MY CATHOLIC SOAPBOX ...

I kind of hesitated about posting this particular post, but in light of Indiana passing that ridiculous anti-gay law I am posting it.  It goes to the theme of people being hateful, unintelligent and plain stupid and pushing their beliefs onto others and not respecting anyone who believes differently than they do. 

I’ve written about this topic before … about people posting their religious and political views on Facebook.  I don’t do it as often as I used to because it incites war, but sometimes I can’t help myself and I’ll post Catholic stuff to piss off the Born Again Christians (because they hate us you know) and I’ll post super-duper left wing stuff to piss off the super duper right wing wing-nuts.

So I have a friend on Facebook who is like me; into all types of spiritual thought.  I am not a scholar or an expert by any means, but I can back up what I believe for those who care to listen.  I AM A SEEKER and I have no issue with your beliefs until you start messing with mine.  Then I get pissed off. 

So – a friend of a friend on Facebook has engaged in a war with me over Christian thought, doctrine, principles, rules, regulations, scripture, etc., et al., blah blah blah for which he has NO KNOWLEDGE.

This war of words stems from the fact that our mutual friend is in London visiting his son and this individual, let’s call him Jesus, Jr., no matter what comment you post on Facebook, will ALWAYS have a negative comment about gays and how everyone is lost and evil because they're not Christian.  Well, he has decided to enlighten me and everyone else on Facebook about England’s religious history.  Here is a sampling of our convos …

Jesus Junior:  you are now in a non christian country this is the country the christians left because of religious freedom and why the christians abandoned anarchy. and put right to bear arms yes churchill met with pres rosevelt on a distroyer begging the christian army to help them against the nazi s

Me:  Please.  This is the country that left the Catholic church in 1534 to form the Church of England when King Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boelyn.  England is NOT a non-Christian country.  Do your homework please. 

To this he responds by giving me a test.

Jesus Junior:  does England have the right to bear arms?  and a king and queen?  yes or no  ... (I’m surprised he didn’t print a little box for me to check)

Me:  England has a Queen. But she is merely a figurehead.  Parliament runs the government.  Citizens in England do not carry weapons, nor do the police.  what does that have to do with anything?  Your arguments are completely bogus.  Do your homework so you can debate with some intelligence.  And FYI, there was no "Christian army" there was just the army.

Jesus Junior:  wait this is piere morgan right?  I thought we ran you out of the country.

(Clearly an insult to deflect from the fact that I answered his ridiculous question). 

Me:  Do you mean Piers Morgan?  Learn how to spell.  FYI - I answered your questions dude.

Jesus Junior:  Then stay out of our Christian nation.  (Typical response of someone who does not know what he is talking about).

Me:  You seriously need help.  You're paranoid.  And I AM A CHRISTIAN.  And P.S. America is the home of the FREE ... to be a Christian or an aethiest, or a Buddhist or a Muslim.  Deal with it.

OK.  You're all probably wondering why I even wasted my time with this individual, especially considering that he cannot spell or express himself.  I just got tired of reading his ridiculous comments day in and day out and I couldn't help myself. 

The other reason was an example ... take this little exchange and magnify it by a billion and you have the chaos you see in the world.  Most people argue not with the intention of learning and understanding another person’s point of view, but with their next argument in their head.  I have found that when I really try to understand where someone is coming from two things happen:  (a) I get it; and (b) I learn something.  Instead of arguing with the sole intent of being “right” why not argue with the intent to “understand” and “learn”?  It doesn’t mean you have to change your thought or convert your religion, just TRY to understand where someone is coming from. 

I can appreciate that to go outside of what is comfortable naturally instills a certain amount of fear in people.  It is scary to question long held beliefs and to step outside of boundaries that we’ve been told we should never step outside of because to do so is akin to consorting with Satan.  But questioning is good.  Even when it makes us uncomfortable … we should actually sit with that feeling and ask ourselves WHY we are feeling uncomfortable.  For only by questioning can we really grow as human beings and as spiritual beings. 

And the other reason is ... I can't stand people who attack MY faith.  I am a Catholic and I can't tell you how many times I've had fundamentalists attack me. They ridicule our practice of saying a rosary (which is merely a meditation on the life of Christ from his conception to his resurrection), they believe we pray to the Virgin Mary, we call the priest “Father” blah blah blah.  Here is my argument to that ... WHAT DO YOU CARE?!  What is it to you that I’m Catholic?  I have never attacked anyone for their religious beliefs nor gotten into a pissing contest about who's right or who's wrong.  I have attended mass my whole life and in all these many years I have never ever heard a Catholic priest say anything negative about fundamentalists.  Fundamentalists on the other hand, are very vocal about their negative feelings about Catholics and their false church.  Faith is faith and belief is belief and it's no one business and no one's right to attack or condemn or condescend to anyone who does not believe as you do.  Instead of worrying about all us “heretical Catholics” you should worry about yourselves and try to be more LIKE JESUS.  L-O-V-I-N-G.  NEWSFLASH!  Christ already died for my sins ... I don’t need YOU to save me.  So please … stay in your lane and I’ll stay in mine.  DAMMIT.

.... and I say this only with love.