(no subject)
Finally found a bit of wi-fi connection in a North Carolina library, so I figured I'd post just so you all know I'm still alive and, surprisingly, no more Christian than when I left. Heh, I don't mean to be facetious about religion. Then again, maybe I do. It's hard not to when I'm here.
I think it brings up the same thoughts I've had a thousand times over. See, my extended family's lives pretty much revolve around the Christian church, my uncle going so far as being a proud fundementalist. My direct family are pretty much agnostic or atheist. I'm fairly spiritual in a way, but it has no name.
Anyway, It's such a quandary. I admire a lot of the underlying sentiments of most religions - brotherhood, love, kindness, and so forth. The guidelines to "live a good life" with respect to other beings. But it gets so twisted when it gets into all this "My way is the ONLY correct way and if you think differently you can't be saved," jazz, and when people start taking their own interpretations of the bible, or any holy book for that matter, and using it as unquestionable proof and direction. It's also hard to sit through a church service telling me I'm scum and a sinner (we ALL are) and only God's good grace can save me. Afterall, God's hand was there to prevent those bombs from going off in London, though the minister failed to say why God allowed the subway system to explode a few weeks earlier. Maybe he didn't love those people as much?
Sorry sorry, I don't mean to be offensive because I think a lot of good can come from religion, too. The degree of blind-unquestioning-unthinking-following that I'm talking about is not, by any means, what all religion consists of. I think I'm just trying to purge my system of that facet of my family, because I KNOW they are such good people. It's just hard given the state of the world, and the mess of religion and politics getting so tangled. I really don't want to become judgemental or prejudiced or I'll be acting just the same way as I'm criticizing others of. Yet it's hard when I see so many people getting hurt, and so many intelligent people shutting off their brains.
Gah, it's too large a topic to stick it all in one post, particularly when I'm SO short on time. I miss the internet a lot, mostly because I miss people so much. I miss hanging out and talking with people from home. I miss all the fun McGillicuddy chats, and getting to know and connect with some of the most awesome people, who (in less than a month!) I'll be living with. Sorry if I wasted my whole North Carolina entry ranting and processing about my family's Christianity - that seems a bit silly. I hope everyone is doing swimmingly. I'll be home Wednesday - hurrah!
I think it brings up the same thoughts I've had a thousand times over. See, my extended family's lives pretty much revolve around the Christian church, my uncle going so far as being a proud fundementalist. My direct family are pretty much agnostic or atheist. I'm fairly spiritual in a way, but it has no name.
Anyway, It's such a quandary. I admire a lot of the underlying sentiments of most religions - brotherhood, love, kindness, and so forth. The guidelines to "live a good life" with respect to other beings. But it gets so twisted when it gets into all this "My way is the ONLY correct way and if you think differently you can't be saved," jazz, and when people start taking their own interpretations of the bible, or any holy book for that matter, and using it as unquestionable proof and direction. It's also hard to sit through a church service telling me I'm scum and a sinner (we ALL are) and only God's good grace can save me. Afterall, God's hand was there to prevent those bombs from going off in London, though the minister failed to say why God allowed the subway system to explode a few weeks earlier. Maybe he didn't love those people as much?
Sorry sorry, I don't mean to be offensive because I think a lot of good can come from religion, too. The degree of blind-unquestioning-unthinking-following that I'm talking about is not, by any means, what all religion consists of. I think I'm just trying to purge my system of that facet of my family, because I KNOW they are such good people. It's just hard given the state of the world, and the mess of religion and politics getting so tangled. I really don't want to become judgemental or prejudiced or I'll be acting just the same way as I'm criticizing others of. Yet it's hard when I see so many people getting hurt, and so many intelligent people shutting off their brains.
Gah, it's too large a topic to stick it all in one post, particularly when I'm SO short on time. I miss the internet a lot, mostly because I miss people so much. I miss hanging out and talking with people from home. I miss all the fun McGillicuddy chats, and getting to know and connect with some of the most awesome people, who (in less than a month!) I'll be living with. Sorry if I wasted my whole North Carolina entry ranting and processing about my family's Christianity - that seems a bit silly. I hope everyone is doing swimmingly. I'll be home Wednesday - hurrah!