Thoughts and Prayers: The Religion Thread

I'm pretty sure you're better than this.

I know you are.

 

Neither of us are Jesus.
You're not, either.

Also, unless you're omniscient, you need to watch your own assumptions about my experiences. Maybe I just want to go somewhere and not feel the urge to chew off a limb to get away as soon as other people start talking.

 

You will not move me off my assessment: The evidence is overwhelming that you are better than that.

 

Mom and Dad, please don’t fight.

 

Oscar,

What used to be the Congregational Church is now part of the United Church of Christ. We don’t bite (or nibble, for that matter).

 

As a child growing up in the Westboro Baptist Church—you may have known us as the “God Hates Fags” protestors—I never much minded my family’s ideological separatism. The church was my world: my grandfather founded it, my mother was its spokesperson, and everyone I loved was deeply committed to its vision. In practice this meant that from the age of five, my holiday season consisted primarily of a series of protests on cold winter evenings. My extended family and I would hold signs condemning Christmas idolatry, planting ourselves on sidewalks outside of Christmas concerts, church services, and performances of The Nutcracker.​

I Was Taught 'God Hates Christmas.' Now, I Love It.

The mention of Westboro is the only reason I kept reading. Deeply intense piece.

 

Happy birthday to the guy who has spent 2022 years of inability to hit a curveball.

 

um

 

I responded to this on the politics thread, but the idea applies here. Abbott may actually be a religious man, but he knows nothing of the Christian faith. I'm not Christian, but man, people like Abbott just completely lose the loving, accepting part of Jesus Christ. Even if you believe that we should close our borders entirely, how do you show so little empathy for other human beings and call yourself a Christian?

 

Matthew 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in,

 

Thank you. I knew it was in there somewhere.

 

It's funny, growing up I always felt like an inadequate Catholic - didn't know all the prayers by heart, when to kneel etc. Felt there were other people who were just "better" than me and had no qualms about exuding that. And then last night I'm at Mass, a lot families with young kids and before it began, but while music was being played and sung, a mother next to me pulls out her phone and takes a selfie with her and her young daughter. And then noticing how inattentive - not just the kids - most of the people were. And then after mass, seeing families let their kids use the outdoor manger scene like it was a play structure. I realized I've become one of THOSE Catholics.