I have no religion although educated in Catholic schools.
I don’t remember having a conversation about “God” with either of my parents. When my father would take us (my brother and I) to Mass when we were growing up, he’d drop us off at the church saying he was going to park the car and when the Mass was over we’d go outside and he was reading the Sunday paper behind the wheel. I don’t remember my mother in church at all. She very well might have been in the pew sitting next to me but I have zero memory of it.
The other memory of my father at Mass (perhaps the reason he took to reading the paper in the car?) was one wintry Sunday morning when he was tapped to do the collection basket. This meant walking down to the first row of pews in the church and slowly, one row at a time until he hit them all, he’d have to extend a long armed basket to each member of the pew until they dropped a “donation” into the braided pot. He had to do this twice in the course of a 45-minute Mass.
He had on some ridiculous pair of black rubber boots with metal clamps and looked embarrassed to be putting this hovering braided well in front of people.
I was embarrassed he was wearing those boots.
All of this a way to say that the world I live in today is plum crazy and I mean that in the DSM4000 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Super Deluxe edition) about their religious beliefs and from where I sit most “believers” need a 12 step program to get over themselves.
Hell, if sex is an addiction, religion certainly qualifies and when one has both? Call Dr. Drew.
First step of the twelve?
Admit it: even God couldn’t love your self righteous behind.
I figure that should take care of the rest of the other 11 steps.
©Pat Coakley 2010
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Indeed. Religion can be quite addictive. Just ask Jimmy Swaggart. Now, I’m not so addicted as I used to be . . .
“even God couldn’t love your self righteous behind” made me guffaw
as i pass over the other steps possibly to allow someone better at ascending to use the staircase
beautiful spring photo filled with the love of purple and green together. the tiny purple crowns so delicate yet standout, the green so luscious
That’s interesting, Brian, that you are not as “addicted” as you used to be…what changed?
Kathi, O, spring! I planted herbs yesterday and for the first time some raspberries and blueberries! Now, mother nature is worth a bow from the waist, I’ll admit to that spiritual force.
Where’s our separation of Church and State?
If doctors are required to take a Hippocratic oath, then persons of religious orders should consider the Hippocritic oath.
It’s really the hypocrisy that slays me. And the teaching by fear and hate. En masse. Since it’s easier than thinking for ones’ self.
Just follow along.
Like your two outstanding buds above, a disproportionate number of original thinkers, standouts from the masses behind them.
I’m not knocking belief. Just the ambiguous lines that are drawn and the teams chosen in the name of.
First I will comment on your beautiful photograph. If anything would make me believe in god it’s images like this….digitally AND in real life.
Now…don’t even get me started on religion. Whatever shred of religious belief I may have had was lost in the aftermath of 9/11.
And I need a 12 step program to deal with 12 years of catholic school and those scary nuns! So glad I went to a city college!
I used to be a Catholic when I was a child. I’m better now.