Lumus
Posts: 5968
Joined: 9/16/2007
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quote:
ORIGINAL: dcnovice
So is being a PK why church isn't an option for you, Lumus?
And feel free to tell me to mind my own business.
Nope, it's nothing to do with that, and if I expected you to mind your business I wouldn't comment on mine - n'est pas? 
Here's the story.
I used to go to a Methodist church, where my father presided as one of several ministers. Now, my father was never a 'holy' sort of fellow; in fact, my lineage, while it extends from nobility and knighthood, has had its bad seeds. Those bad seeds were segregated and of those, the remaining bad seeds sailed over to the Americas, becoming my more direct ancestors. 
That said, my father, while devoted to his beliefs, often had questions at the tip of his tongue, especially where translation and application came in in regards to the Bible. [I have the same questioning mind.] He never fully accepted a fact as final, always seeing it as a step towards learning something even more relevant.
Thus it was when the other ministers chose to embrace and focus upon a specific tenet of the Bible, my father had his reservations. The tenet had to do with the concept of the body being a holy temple for the spirit of the Lord, and how abusing said body was temple desecration, of sorts, therefore sinful. Having decided to pursue this concept with ardent passion, the other ministers quickly got on my father's back because my mother smoked. She was 'setting a bad example', you see.
Well, she tried to quit. She tried hard, and failed. Months passed. Finally, my father couldn't take the derision of the other, haughtier members of the church and told them that their translation was too literal.
In case you are not aware, Methodists aren't fond of that kind of talk.
My father resigned. He spoke briefly to me about it afterwards, since he didn't want this outcome to damage my beliefs. He said something I still hold pertinent to this day:
"Son, you don't have to be in church to worship. You don't have to gather with others, put money in the collection plate, or even talk about it out loud. What's in your head and your heart is between you and God, no one else."
I took that with a pinch of salt; I wasn't quite cynical yet - I was only eight - but I wasn't exactly a normal child, either. I weighed the methodologies of the church as they implemented them; did my own comparative religious studies as a teenager as one of my pasttimes. It wasn't that hard; heck, I used to help my father write sermons.
In the end I came to a conclusion that sat well with my view of the world, which was never the popular view to begin with. I decided that there was a force governing over the Universe; that men who assume this force has the time to speak with them are quite likely delusional or blind in their own egotism; that assigning a name to said force is ludicrous, and may as well be Zeus, God, or Rupert; and that establishing our morals and personal beliefs comes not from a compelling external force, but rather from an inner need for people to relate and work towards being more than what we are. In the end, we are measured by our actions, not by a pile of wealth. We choose to be better people because it is its own reward.
I can't abide churches anymore, you see, because to me they are simply buildings where pretty statues with ancient names stare down over folk who are only as good as they strive to be. My father was right. I don't need to attend these folk or do as they say; my heart and my head are synchronously happy with the outlook I have chosen to undertake for myself. And Rupert understands that completely, I am sure. 
Hope the reply didn't offend you, that wasn't the point of the tale. I just enjoy spinning a good yarn, and, well, it did address your question. 
_____________________________
<Talk to educate; listen to learn.>
~ the other half of "L&L" ~
I have been dubbed the Rainmaker. Do not make me take your water for my tribe.
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RE: Arrrrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhh! - 
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