I walked away from the Catholic Church at the age of 11. I went to catholic school through the 6th grade and hit a point where I was done with the hypocrisy. Of course this was late 50s early 60s, but my mom was ostracized because she was divorced from my dad who left her with four kids for another woman he had gotten pregnant. My mom was a devout Catholic who couldn’t receive communion because she was divorced. My brothers and sister were outcasts in the school as well. Anyway, your post is excellent. These are frightening times with these hypocritical Trump worshipping “Christian” Nationalists attempting to take over our government. We have to vote them out. It is possible and our only hope.
Good one Bill. I read this over the weekend and was struck by it just as you have been. The organized churches of our time needn't look far to explain their declining attendance and adherence numbers; this article does it quite well.
This is such a good read. I, too, grew up Christian. And everything I was taught was what these two remember being taught. We have moved so far away from all that is the best in people. I hope somehow we can find our way back.
"You told me it's better to give than receive, to be last instead of first. To help the poor, the widow, the stranger at the gate.
You told me that Jesus looks at what I do for the least-of-these as the true depth of my faith. You told me to focus on my own sin and not to judge. You told me to be accepting and forgiving."
I wish people could just accept this as universal - no dogma is ever needed to follow simple principles that are also moral. Still, looking for common ground is important!
I walked away from the Catholic Church at the age of 11. I went to catholic school through the 6th grade and hit a point where I was done with the hypocrisy. Of course this was late 50s early 60s, but my mom was ostracized because she was divorced from my dad who left her with four kids for another woman he had gotten pregnant. My mom was a devout Catholic who couldn’t receive communion because she was divorced. My brothers and sister were outcasts in the school as well. Anyway, your post is excellent. These are frightening times with these hypocritical Trump worshipping “Christian” Nationalists attempting to take over our government. We have to vote them out. It is possible and our only hope.
Good one Bill. I read this over the weekend and was struck by it just as you have been. The organized churches of our time needn't look far to explain their declining attendance and adherence numbers; this article does it quite well.
This is such a good read. I, too, grew up Christian. And everything I was taught was what these two remember being taught. We have moved so far away from all that is the best in people. I hope somehow we can find our way back.
"You told me it's better to give than receive, to be last instead of first. To help the poor, the widow, the stranger at the gate.
You told me that Jesus looks at what I do for the least-of-these as the true depth of my faith. You told me to focus on my own sin and not to judge. You told me to be accepting and forgiving."
I wish people could just accept this as universal - no dogma is ever needed to follow simple principles that are also moral. Still, looking for common ground is important!
Nice follow-up to our offline discussion Bill! Wouldn't it be nice if people would stop judging others for a minute and examine their own lives?
Yes, indeed. As Lao Tsu said:
"How do I know this to be true? I looked inside myself."
Or something close to that.
I wish there was a shot to give us that would install humility, respect, and empathy.
Paternalistic noblesse oblige was what I was taught.