Continuing what appears to be a MArooned tradition at this point...
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on
the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to
look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the
Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone
and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were
white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and
became like dead men.
The angel said to the women,
"Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was
crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see
the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has
risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you
will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from
the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped
his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.
Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)
Today we celebrate His Resurrection. Rejoice.
That is all.
Showing posts with label Church Chat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church Chat. Show all posts
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Crisis of Faith...
So, Pope Francis, the titular head of my religion, has apparently decided to alienate a good portion of his followers. It was bad enough when he was waxing philosophical on global warming. It's disheartening to see the head of the Catholic faith swallow the rhetoric and come to a conclusion based on what has been proven to be chicanery in the form of anthropogenic global warming. The "science" is far from settled, and to be giving what skates on the edge of official Church doctrine based on biased and one-sided accounts and anecdotes (wasn't NYC supposed to be underwater by 2015?) is sad to see.
But what's really bothering me is the latest missive regarding Francis' personal views on weapons and manufacturers:
It gets worse:
And let's not even get into the vast array of weaponry issued to the Pope's Vatican Guard.
And don't even get me started on the absolute FLAMING hypocrisy of the media. NOW, the Catholic faith is relevant. What the Pope has to say is front page news, and they're cheering lustily when the Pope is taking holy swings at gun control and global warming deniers. It's in stark contrast to the seemingly endless number of reports a few years back about abuse in the Church - oh, the media couldn't hate hard enough, and in this case, rightfully so.
A more skeptical person might question Francis' motives for eagerly aiding and abetting his new "friends" in the media.
But I digress. I take this quite personally. I've struggled with my own faith for many years - I do firmly believe in a higher power, and in His son Jesus Christ, but I do *not* trust fallible men to interpret His will. Throughout all of recorded human history, stories of men using religion as a cudgel abound, and any time you expect mortal, fallible humans to faithfully interpret His will, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
But to hear the Pope - the head of the damn Church - giving such inflammatory, hateful speeches? Impugning my Christianity? Telling me I'm being duplicitous? Pardon me, Pope Francis, but you have no place here, sir. And, quite frankly, it disturbs me how judgmental you are being - you know, all that "judge not, lest ye be judged" business. Without knowing me, without knowing what kind of person I am, what kind of *Christian* I am, you have pronounced me a hypocrite based solely on my line of work.
Most of the responses I can craft would most likely lead to my excommunication. But you know what? If my Church is going to be hijacked by a leftist pandering to the extremists in the media, I'm not certain that's a bad thing. Because, frankly, I want nothing to do with an organization fronted by someone that would eagerly and willingly throw me - and the thousands of wonderful people in many organizations I know - under the bus.
For now, I urge my fellow Christians to do the one thing that has always gotten the Church to take notice: Stop donating. I fully intend to let my church know that, bearing in mind what the Pope has to say about me and my Christianity, that I cannot in good conscience fund their efforts. If enough of us send enough letters, and more importantly stop filling coffers, perhaps the next group the Pope decides to toss under the leftist bus will get out before they become wheel chocks.
In closing, can you impeach a Pope?
That is all.
But what's really bothering me is the latest missive regarding Francis' personal views on weapons and manufacturers:
People who manufacture weapons or invest in weapons industries are hypocrites if they call themselves Christian, Pope Francis said on Sunday.Um, no. They would be hypocrites if they called themselves Christians but did not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their savior. Full stop. There is nothing unchristian about manufacturing a piece of metal, and it's complete and utter lunacy to suggest otherwise. Knives, bats, tire irons, automobiles, gasoline; the list is endless of items that can and have been used to kill our fellow humans.
It gets worse:
He also criticised those who invest in weapons industries, saying “duplicity is the currency of today ... they say one thing and do another.”Excuse me, but isn't he bearing false witness? He's extrapolating mal intent on the part of someone who might invest in a weapon-related industry and assigning a sin to them - duplicity, a.k.a. lying. For starters, pretty much every major company has ties to someone that makes weapons. Folks that worked for GE - heck, folks that work for Home Depot, where GE appliances are sold - are they all hypocrites and liars?
And let's not even get into the vast array of weaponry issued to the Pope's Vatican Guard.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the guard added bolt-action rifles, like the German K98 Mauser, and early automatic pistols to the arsenal. Guardsmen later trained on SIG submachine guns. Today, the soldiers have access to an assortment of compact automatic weapons guns like the HK MP-5 and Steyr TMP, as well as SIG assault rifles and Glock pistols.Submachine guns, assault rifles, and high capacity handguns. Those are the weapons issued to the soldiers tasked with guarding Pope Francis. Are the men sworn to defend His Holiness not Christians? Do they get a pass, like American police officers being exempt from NFA regulations or cops in NY being able to load more than 7 rounds in a magazine?
And don't even get me started on the absolute FLAMING hypocrisy of the media. NOW, the Catholic faith is relevant. What the Pope has to say is front page news, and they're cheering lustily when the Pope is taking holy swings at gun control and global warming deniers. It's in stark contrast to the seemingly endless number of reports a few years back about abuse in the Church - oh, the media couldn't hate hard enough, and in this case, rightfully so.
A more skeptical person might question Francis' motives for eagerly aiding and abetting his new "friends" in the media.
But I digress. I take this quite personally. I've struggled with my own faith for many years - I do firmly believe in a higher power, and in His son Jesus Christ, but I do *not* trust fallible men to interpret His will. Throughout all of recorded human history, stories of men using religion as a cudgel abound, and any time you expect mortal, fallible humans to faithfully interpret His will, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
But to hear the Pope - the head of the damn Church - giving such inflammatory, hateful speeches? Impugning my Christianity? Telling me I'm being duplicitous? Pardon me, Pope Francis, but you have no place here, sir. And, quite frankly, it disturbs me how judgmental you are being - you know, all that "judge not, lest ye be judged" business. Without knowing me, without knowing what kind of person I am, what kind of *Christian* I am, you have pronounced me a hypocrite based solely on my line of work.
Most of the responses I can craft would most likely lead to my excommunication. But you know what? If my Church is going to be hijacked by a leftist pandering to the extremists in the media, I'm not certain that's a bad thing. Because, frankly, I want nothing to do with an organization fronted by someone that would eagerly and willingly throw me - and the thousands of wonderful people in many organizations I know - under the bus.
For now, I urge my fellow Christians to do the one thing that has always gotten the Church to take notice: Stop donating. I fully intend to let my church know that, bearing in mind what the Pope has to say about me and my Christianity, that I cannot in good conscience fund their efforts. If enough of us send enough letters, and more importantly stop filling coffers, perhaps the next group the Pope decides to toss under the leftist bus will get out before they become wheel chocks.
In closing, can you impeach a Pope?
That is all.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
He Is Risen.
Continuing what appears to be a MArooned tradition at this point...
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)
Today we celebrate His Resurrection. Rejoice.
That is all.
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)
Today we celebrate His Resurrection. Rejoice.
That is all.
Monday, May 20, 2013
iPope
Thought this was pretty interesting...
Pope Francis answers a new calling: Catholic Church's iPad app
Then again, attendance is tough enough now without folks being able to watch mass on their iPads...
That is all.
Pope Francis answers a new calling: Catholic Church's iPad app
The Catholic Church unveiled a new iPad application this week, intended to keep the faithful abreast of Vatican comings-and-goings, as well as other news from the church’s missions throughout the world.I downloaded it to see what it was all about; looks like it's mainly videos and news releases. Pretty standard fair, didn't see much that would distinguish it from other news-related sites except for content, of course. It will be interesting to see how it develops, of course; personally, I think it would be really cool if they could get weekly update and coordinate it with one's local parish. Imagine getting your weekly bulletin directly to your iPhone!
Called the MISSIO App, the new software debuted during a ceremony hosted this week by newly-minted Pope Francis in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall, according to the Catholic News Agency, or CNA.
Then again, attendance is tough enough now without folks being able to watch mass on their iPads...
That is all.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Appeal To Authority...
Boy Howdy, look who got themselves back in the good graces of the mainstream media...
Catholic bishops: It’s pro-life to ban assault weapons
But now the Catholic Church is being held up as a moral authority in the WAPO because they're speaking out for gun control?
The media was gleeful - joyful, even - over the abuse scandal. It had everything they could possibly want - people in positions of power abusing the weak, people in higher positions of power covering up that abuse, a source of moral authority forever tainted by their craven actions in the face of the scandals. There was pretty much everything you'd need to bring down the only competitor to big Nanny government in one tidy little package, and the Catholic Church seemed hell-bent on wrapping that package up in a nice red bow and mailing it, postage paid, to the media itself.
And once again, liberals prove Ann Coulter right that history began this morning.
With one proclamation - the Catholic Church supports an assault weapons ban - they have been welcomed back into the fold (of the American left). All past sins are washed away - until it becomes convenient to bring it back up, mind you. The Catholic Church acts very much the battered wife to the abusive husband of the mainstream media. [SMACK] Birth control. It's okay, he didn't mean it, you can eat meat on Friday. [SMACK] Abortion. It's my fault for provoking him. We oppose the death penalty. [SMACK] Pedophile priests! I still love him, we oppose assault weapons.
Don't expect that snake to behave any differently, Rome.
It is especially unfortunate that the Church is blaming the tool, not the sinner here. They're calling for support for a ban on inanimate objects, as though the tool here is what is at fault rather than in the heart of the sinner. Swords into plowshares, I suppose; although it certainly seems as though they missed the part about selling one's cloak if one had no sword. It is disappointing to see a return to the time of totems and diadems, where inanimate objects are viewed as though they contained the evil force themselves. Not very progressive-thinking.
I'll continue to support my own church, but I won't taint the Church with any of my evil "assault weapon" owning money...
That is all.
Catholic bishops: It’s pro-life to ban assault weapons
The injustice of taking innocent life lies at the heart of the church’s pro-life position. There is no question about the innocence of pre-born children. And Americans are becoming more and more uneasy as we learn of people on death row eventually found innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted. And surely, after the gunning down of primary grade children in Newtown, Connecticut, it is clear assault weapons stand out dramatically as a threat to innocent life.
The U.S. bishops now call on people to support federal legislation to require background checks for all gun purchases, to limit civilian access to high-capacity weapons and ammunition magazines and to make gun trafficking a federal crime. The bishops also want a ban on assault weapons.You know, it wasn't all that long ago that the Catholic Church was being used as a kickball by the mainstream media over pervasive and long-standing sexual abuse scandals. A fair number of Catholic priests were molesting young men and women, mostly altar servers, and when confronted with evidence of the abuse, the abusers were simply shuttled from parish to parish, with the new parish not being informed of the abuser's past, nor law enforcement ever being involved.
But now the Catholic Church is being held up as a moral authority in the WAPO because they're speaking out for gun control?
The media was gleeful - joyful, even - over the abuse scandal. It had everything they could possibly want - people in positions of power abusing the weak, people in higher positions of power covering up that abuse, a source of moral authority forever tainted by their craven actions in the face of the scandals. There was pretty much everything you'd need to bring down the only competitor to big Nanny government in one tidy little package, and the Catholic Church seemed hell-bent on wrapping that package up in a nice red bow and mailing it, postage paid, to the media itself.
And once again, liberals prove Ann Coulter right that history began this morning.
With one proclamation - the Catholic Church supports an assault weapons ban - they have been welcomed back into the fold (of the American left). All past sins are washed away - until it becomes convenient to bring it back up, mind you. The Catholic Church acts very much the battered wife to the abusive husband of the mainstream media. [SMACK] Birth control. It's okay, he didn't mean it, you can eat meat on Friday. [SMACK] Abortion. It's my fault for provoking him. We oppose the death penalty. [SMACK] Pedophile priests! I still love him, we oppose assault weapons.
Don't expect that snake to behave any differently, Rome.
It is especially unfortunate that the Church is blaming the tool, not the sinner here. They're calling for support for a ban on inanimate objects, as though the tool here is what is at fault rather than in the heart of the sinner. Swords into plowshares, I suppose; although it certainly seems as though they missed the part about selling one's cloak if one had no sword. It is disappointing to see a return to the time of totems and diadems, where inanimate objects are viewed as though they contained the evil force themselves. Not very progressive-thinking.
I'll continue to support my own church, but I won't taint the Church with any of my evil "assault weapon" owning money...
That is all.
Monday, December 3, 2012
This Ought To Be Interesting...
Pope joins tweeting masses with Pontifex handle
I also wonder how many nanoseconds will elapse before someone like Anonymous hacks the account and sends inappropriate tweets...
That is all.
VATICAN CITY — Benedict XVI, the pope known for his hefty volumes of theology, is now trying brevity — spreading the faith through his own Twitter account.
The pontiff will tweet in eight languages starting Dec. 12 using his personal handle (at)Pontifex, responding live to questions about faith during his weekly general audience, the Vatican said Monday.Now, I understand the desire to drag the Church kicking and screaming into the 21st century. I think that - done well - this could be an excellent tool for helping retain interest in the Church for those raised on a 24/7 information diet. Do I see regular, timely tweets with useful, current information going out? I am less hopeful about that. I suspect/fear it will devolve into little more than fortune cookie-esque dogma and "vote against abortion/assisted suicide/etc." type campaigns.
I also wonder how many nanoseconds will elapse before someone like Anonymous hacks the account and sends inappropriate tweets...
That is all.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
He Is Risen
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)
Today we celebrate His Resurrection. Rejoice.
That is all.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)
Today we celebrate His Resurrection. Rejoice.
That is all.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
He Is Risen
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)
Today we celebrate His Resurrection. Rejoice.
That is all.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)
Today we celebrate His Resurrection. Rejoice.
That is all.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
For G-d So Loved the World...
John 3:16-21 (New International Version, ©2010)
That is all.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.Remember the reason for the season, folks.
That is all.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Miracles *Do* Happen
Missing 11-year-old girl found in central Fla.
I'll bet there's some MIGHTY happy people in Winter Springs tonight!
That is all.
An autistic pre-teen lost in the swamps of Florida? For four days? And they find her alive and - for the most part - well? That is nothing short of astounding. When you think of everything that could have gone wrong; of all the fates that could have fallen young Nadia; of all the possible outcomes... Being found with little more than dehydration and bug bites is simply miraculous.WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. — A missing 11-year-old central Florida girl with Asperger syndrome was found alive on Tuesday, four days after she disappeared into an alligator-infested swamp a half-mile from her suburban home.
Nadia Bloom was taken to a hospital in nearby Longwood, Fla., where she will be evaluated and treated for dehydration and insect bites, said Winter Springs Police Chief Kevin Brunelle.
I'll bet there's some MIGHTY happy people in Winter Springs tonight!
That is all.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
He Is Risen...
I'll reiterate what I said last year:
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)
Today we celebrate His Resurrection. Rejoice.
That is all.
Matthew 28:1-10
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." (NIV)
Today we celebrate His Resurrection. Rejoice.
That is all.
Friday, September 18, 2009
For Members of the Tribe
Wishing my Jewish readers (both of you) a L'Shana Tova as we approach sundown today.
May you have an easy fast.
That is all.
May you have an easy fast.
That is all.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Communion
I was going to post a recap of The Boy's First Communion yesterday. Instead of a long-winded diatribe about my relatives (SRSLY, don't get me started), a debate over the Catholic Church, or anything even remotely resembling swine flu, allow me to post a couple of pictures from yesterday.
First off, The Boy, acting in his usual, irrepressible manner:
First off, The Boy, acting in his usual, irrepressible manner:
Peace out y'all
I am from France!
(Commenter, reader, blogmeet attendee, and all-around BFF sci-fi snapped this shot and commented "You look like freakin' Beldar from "Coneheads"!)
It was a good day, all things considered.
That is all.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
For Those Who Observe...
Enjoy your matzoh tonight as you mark the start of Pesach.
!שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם
That is all.
!שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם
That is all.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Hypocrites R Us...
I've long held, in my outlook on religion, that man fails when he attempts to convey the message of the higher power. Man, being the flawed creature he is, tends to color his view of G-d's work through his own filter, and often to his own ends. I tend to view organized religion with a healthy hint of distrust, as man's history is littered with examples of how religion is used more as a method of controlling man than honoring the higher power.
And yet I find myself doing the same damn thing.
I caught myself doing it the other day, when The Boy told yet another whopper. I reminded him that lying was a sin - he's preparing for his First Communion this year, and they've been giving the "Highlights" version of the Ten Commandments in CCD (Catholic Sunday School). It dawned on me that I was using the very same tactics I had decried in the Church, albeit on a smaller scale. I was using my son's newly formed religious knowledge as a way to control him.
I started to rationalize it - it was for a greater good, right? He needs to learn that honesty is the best policy, that while lying might get him out of trouble in the short run, in the long run it only breeds distrust. And then I started to wonder: Is this how it starts? By telling him that he shouldn't lie because it's a sin, I'm abdicating my responsibility as a parent to help him distinguish between right and wrong. I'm taking the path of least resistance, appealing to his nascent religious obligations to force him to make the right choices.
And then I thought, hell, if it stops him from lying, how bad can it be? As long as I don't mind being a hypocrite, of course. How can I in good conscience disdain organized religion as a tool of oppression when I'm so willing to use it thusly myself? Even though I'm arguably using it for a noble end, the fact remains that I'm using my son's religious upbringing as a tool to control him. And yet, it works. Which only heightens my displeasure at having to resort to such drastic measures...
*sigh*
No one ever said this would be easy, eh? I believe it was the Acidman himself who opined "If it were easy, any asshole could do it"...
That is all.
And yet I find myself doing the same damn thing.
I caught myself doing it the other day, when The Boy told yet another whopper. I reminded him that lying was a sin - he's preparing for his First Communion this year, and they've been giving the "Highlights" version of the Ten Commandments in CCD (Catholic Sunday School). It dawned on me that I was using the very same tactics I had decried in the Church, albeit on a smaller scale. I was using my son's newly formed religious knowledge as a way to control him.
I started to rationalize it - it was for a greater good, right? He needs to learn that honesty is the best policy, that while lying might get him out of trouble in the short run, in the long run it only breeds distrust. And then I started to wonder: Is this how it starts? By telling him that he shouldn't lie because it's a sin, I'm abdicating my responsibility as a parent to help him distinguish between right and wrong. I'm taking the path of least resistance, appealing to his nascent religious obligations to force him to make the right choices.
And then I thought, hell, if it stops him from lying, how bad can it be? As long as I don't mind being a hypocrite, of course. How can I in good conscience disdain organized religion as a tool of oppression when I'm so willing to use it thusly myself? Even though I'm arguably using it for a noble end, the fact remains that I'm using my son's religious upbringing as a tool to control him. And yet, it works. Which only heightens my displeasure at having to resort to such drastic measures...
*sigh*
No one ever said this would be easy, eh? I believe it was the Acidman himself who opined "If it were easy, any asshole could do it"...
That is all.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Wish Me Luck...
Bringing BabyGirl G. to church for the first time today. This should be interesting - so far this morning her and The Boy have already fought approximately 6,894 times. Both children have whined mercilessly about going; the temptation to just say forget it is rather high. But I really want to impress on both of them that this is something important that we need to do.
I've tried to give the Reader's Digest Condensed version of why we go (don't ask; right now it centers around making Santa Claus happy and keeping the Easter Bunny off life support); but the only thing that seems to get through to her is raw, naked bribery: Behave and you get a toy afterwards. Given that she's only going on the days that Mrs. G. has to work, I can live with that...
Next year it will of course be different; she'll be in her first year of CCD and will be going every Sunday with The Boy. Soon enough I'll have to answer the question, though, of "Why doesn't mommy come with us?" That's going to be a hard one - Mrs. G. is an atheist, a recovered Catholic who has lost her faith and her belief. Given that I'm generally distrustful of organized religion, and also knowing the fire-and-brimstone church she grew up in, I'm somewhat sympathetic. I don't agree, mind you; I firmly believe in Him and His son. Which should lead to, shall we say, interesting discussions in the G. household when the time comes...
That's when I'll really need lucky wishes.
That is all.
I've tried to give the Reader's Digest Condensed version of why we go (don't ask; right now it centers around making Santa Claus happy and keeping the Easter Bunny off life support); but the only thing that seems to get through to her is raw, naked bribery: Behave and you get a toy afterwards. Given that she's only going on the days that Mrs. G. has to work, I can live with that...
Next year it will of course be different; she'll be in her first year of CCD and will be going every Sunday with The Boy. Soon enough I'll have to answer the question, though, of "Why doesn't mommy come with us?" That's going to be a hard one - Mrs. G. is an atheist, a recovered Catholic who has lost her faith and her belief. Given that I'm generally distrustful of organized religion, and also knowing the fire-and-brimstone church she grew up in, I'm somewhat sympathetic. I don't agree, mind you; I firmly believe in Him and His son. Which should lead to, shall we say, interesting discussions in the G. household when the time comes...
That's when I'll really need lucky wishes.
That is all.
Monday, October 20, 2008
My Return...
As I mentioned yesterday, I have rejoined the Catholic Church.
Now, don't take this the wrong way. I'm not going to turn into a holy roller; I'm not going to proselytize; I'm not going to beat all of my guns into plows; I'm still going to be the same profane gun nut biker I've always been. But now I've got a Sunday morning commitment. Hell, the gun club's closed until after lunch; might as well do something with the morning, right? And they've got free coffee and donuts, how cool is that?
Kidding aside, this is something that's been in the works for a long time. I've been, well, pretty much an average Catholic - you know the joke:
Well, I was missing even Christmas and Easter.
It was easy to pass on church growing up; my mom had (has) issues with organized religion in general (which she passed on to her son) that stem from her having grown up during the tumultuous days of Vatican II. She watched her fellow high school students, who happened to live in a different archdiocese that had already ratified the new rules, eat meat on Friday without immediately going to hell, and asked her priest why they could eat meat on Friday and she couldn't. His answer was along the "blind faith" lines, as it's hard to explain why, by virtue of mere geography (some 5 miles as the crow flies and a state line), her consumption of meat on Friday would send her to hell but not her friend from NH.
Dad, well, Dad's in the Knights of Columbus but doesn't attend church either. I've never asked him why; I've always been pretty much the same way; content to sleep in on Sundays (in the past; these days I consider sleeping until 7 AM sleeping in), run errands, or lay on the couch watching cartoons with the kids (which is still a damned good use of my time, no matter how many chores I have on the honey-do list...).
There was never much pressure to attend church; I was told I "had to" when I was a child and attended CCD after mass. I never got a satisfactory answer when I asked, "Well, how come you and mom don't go to church?". Sometimes it's easier to say "Because" than to give an answer. And once I was confirmed, I didn't have to go any more. That suited me just fine.
Well, I didn't want that to be the case with my kids. I didn't want to just roar up in front of the church at 9, drop The Boy off for church and Sunday School, and come back two hours later to retrieve him. I wanted him to see that this was something I felt was important for us to do. I wanted him to see his Dad going to church rather than just telling him he had to go.
I wanted my kids to have a religious upbringing that, at the very least, they could use as a springboard for their own spiritual journey. Sure, the path of least resistance would have been to do nothing; to refrain from sending them to church and CCD based on my distrust of organized religion. But I was raised in the Catholic faith; I'm familiar with the doctrine, the prayers, the routines and rituals; and I wanted my children to be brought up at least to adulthood (in the eyes of the church, that is) with knowledge of some form of faith. I chose Roman Catholicism because it's familiar to me.
Well, something funny happened on the way to my impartial, detached "get the chillens some religious learnin'." I started feeling like I wanted to go back. It felt a little weird, really, celebrating Christmas without acknowledging Christ Himself. I found myself wanting to explain the miracle of Resurrection as the basis for our Easter holiday rather than letting the kids think it had something to do with Lagomorphs who magically laid eggs.
You know what the funniest thing was?
When I talked to the usher upon walking into the church, ostensibly to ask where the Sunday School classes were held, I wound up giving the Reader's Digest condensed version of my religious life story - that I'd grown up a Catholic, lapsed for a bit, but was coming back for my kids.
You'd have thought I handed him the winning Powerball ticket.
Something else interesting happened, too. I saw a good number of people that I recognized (interestingly enough, most from Scouting, go figure). All of them were genuinely happy to see me in church; not a single person questioned why they hadn't seen me before. It was surprisingly refreshing to be accepted without question. I would have bet money going in that I'd have to explain myself a dozen times over. As it was, only our Pack Committee Chairman gave me any grief, and even that was just to rib me about my bald head...
The Boy, BTW, sat through his very first mass in such a grown-up, mature manner that my heart was just bursting with pride at his maturity. Sure, towards the end I got the inevitable "is it almost over, Dad?" - but that was literally 5 minutes before the end of mass. He was respectful (for the most part - he is only seven, after all...), paid attention, and when asked afterwards what he thought told me that he enjoyed it.
Now, I'm not going to say that bells rang, a light shone on me and I did cartwheels through the church. I'm certain that a good portion of my son's behavior springs from the novelty as well as the pleasure of having Dad all to himself (I left BabyGirl G at home because there's enough upheaval in The Boy's day to have to put up with his sister competing for Dad's attention; she'll get her chance soon enough). But we'll be back next week, my son and I. I'm going to give this a second shot.
That is all.
Now, don't take this the wrong way. I'm not going to turn into a holy roller; I'm not going to proselytize; I'm not going to beat all of my guns into plows; I'm still going to be the same profane gun nut biker I've always been. But now I've got a Sunday morning commitment. Hell, the gun club's closed until after lunch; might as well do something with the morning, right? And they've got free coffee and donuts, how cool is that?
Kidding aside, this is something that's been in the works for a long time. I've been, well, pretty much an average Catholic - you know the joke:
A priest, a rabbi, and a minister were having coffee one morning and the subject of pest control in the rectory came up. The rabbi complained because he had to have an exterminator come in to rid the temple of mice, and was concerned about having to kill the animals. The minister agreed, noting that they'd recently had to set traps in the food kitchen to stop the infestations.
The priest clucked his tongue and chided his companions. "Gentleman, I implore you to stop these murderous methods. Surely this cannot be G-d's will, killing his creatures like this."
The minister and the rabbi agreed, but argued that they had tried non-lethal methods with no success. They asked the priest how he managed to keep mice out of the rectory without hurting them.
"It's very easy. I baptize and confirm them, and then I only see them at Christmas and Easter."
Well, I was missing even Christmas and Easter.
It was easy to pass on church growing up; my mom had (has) issues with organized religion in general (which she passed on to her son) that stem from her having grown up during the tumultuous days of Vatican II. She watched her fellow high school students, who happened to live in a different archdiocese that had already ratified the new rules, eat meat on Friday without immediately going to hell, and asked her priest why they could eat meat on Friday and she couldn't. His answer was along the "blind faith" lines, as it's hard to explain why, by virtue of mere geography (some 5 miles as the crow flies and a state line), her consumption of meat on Friday would send her to hell but not her friend from NH.
Dad, well, Dad's in the Knights of Columbus but doesn't attend church either. I've never asked him why; I've always been pretty much the same way; content to sleep in on Sundays (in the past; these days I consider sleeping until 7 AM sleeping in), run errands, or lay on the couch watching cartoons with the kids (which is still a damned good use of my time, no matter how many chores I have on the honey-do list...).
There was never much pressure to attend church; I was told I "had to" when I was a child and attended CCD after mass. I never got a satisfactory answer when I asked, "Well, how come you and mom don't go to church?". Sometimes it's easier to say "Because" than to give an answer. And once I was confirmed, I didn't have to go any more. That suited me just fine.
Well, I didn't want that to be the case with my kids. I didn't want to just roar up in front of the church at 9, drop The Boy off for church and Sunday School, and come back two hours later to retrieve him. I wanted him to see that this was something I felt was important for us to do. I wanted him to see his Dad going to church rather than just telling him he had to go.
I wanted my kids to have a religious upbringing that, at the very least, they could use as a springboard for their own spiritual journey. Sure, the path of least resistance would have been to do nothing; to refrain from sending them to church and CCD based on my distrust of organized religion. But I was raised in the Catholic faith; I'm familiar with the doctrine, the prayers, the routines and rituals; and I wanted my children to be brought up at least to adulthood (in the eyes of the church, that is) with knowledge of some form of faith. I chose Roman Catholicism because it's familiar to me.
Well, something funny happened on the way to my impartial, detached "get the chillens some religious learnin'." I started feeling like I wanted to go back. It felt a little weird, really, celebrating Christmas without acknowledging Christ Himself. I found myself wanting to explain the miracle of Resurrection as the basis for our Easter holiday rather than letting the kids think it had something to do with Lagomorphs who magically laid eggs.
You know what the funniest thing was?
When I talked to the usher upon walking into the church, ostensibly to ask where the Sunday School classes were held, I wound up giving the Reader's Digest condensed version of my religious life story - that I'd grown up a Catholic, lapsed for a bit, but was coming back for my kids.
You'd have thought I handed him the winning Powerball ticket.
Something else interesting happened, too. I saw a good number of people that I recognized (interestingly enough, most from Scouting, go figure). All of them were genuinely happy to see me in church; not a single person questioned why they hadn't seen me before. It was surprisingly refreshing to be accepted without question. I would have bet money going in that I'd have to explain myself a dozen times over. As it was, only our Pack Committee Chairman gave me any grief, and even that was just to rib me about my bald head...
The Boy, BTW, sat through his very first mass in such a grown-up, mature manner that my heart was just bursting with pride at his maturity. Sure, towards the end I got the inevitable "is it almost over, Dad?" - but that was literally 5 minutes before the end of mass. He was respectful (for the most part - he is only seven, after all...), paid attention, and when asked afterwards what he thought told me that he enjoyed it.
Now, I'm not going to say that bells rang, a light shone on me and I did cartwheels through the church. I'm certain that a good portion of my son's behavior springs from the novelty as well as the pleasure of having Dad all to himself (I left BabyGirl G at home because there's enough upheaval in The Boy's day to have to put up with his sister competing for Dad's attention; she'll get her chance soon enough). But we'll be back next week, my son and I. I'm going to give this a second shot.
That is all.
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