every once in a while...

[swingchickie]

...i get a quick reminder of why i'm not a practicing catholic anymore.

jack and i went to a lovely wedding last weekend. it was in a catholic church, and i have to say, a few times i got a little pang of nostalgia... especially for when i was in high school and sang in the guitar masses. that was a fun time for me, and while religion wasn't a HUGE part of my life then, it was something i factored in when considering choices i was kicking around in my teenaged brain. thankfully i remembered all of the prayers for the mass at the wedding, didn't know all the songs but did okay.

then about 2/3 of the way through, the priest led the "lord, hear our prayer" section... and one of his statements is still stuck in my head. without remembering the exact quote, it was pretty much like: "we pray that our lawmakers, when making decisions, do so while keeping in mind the true purpose of marriage." which, unless i'm interpreting it totally wrong, meant "gay marrage is a no-no and we hope it doesn't become legal". i did not reply with "lord, hear our prayer" for that one.

it makes me sad that i heard that. i know that christianity does not condone homosexuality... but it's really tough to see gay friends of mine who just want to get married (heck, my cousin has been with his partner since i was 17) and can't because we have some outdated laws based so heavily in religion. these people are loving and committed to one another, and would have longer-lasting marriages than a whole lot of straight people. it just makes me sick to my stomach.

anyway. this post isn't meant to bash a religion. it's just a reminder to myself of why i choose to follow my own path, rather than that of an organized group.

Comments

[steven.livejournal.com]

It amazes me how outdated the thinking is. But even more so, that a priest had to push this agenda during a wedding. I'd be kind of annoyed if I were the couple getting married (unless they agree).

Personally, I was raised not really practicing any religion, and, for me, the idea of being TOLD what to believe -- and believing it just because of that -- seems kinda weird. That's just me, though.

[boutell.livejournal.com]

United Church of Christ (USA): gay marriage 100% awesome.

United Church of Canada (largest church in Canada): gay marriage 100% awesome.

Episcopal Church (USA): has a gay bishop, but many parishioners are not cool with that, so they have undergone a schism with a separate more conservative group wanting to affiliate separately with the Anglican Union. There are strong voices within the church on both sides.

Catholic Church anywhere: don't get any funny ideas because the Pope is absolutely inflexible on the matter. Gay = evil evil evil.

Not sure who else but these are the biggies that have been in the news.

[mrlich.livejournal.com]

"i know that christianity does not condone homosexuality..."

Some versions of Christianity more than others. In fact, I know of at least one that's moderately 'tolerant' of gay couples.

Not trying to be too defensive (I'm sooo not religious) but just thought it bore mentioning.

[swingchickie.livejournal.com]

thanks for clarifying, i wasn't aware of that. would the "tolerant" branch be ok with actual marriage? that would make me so happy...

[dear-amaranth.livejournal.com]

I can relate. I was raised Protestant, and while our churches tended to be uglier and we had far less ceremony, we had really enthusiastic people that would belt out lyrics to hyms, sometimes with hands raised to the sky and tears running down their faces. It was a pretty intense emotional experience; a weekly release. I miss that.

When I go back, I feel nostalgic, sad, kind of wistful. But our preachers didn't just imply the stuff you didn't want to hear, they shouted it. Sin and Satan came up just as often as Grace and God. God loves us, just as we are. But you have to do this and this and that and it's ALL OUR FAULT for accepting knowledge over blessed ignorance. Because that ignorance is held up as the ideal. The Garden of Eden, where we had it all and lost it. It was hammered into us at every sermon that we're not worthy of God's grace and love. It was intermingled and at direct odds with the "sees every sparrow fall" stuff.

When I go back, I just can't abide that message. I can't really get into the love stuff when it's intermingled with so much shame.

And as for the stance on gay marriage... don't get me started.

[alice-at-night.livejournal.com]

You know, God is a complicated thing. Religion that filters God just adds to the confusion IMHO.

I went to midnight Mass for Christmas at THE Episcopalian cathedral here in San Francisco. I was annoyed the other way around - the Bishop was pushing his opinion in the sermon. Now it was a liberal inclusive opinion that I happen to agree with, but in no way is it supported by the readings. If the guy is just going to make stuff up, I might just as well be listening to my bartender.

Anywhoooo, I think you could interpret the "true purpose of marriage" to be inclusive if you wanted to. Make you prayer cancel out the others ;-) That's how it works, right?