disagree with what most regard as "Their way, the only way". Religion has evolved into one group thinking they are more deserving than another. My God would never stand for this.
Someone very close to me and very devout to her faith said something that just spoke wonders for me. "There should be no hunger, no want, no basic human need being unmet in ANY community today if a church is in the area to serve their people. It is the job of man and not the government to see that this is done". Until that time....until I can go to a church and no one is expecting me to hand them ONLY money....then I think that is the church for me. I want to see people helping each other. That is the truest spirit and testament of faith.
Blogger ate my first comment and made me sign in a total of 4 times. I wonder if that was Blogger's commentary on the value of my words? Anyway, I agree with your post. I've had similar negative experiences with organized religion. Every time I say "organized religion" I automatically think of "organized crime," the power structure, the patriarchy, etc. Coincidence?
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