Does everyone have their hard hat on? Good. Then let's begin. I know I have briefly commented before that I am not very religious. I truly hope to be someday, but for right now, my faith, it isn't very strong. I have great admiration for people who know what they believe and follow it with devotion but I am not there yet. I could go into why I think I am not religious, but that would take days and then you would get very, very bored. So, here is the micro-version. I come from a very religious family also one of the most disfunctional families I know. I think I have some bitter feelings about the hypocritical ways of my family. Being a perfect citizen while at church, yet at home finding it OK to drink yourself crazy and be the most hurtful, toxic person one could ever want to be around. I never want to be like that, EVER! These are my issues and what I have found through my own self-diagnosis (I know, I know it's worth a grain of salt.)
Until I find the faith, I try to be a good person in other ways. I try to not judge others. I try to help those who need help, even if it is a simple as giving someone less fortunate a shopping cart that I paid .25 for. I think it feels great to make someone I don't know smile. You know, the good old fashioned "Golden Rule". That is what I believe in.
With that being said, a few days ago I got a phone call it was a man calling from a church.
He started by asking, "Can I ask for your opinion?"
"Sure!"
"Well, since Jesus stepped foot..."
And on and on and on he went. I could tell it was going to be a long time before it was time for my opinion. When I could finally interject I told him I really was not interested in taking part.
First of all, I felt misled. I felt offended. And I felt like I was being preached at! I thought this guy wanted my opinion! He just preached to me. I don't understand how soliciting phone calls makes people believe they are more devout. At what point does recruiting for a church (which was this mans ultimate reason for calling)become soliciting? I just don't get it!
So lets turn the tables now, shall we? Lets just say I was Jewish or Buddhist and I called this man to tell him about the way I think the world came about. Referring to my "god". I guess I'll never know, but I can only assume that I would not be very well received. So why is that? What happened to the rule that we all should live by, The Golden Rule: treat others as you want to be treated. Wouldn't that be amazing if the world operated that way?
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5 comments:
The feminist in me thinks christianity is all a bunch of patriarchical crap! There are no easy answers and if you or I never become, how shall we say enlightened, even if we are the kindest, most loving people in the world, we're still going to rot in hell? No gracias.
I am a converted Catholic now but was raised in a non Denominational (sp?) church so it wasn't like a strict Southern Baptist upbringing that is most dominant in my part of the country. My BIGGEST thing is hypocrisy and deeply religious people judging others! That is SO WRONG and it upsets me to no end esp. when I feel like I am being judged for my faith. No one on this earth has any right to judge me or you or anyone else and if they do, then they are just as bad as someone who doesn't go to church every Sunday (shudder the thought). You sound like a very good person to me and I hope you find what you are looking for. Until then though, you can't go wrong with the Golden Rule! I wish more people followed it. Those who are religious and those who aren't.
Also, the whole "soliciting religion" thing. Just my opinion, but I don't think it's a very productive way to reach out to people. I think God puts people in other's lives for a reason and I don't think something like that should be "forced" as it is with soliciting. Again, just my opinion. :-)
Wow Thanks you guys! Here I thought about deleting this post last night because I didn't want to offend anyone. Still hopeI don't. It is good to know that I am not the only one out there feeling this way.
I agree, I support religion and have a lot of very religious friends & co-workers. However, I think each person creates their own path and finds their own need for religion when they need it. Some people find a place for religion in their life right away, some mid-life, and some not at all.
I have to say being the least pious in our circle here, that I am totally turned off by phone solicitations. That's just the wrong way to approach someone like me, then again maybe I'm not the ideal religious "prospect"?
I totally agree that the phone approach is wrong. I do, however believe in the Golden Rule, and try to follow it every day. I wish more people would too, but I would never call them at random to ask!
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