I am a product of my upbringing. I say that proudly – as a declaration, not an excuse. My parents weren’t (and aren’t) fans of organized religion – so my religious education was largely of my own making. I joined a local church in my tweens, mostly so that I could sing in the choir. I remember even then thinking I could put up with all the religion as long as I got to sing. Nice.
After a bad experience at a week-long camp at age 14, I left the church. I don’t mean to be cryptic – my “bad experience” wasn't that I was locked in a closed and beaten - it was merely realizing that there was a lot of talk about being a Christian, but the actions didn’t match the words. The last straw is that one night, while I was sleeping, one of my fellow “Christian” campmates dumped ice water on me. Explaining now, it sounds dumb, but it was the culmination of a week of nonsense and hypocrisy, and from that point on, I checked out.
That’s not to say I haven’t been back inside a church since. I’ve visited a handful from Quaker to Four Square Gospel – some better than others, but we haven’t found a good fit for us both – which is going to be tough – Matt grew up Baptist – 2 church services every Sunday. He had some bad experiences, too – but he’s definitely more comfortable with religion – which is to say, unlike his heathen wife, he doesn’t break into a flop sweat as soon as he enters the building. He’d like to find a church for us, but most Sundays, we are happy with our free and easy routine.
Despite our religious differences, Matt and I are in synch on most moral and ethical beliefs – just because Mom and Dad weren’t hitting the pew every week doesn’t mean that they were without principles. And to that end, Matt’s family was actually quite liberal. I was delighted to learn that his Aunt and Uncle went to Jimmy Carter’s inauguration – my parents did as well – of course, Kelly and Flora drove and I imagine that the only substance they indulged in was a beer. My parents took the train, and they may have had something other than beer with them.
At any rate – Matt and I were both raised to be loving and generous, and to do the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing.
I am grateful as a result our upbringing, Matt and I both firmly believe that the Church has no place in Government.
I am pro-choice. I am not pro-abortion. I’m glad it’s a decision I haven’t needed to make, because I don’t know what I would have done. But. BUT! It’s not my business or anyone else’s to make about another woman and her reproductive rights. Let that be between her and her God – hers, not yours!
I have no problem with a gay couple getting married, yes MARRIED. Two consenting adults who love each other and want to make that commitment should be able to do so in any state in the union. Period. Exclamation point. Better yet, let’s do it like they do in France – require EVERYONE (straight, gay) to have a civil ceremony to make it legal, and an optional church gig to be “married in the eyes of the Lord”.
True confession – Matt and I were married by a fairly conservative minister (a friend of my father's), in a Christian ceremony (though, to be honest, I specifically pulled scripture from the Old Testament - Ruth, actually). The minister now lives in Italy and recently sent us an e mail about how fantastic Sarah Palin is. Oh well – we’re legally bound, so that’s all that really matters.
I don’t really have a point to any of this, except that Sarah Palin and John McCain scare me to death. I believe that people should be allowed to live their lives and make personal decisions based on their own system of beliefs. I don’t hate God, I don’t hate Christians - hate isn’t one of my values – but I don’t think we need to base legal decisions in this country based on what Jesus would think. Jesus would probably tell us he has bigger fish to fry – or loaves and fishes to multiply.
I’m angry, and I’m worried. And I’m really angry and worried that more people aren’t angry and worried like me.
After a bad experience at a week-long camp at age 14, I left the church. I don’t mean to be cryptic – my “bad experience” wasn't that I was locked in a closed and beaten - it was merely realizing that there was a lot of talk about being a Christian, but the actions didn’t match the words. The last straw is that one night, while I was sleeping, one of my fellow “Christian” campmates dumped ice water on me. Explaining now, it sounds dumb, but it was the culmination of a week of nonsense and hypocrisy, and from that point on, I checked out.
That’s not to say I haven’t been back inside a church since. I’ve visited a handful from Quaker to Four Square Gospel – some better than others, but we haven’t found a good fit for us both – which is going to be tough – Matt grew up Baptist – 2 church services every Sunday. He had some bad experiences, too – but he’s definitely more comfortable with religion – which is to say, unlike his heathen wife, he doesn’t break into a flop sweat as soon as he enters the building. He’d like to find a church for us, but most Sundays, we are happy with our free and easy routine.
Despite our religious differences, Matt and I are in synch on most moral and ethical beliefs – just because Mom and Dad weren’t hitting the pew every week doesn’t mean that they were without principles. And to that end, Matt’s family was actually quite liberal. I was delighted to learn that his Aunt and Uncle went to Jimmy Carter’s inauguration – my parents did as well – of course, Kelly and Flora drove and I imagine that the only substance they indulged in was a beer. My parents took the train, and they may have had something other than beer with them.
At any rate – Matt and I were both raised to be loving and generous, and to do the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing.
I am grateful as a result our upbringing, Matt and I both firmly believe that the Church has no place in Government.
I am pro-choice. I am not pro-abortion. I’m glad it’s a decision I haven’t needed to make, because I don’t know what I would have done. But. BUT! It’s not my business or anyone else’s to make about another woman and her reproductive rights. Let that be between her and her God – hers, not yours!
I have no problem with a gay couple getting married, yes MARRIED. Two consenting adults who love each other and want to make that commitment should be able to do so in any state in the union. Period. Exclamation point. Better yet, let’s do it like they do in France – require EVERYONE (straight, gay) to have a civil ceremony to make it legal, and an optional church gig to be “married in the eyes of the Lord”.
True confession – Matt and I were married by a fairly conservative minister (a friend of my father's), in a Christian ceremony (though, to be honest, I specifically pulled scripture from the Old Testament - Ruth, actually). The minister now lives in Italy and recently sent us an e mail about how fantastic Sarah Palin is. Oh well – we’re legally bound, so that’s all that really matters.
I don’t really have a point to any of this, except that Sarah Palin and John McCain scare me to death. I believe that people should be allowed to live their lives and make personal decisions based on their own system of beliefs. I don’t hate God, I don’t hate Christians - hate isn’t one of my values – but I don’t think we need to base legal decisions in this country based on what Jesus would think. Jesus would probably tell us he has bigger fish to fry – or loaves and fishes to multiply.
I’m angry, and I’m worried. And I’m really angry and worried that more people aren’t angry and worried like me.
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