(Untitled)

[artimis_lebeau]

There must be something this year that has folks going back to their religios roots. I do not remember some of my friends and loved ones ever going to certain religious holidays. Kind of interesting that in as many days, three people I know have gone back to visit their religious roots for whatever reason. I joked often with one of them that the

Comments

[nazrynn]

The religion angle comes from more of my father's side of the family than my mother's side. The ethics that were taught to me through CCD classes as a child stuck over the years, and helped me become a better person, to a point. But there also came a point when I realized I had a free will, and wanted to think beyond the bounds of the Catholic faith. It is structured, it has its flaws, and can provide a decent guideline if not taken overly seriously.

For that reason, I respectfully shut my mouth whenever my grandmother would urge my father to take us to church. No. I did not want to go as a child or teenager. As was mentioned before, I would see the kids who picked on me in the halls standing there with their parents, professing to be gentle to their fellow human beings - and then turning into a rabid pack of jackals (wolves have better ethics) as soon as school was in session on Monday morning. The duplicity of it turned me off.

I began gaining interest more toward the end of my years in college, viewing it from more of the historical standpoint. I could understand the lessons being taught, but still refuse to follow specific doctrines, like the church's stance on homosexuality, abortion, birth control, and other recent flashpoints.

I never said I was a good Catholic. I was just born as one... But as to your question, I don't think skipping out on church until 2x a year makes one a poor practicioner of faith. Spiritualism is there for positive reasons for me, even though I don't always touch on them in public. Not for reasons of fear of reprisal, but moreso because it is how I think and believe, and I do not impose it on others.

Most Christian churches I can walk into, and be welcomed with open arms, even if it wasn't my own church. Catholic church has had a different experience for me. Because I do not practice regularly in a church or donate regularly to a church, in most of the religion's staff's eyes I feel I would be looked down upon (and have heard the same blasting of the C&E Catholics - Christmas and Easter - in my junior year of college when I made an attempt at religion on Palm Sunday in the service held on campus).

To me it doesn't matter where and when you worship, as long as you still believe in that Higher Being.

Just my own thoughts on it.
YMMV.