Graduation presents: God snuck his way back into my life again.
I'm cleaning up my room when I find the gifts that my mother's friend, Katrina, gave to me for graduation. A little money, and two inspirational quote books for the graduating female soul.
The only weird thing is that they're all prayer books and quotes from the Bible...not exactly an area that I ever turn to for advice. I figured I'd peruse through them to give them a second try, but I still ended up reading them for about 5 minutes before I just couldn't read them anymore.
I know it's the Italian thing to be Catholic. My mother and her family are die-hard Catholics. Over the years, however, that's changed with my mom. She doesn't like the verbale practice of re-instating the hellfire and brimstone theories like most of the Catholic priests I've heard. I went to a small church for one of our family friends' mother's wedding, and I nearly keeled over from the LIST of things that "good Catholics" do and don't believe in. Ever see that Coca-cola commercial where the mafia guy is sitting at the table with Simon Cowell and asks him what he thinks of the new Coke. And then he goes "Show him what his opinion is" and has Simon read it. Catholicism, to me, is a lot like that. "What do you think? Oh! My mistake, you actually thought you had your own opinion?"
So because everyone in my family and my mother's circle of friends are all heavily Christian, I know they assume that I am too. I didn't exactly make my 'conversion' to paganism a huge broadcasted event. I figured I'd test run it on a few family memebers, and they either thought I was joking, or eventually forgot about it. Which I think is all the better in some circumstances...it's way better than them hiring a priest to exorcise the demons out of my thoughts. Because heaven forbid that I not worship a female-oppressing religion. And not just females, but other facets of humanity as well. The Bible, to me, is merely a book written by man, not God. It's open to be edited at any man's command according to his own personal desired political powers.
Moving on...
So it's very hard to digest the proses from these books considering the fact that I don't believe in the Christian God. I kind of understand how Mina felt when she was having to celebrate Christmas when she's Jewish. The same uncomfotable feelings arise when reading prayer books. You appreciate the gestures, but in a way, they feel very impeding on your lifestyle because they're customized to a totally different train of personal beliefs. None of which are close to mine, so even trying to find similarities is a near impossibility. Which is quite ironic seeming that the Christian faith converted the pagans by pulling a Roman maneuver to do it (y'know...taking someone elses' idea, changing up the lettering a bit and turning it into YOUR idea. It's religious plagerism without the lawyers getting involved, really). Oh well, you do what you can to get your customers I suppose.
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Yeah, I admit my views are very negative about Christianity as a whole. I don't have a problem with the 'religion' part of it, I have issues with the 'organized' part of it. I really don't think you should 'organize' anyone's own personal beliefs. But that's just my own thing.
This is my own take on things, and obviously I don't want to appear like I'm trying to convert anyone. Just...stating my frustrations as a whole when I obtains gifts such as these. I just don't know how to take the gesture. I know it's all in good faith, but I feel mocked by it all as well. But I don't blame Katrina for the theme of the books. I love quote books and stuff. However, these two will be stacked on my shelf to collect dust I suppose. Because I can't read them without rolling my eyes despite the fact that the messages, as a whole, are meant to be inspiring.
Ah well...such is life.
The only weird thing is that they're all prayer books and quotes from the Bible...not exactly an area that I ever turn to for advice. I figured I'd peruse through them to give them a second try, but I still ended up reading them for about 5 minutes before I just couldn't read them anymore.
I know it's the Italian thing to be Catholic. My mother and her family are die-hard Catholics. Over the years, however, that's changed with my mom. She doesn't like the verbale practice of re-instating the hellfire and brimstone theories like most of the Catholic priests I've heard. I went to a small church for one of our family friends' mother's wedding, and I nearly keeled over from the LIST of things that "good Catholics" do and don't believe in. Ever see that Coca-cola commercial where the mafia guy is sitting at the table with Simon Cowell and asks him what he thinks of the new Coke. And then he goes "Show him what his opinion is" and has Simon read it. Catholicism, to me, is a lot like that. "What do you think? Oh! My mistake, you actually thought you had your own opinion?"
So because everyone in my family and my mother's circle of friends are all heavily Christian, I know they assume that I am too. I didn't exactly make my 'conversion' to paganism a huge broadcasted event. I figured I'd test run it on a few family memebers, and they either thought I was joking, or eventually forgot about it. Which I think is all the better in some circumstances...it's way better than them hiring a priest to exorcise the demons out of my thoughts. Because heaven forbid that I not worship a female-oppressing religion. And not just females, but other facets of humanity as well. The Bible, to me, is merely a book written by man, not God. It's open to be edited at any man's command according to his own personal desired political powers.
Moving on...
So it's very hard to digest the proses from these books considering the fact that I don't believe in the Christian God. I kind of understand how Mina felt when she was having to celebrate Christmas when she's Jewish. The same uncomfotable feelings arise when reading prayer books. You appreciate the gestures, but in a way, they feel very impeding on your lifestyle because they're customized to a totally different train of personal beliefs. None of which are close to mine, so even trying to find similarities is a near impossibility. Which is quite ironic seeming that the Christian faith converted the pagans by pulling a Roman maneuver to do it (y'know...taking someone elses' idea, changing up the lettering a bit and turning it into YOUR idea. It's religious plagerism without the lawyers getting involved, really). Oh well, you do what you can to get your customers I suppose.
------------------
Yeah, I admit my views are very negative about Christianity as a whole. I don't have a problem with the 'religion' part of it, I have issues with the 'organized' part of it. I really don't think you should 'organize' anyone's own personal beliefs. But that's just my own thing.
This is my own take on things, and obviously I don't want to appear like I'm trying to convert anyone. Just...stating my frustrations as a whole when I obtains gifts such as these. I just don't know how to take the gesture. I know it's all in good faith, but I feel mocked by it all as well. But I don't blame Katrina for the theme of the books. I love quote books and stuff. However, these two will be stacked on my shelf to collect dust I suppose. Because I can't read them without rolling my eyes despite the fact that the messages, as a whole, are meant to be inspiring.
Ah well...such is life.