Don't Look For God in Church

                                                              

      

I was raised in the Catholic Church and, went to twelve years of Parochial school. My teachers were the religious sisters (Nuns) the whole twelve years. I even considered becoming a nun when I was in high school, but then the Beatles came onto the scene. Need I say more? I was in love with the quiet Beatle, George and no longer interested in working as a missionary. God understood.

                                                                  

I was always in trouble with the nuns because I always asked questions about the church's dogma. I guess the good sisters didn't know what to make of a free thinker. I had questions. Why did pagan babies go to Limbo? What is purgatory? Why would God send you to hell for eating meat on Fridays? Why does the Catholic Church have the most boring music in the world? Why are the sermons so empty of meaning? Just didn't make sense to me. How could the church ever explain its actions during the inquisition. There are no excuses.

Religion's main purpose, and this is for all organized religions, is to control the commoners, that's us. Do I really need a cleric to explain the bible to me? I am an intelligent woman and I can figure out the meaning of the parables.

                                                      

                                                            
When you hear the priest, minister, rabbi or Islam clergy say that God wants to punish us or, that man is above woman or, that it is okay to kill in the name of God, I say, "Bullshit!"

This isn't the God I know or love. When people try to use religion to shame others or to isolate them, they always shout out that their hate is justified because the bible says they're right. Yeah, well guess what? I read the bible and Jesus didn't say half the stuff that people claimed he said.

What he did say was to love his Father; to love one another; to feed the poor; to care for the widow. I didn't read anything about women not being allowed to be priests or that he hated gay people. And, he sure as hell didn't give the Republican Party the right to use his name whenever they want to push through a bill that will make the corporations and them, richer. I'm pretty sure he was for the strict separation of state and church. "Give to Cesare"....Don't use GOD to pass a law.

I've stopped going to the Catholic church every Sunday. One priest was bad mouthing the poor. What the hell? Jesus hung out with the poor, you dumb ass! I've decided to try out different religions like I would shoes. The church I went to this past week is called the Trinity Christian Church. They have great music to stir the soul and the minister talked about real things to help the poor. Next week, I'm going to my niece's church in South Philly. I want to go to a Hindu Temple next. After that, I might go to the ocean and commune with God, because it's not in church that I find GOD.

                                 my daughter and oldest grandson                         

I find GOD in the stars that shine down on me, or the moon so bright in a night sky, or in holding a baby in my arms. I find GOD in a child's laughter or a breeze that cools the night. I find GOD in the people I pass on the street each day. My GOD is all about love, forgiveness and allowing us to explore who we are and, find our places in this big wonderful universe HE created for us.

Any religion that doesn't treat woman and men as equals, or isolates a member because of their sexual preference or political ideas is no church for me. Any religion that encourages people to kill in GOD's name is not worth the dust from my shoes.

                                                      

I will walk in my GOD's footsteps. I will respect all people even if I don't agree with them. I will consider every woman on this planet, my sister; every man, my brother. Every child will be loved as my own, but expect a smack to the back of the head if you act like a fool. I don't care what gender you are. If you are a kind, loving and caring soul, you are my friend. I don't care if you are poor. I don't care about your race. We are all part of one race; human. I will speak out against the people who rape Mother Earth and pollute the food and water. We don't own the planet. We should leave it in better shape than when we arrived.

                                                         

I think I've covered everything. A friend of mine, Janice Wilson, keeps inviting me to go hiking with her. I think I will. I know I'll find God on the trail.