Easter
(Day Fifty-Seven)
Michael is pretty good at helping me come up with blog post topics. I'd say I end up taking his suggestions 8/10 times, even when it's something kinda silly like writing about a conversation we had about shortbread cookies.
Today when I started whining about not having a topic, he suggested I write about the sermon from Easter Sunday service this morning. Neither of us are big on going to church or organized religion or anything like that, and on the twice-yearly occasions where I do find myself in church, I usually end up daydreaming through most the service. But this morning I found myself actually listening, and what's more, appreciating and agreeing with what Larry was saying.
I've always liked my mom's church for its liberal bent. When I went through Confirmation, for example, I was required to attend other religious services in other faiths to explore what others believed, and one of my assignments was to write an essay on what I believed when it came to God -- no judgements, no right or wrong, just what I believed. Their credo is that they accept everyone for who they are -- no matter what race, gender, history, or sexual orientation -- and I've always really respected that. If I were to engage in any kind of organized religion, it would probably be through this church.
But even though I respect their stance and think they're great people, organized religion as a whole has never really pulled me in. I did try when I was younger, waiting for some kind of mystical faith to sweep through me if I would only just submit to it. It never happened. So church has remained mostly just a reasonably pleasant reminder of my childhood and formative years, as well as something I know is really important to my mom.
Today's sermon, though, really struck a chord with me. I not only thought it was really well-written, but it was totally something where I could stand up and say, "I agree!" I won't do it justice, but I'll summarize:
Larry started by telling a story about how Jehovah's Witnesses came to his door. Now, you'd expect him to say he was polite and listened, like we should listen to everyone we meet, but instead, he told us he didn't answer the door. He knew from talking to them in the past that their message would only be one of fear, of trying to make people scared of what will happen to them after death so they'll conform to certain beliefs while they're alive.
God shouldn't be about fear, he said. God should be about love, and helping each other, and making the best out of the life you're living now. Easter shouldn't be about what happens to you when you die -- it doesn't even matter if you literally believe Jesus rose from the dead. Easter should be about finding the parts of your life that feel dead, or the parts of you that feel dead inside, and bringing those back to life. It should be about pushing yourself to be a better person and making your life and your world richer for everyone around you, no matter what belief system you or others have.
I normally wouldn't talk about religion on here, but I really liked this. That's how I want to think about God and religion. Acceptance, love, and making things better. It's just too bad that people warp it so badly into whatever makes them feel they have control.
On a different topic, I got some good pictures today. Here's Ryne trying his first grilled cheese -- he wasn't too sure about it, but he came around.
Michael is pretty good at helping me come up with blog post topics. I'd say I end up taking his suggestions 8/10 times, even when it's something kinda silly like writing about a conversation we had about shortbread cookies.
Today when I started whining about not having a topic, he suggested I write about the sermon from Easter Sunday service this morning. Neither of us are big on going to church or organized religion or anything like that, and on the twice-yearly occasions where I do find myself in church, I usually end up daydreaming through most the service. But this morning I found myself actually listening, and what's more, appreciating and agreeing with what Larry was saying.
I've always liked my mom's church for its liberal bent. When I went through Confirmation, for example, I was required to attend other religious services in other faiths to explore what others believed, and one of my assignments was to write an essay on what I believed when it came to God -- no judgements, no right or wrong, just what I believed. Their credo is that they accept everyone for who they are -- no matter what race, gender, history, or sexual orientation -- and I've always really respected that. If I were to engage in any kind of organized religion, it would probably be through this church.
But even though I respect their stance and think they're great people, organized religion as a whole has never really pulled me in. I did try when I was younger, waiting for some kind of mystical faith to sweep through me if I would only just submit to it. It never happened. So church has remained mostly just a reasonably pleasant reminder of my childhood and formative years, as well as something I know is really important to my mom.
Today's sermon, though, really struck a chord with me. I not only thought it was really well-written, but it was totally something where I could stand up and say, "I agree!" I won't do it justice, but I'll summarize:
Larry started by telling a story about how Jehovah's Witnesses came to his door. Now, you'd expect him to say he was polite and listened, like we should listen to everyone we meet, but instead, he told us he didn't answer the door. He knew from talking to them in the past that their message would only be one of fear, of trying to make people scared of what will happen to them after death so they'll conform to certain beliefs while they're alive.
God shouldn't be about fear, he said. God should be about love, and helping each other, and making the best out of the life you're living now. Easter shouldn't be about what happens to you when you die -- it doesn't even matter if you literally believe Jesus rose from the dead. Easter should be about finding the parts of your life that feel dead, or the parts of you that feel dead inside, and bringing those back to life. It should be about pushing yourself to be a better person and making your life and your world richer for everyone around you, no matter what belief system you or others have.
I normally wouldn't talk about religion on here, but I really liked this. That's how I want to think about God and religion. Acceptance, love, and making things better. It's just too bad that people warp it so badly into whatever makes them feel they have control.
On a different topic, I got some good pictures today. Here's Ryne trying his first grilled cheese -- he wasn't too sure about it, but he came around.