The Roman Catholic Church

I asked myself today what right does a church have to decide what I deserve for health insurance?? What right do they have to tell me how I should live?? If some people want to follow this church that is fine with me but stay out of my life. It is my life and far as I can tell they should be only concerned with my soul. If they want my soul then they better be ready to show me what they have to offer.

I have always been fond of the word why. I would ask why all the time. I again ask why do they feel they have the right to meddle in things that have nothing to do with their church. It can not be my soul that they are after because I have questioned the Roman Catholic Church for over forty years. In the questioning and search I have determined that my soul is worth more than they have to offer. So they will never have my soul, but still they want to control my life. I say no.

The first time that I can remember really questioning church was when, I believe, I was in junior high. I was playing card games with a catholic family in the neighborhood. I had nothing against them as people nor as what they had for church. I was told during the course of card play that I would have to leave because a nun was coming over and she did not like protestants. I could not understand the reasoning behind this request. I had never met the nun, never hurt the family to my knowledge, and never had hurt the nun. So this was my first introduction into intolerance when it came to church.

I was brought up in a Lutheran Missouri Synod household. I came to understand that this one was a more stringent Synod than most. Looking back the message I got from church was more in what we were to believe than than how we were suppose to be. Soon after confirmation I really have had much to do with organized church. Since that time I have been in a search for what worked for me.

I have come to believe that religion and church are two different things. Religion is a very private and individual thing. Each person has their very own religion. No one has the same religion as another. They may have things in common, but not all things. Religion is made up of many beliefs. These beliefs come from many different areas. Some come from church, some come from community, some come from family, some come from the whole universe.

How one can decide if a belief is correct for them is if it feels right. You ever have the feeling that something just does not feel right?? You get this feeling of off center, things are not in balance. This is your beliefs coming up against something that goes against your beliefs. When things are in balance you can feel it. Some times someone will ask you to do something and at the time it may not feel right. That is your soul talking to you, telling you that this might not be a good idea.

Church to me is a governing body that is usually rigid and has a set of rules for belief. If one finds comfort in their church then, to me, that is okay. I may not believe in that church, but who am I to interfere with their comfort?? Churches are to save souls and nothing more. They have no business in telling others how to live their lives. If they want to tell their people how to live, fine. As long as they stay out of my beliefs.

The Roman Catholic Church would have me believe that they know the right way and they are the only way. It just does not feel right to me. My beliefs are feeling a huge uproar about those statements.

We will assume from this point on that I have a simple mind and that I have trouble grasping the larger picture. That I need things explained to me in a very simple manner.

The Roman Catholic Church tells me that they have been around since the birth of Christ. I know that there were churches and religions before them. That God chose them to be the true way to him. I have to ask if this is the case then why did so many churches over the years splinter off from them. Did people find something lacking in the Roman Catholic Church?? It just seems to me that if they had the only way it would be so obvious that no one could miss it.

From this point on we will assume that this is the case, that they know the true and only way to everlasting salvation.

One of the first questions that comes to mind is why they found it necessary to kill so many people along the way to bring their church to so people?? The have been killing so many people throughout their long existence. If I had the true way I would find it unnecessary to kill anyone. I would work hard to convince everyone that my way was the way to everlasting salvation. I would feel badly that they would not believe, but I would not force anyone to believe. I would pray to God to help me and to ask him to talk to them so they could be saved. I would not kill.

I ran across a Catholic website explaining the Bible. On this website they said that the reason the Roman Catholic Church could know what the Bible said was because they wrote it. That they knew the true meaning of the Bible. That it was written by them but inspired by God. All the other religions could only interrupt it because they did not write it. I found this interesting. I did not know that they wrote the Old Testament. I thought the Jews or Jewish church wrote that part.

I wonder then about the conference they had in the 300's AD on deciding which books to have in the Bible. During that conference some were called heretics. Seems there was a little disagreement among the ranks. If I do not believe as you believe why get all worked up about it?? If I do not want to believe as you, isn't that my choice?? Am I not going to pay the price if I am wrong?? I am not taking your beliefs away from you, I am just deciding on my own beliefs. Threat of being called a heretic or threat of excommunication has long been a standard practice of the Roman Catholic Church. Instead of that why not just tell them they are not welcome in your church and tell them to leave, why make such a big deal of it??

They had a number of books to choose from and some of them did not get into the Bible. I wonder what those had to say?? I hope nothing important. I hope they did not have things in them that would help me in my beliefs.

Throughout the history of the Roman Catholic Church they have been involved in governments for mutual benefit. They have used the military power of the governments to further their saving of souls. I believe many people have dies over the course of 2000 years in the name of the church. I was on a website Catholic Answers asking questions. I asked one about the church killing people. I was told that they church never killed anyone. I told them that when the church aligns themselves with an army and that army kills someone then the church is as guilty as the army. They never had an answer for me.

That brings me up to the Crusades. A lot of people died during those wars, on both sides, in the name of God. Not sure if I would want to have that kind of god that promoted war and killing. History books are full of killing, torture, threats , all in the name of God. Many of these things are because the Roman Catholic Church did them. Inquisition, killing people and then making them saints.

We will assume that God choose the Roman Catholic Church to spread his word. That he is everything they say he is. He created everything, he is all powerful, he knows everything. If I have this god on my side then what am I afraid of?? If he has chosen them then he would not let them be destroyed. To my simple mind this makes sense.

They state that they have been persecuted for ever and everyone wants to take their church away. I believe the Jews have you beat there. I do not believe they have started wars for a very, very, long time. I think they are still around. Oh, you might have even tried to destroy them at one time or another.

Going back to the Bible I believe that Jesus Christ had the message of love, love for everything and everyone. He preached more about helping the poor, the needy more than anything else. I don't remember reading that he ever put a limit on love. He never said what or how much you could love.

The Roman Catholic Church does. They have no problem telling people who they can love. They tell people how much they can love another person. In my mind this is just plain garbage. Who do they think they are to tell me who and who not to love. If I find more love in the arms of a man that is my right, my choice. Perhaps they just have another definition of love. If they do I would surly love to hear it. I think God is smart enough to know what love is, he does not need the Roman Catholic Church to tell him what it is.

They state that their God created everything in the beginning, today and for ever. If that is the case then why do they find that they have to attack some of God's creations?? I talk of gays. The Roman Catholic Church finds the love of gays immoral, un-natural, a great sin. I do not know if it is or not. Do I have the right to tell someone who they can love?? NO!! Do they have the right to tell me who to love?? NO!! Sounds simple to me. The Roman Catholic Church does not think so.

The Roman Catholic Church thinks that it is un-natural for two men or two women to love each other. I guess in their eyes it may be. In their eyes it is okay for a priest to have sex with a young boy. The reason I can say this is because it happens and has happened many, many, many times. Just look in the newspapers, listen to the news,visit the internet. In their eyes it must be okay because they just covered it up, moved the person to a different church and let him do it again without telling the people of the church. That just makes me sick.

People make mistakes, it is bad that a priest would have sex with a young boy. It is very, very, very, sick that the Roman Catholic Church would try to cover it up. These people are sicker than the person that did the crime. In my mind all of these people that were involved in the cover ups should be thrown in jail, stripped of any right to preach again, or hold any kind of leadership rule in any organized church and have to registrar as a sex offender.

In the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church it is okay to have same sex just do not love them. Ummm. Within this they also admit that people have sexual urges. In my mind sexual urges are natural and a very big part of us. One thing I can not figure out then is why they find it necessary for their priest to be celibate. It always was not like this. Some of the 12 Apostles were married. Over the course of time the Roman Catholic Church has changed their views on the sex habits of their priests. If they had it right from the start why change??

Christ in his travels delivering his message to the people lived among communities. He knew that man could not live church beliefs alone. Some beliefs would have to come from community. This is where community beliefs come in. You have the church beliefs and you also have the community beliefs. Community is where you live your church beliefs. You develop the works of your belief as you live in the community. You find more of yourself there, you find what feels right.

I find within the Roman Catholic Church that some people are more equal than others. They feel that woman are not as worthy as men. They need to only be allowed certain places within the church. I can not ever remember Jesus treating women any different than men. I never heard him speak down to them. He never told them they had a place and they could go no higher. The Roman Catholic Church would have you believe that women are less than men and they can not have their own beliefs and to follow their soul.

The Roman Catholic Church would tell you that tradition tells them that Jesus had no women Apostles. I do not know. So that is why nuns serve priests, Bishops, Cardinals, and Popes. Okay we will go with tradition then. I do not believe that Jesus lived as a king. He had a crown, but it was a crown of thorns. He did not have so much money, jewels, paintings, idols, more money than most countries. He was a carpenter. A blue collar worker. So if you are going to use tradition then use for everything.

The Roman Catholic Church would have you believe that they know best what is best for women. I do not think so. All these men telling women how to live. They do not even have women in their lives. That to me sounds un-natural. Thats sounds perverted. They might say that they have nuns in their lives. Okay. About the facts that priests have had sex with nuns. Is that okay with the church?? The nuns are suppose to be celibate also. How can nuns and priests go forth and multiply if they are not suppose to have sex?? I would think the church would want their best to multiply.

He also said if you wanted to be perfect you needed to sell everything and help the needy. I still see a lot of money in your coffers. I find the Roman Catholic Church to be a big bully. They have lied, they have killed, they have destroyed people all over the world in the name of their God.

The Roman Catholic Church has turned everything that Jesus Christ did into a ritual. It was not a ritual to him. He just lived his life. He just lived. The Roman Catholic Church has built magnificent buildings, acquired the largest art collection in the world, amassed a huge fortune equal or greater than most countries, have huge land holdings, run businesses, have a huge library that for the most part they keep to themselves.

Through the process of tradition and rituals and gaining such a huge wealth they have lost their soul. They have along the way stepped from the path that they set out on. They are so afraid of losing their church that it has become more important to them than the people that they claim they are trying to save. It is time for them to worry about their own soul than saving other souls. It has been 2 over 2000 years since the birth of Christ, the world has changed. The Roman Catholic Church has refused to change. Without change things die. I wonder if the Roman Catholic Church has died.

To my way of thinking that would be a bad thing. I do not know if all the message that they first carried was correct or not. I know it carried love, tolerance, and compassion. These are good things. These are things that should never be lost.

It is Time to take Partisian Politics out of Politics

It is Time to Take Partisan Politics out of Politics


Whoa, you say, can't do that. How can my voice be heard?? Who is going to vote for what is right for me?? I will just end up getting nothing.

A person runs under a ticket so they have a chance to get elected. Most, because of the huge outlay of money in a political race could not afford to run so they need to rely on small donations, money from large groups and money from the large political machines. These machines are not much different from the machines of old. They expect you to bow down to them and do their bidding as long as they gave you money.

Nothing changes. Just new people, new names for the same corruption that happens time after time. Boss Tweed comes to mind.

Part of the problem in this country today is the political parties want to control the elected representatives after they are elected. This is unconstitutional. A person after they are elected are only responsible to they people they represent. That includes all people that they asked to vote for them. They gave a verbal agreement to work to make this a better country not to just work for one party.

Once elected they have a a obligation to consider all the people they represent. Within that they also need to consider all the people of this country. If they fail to do this they are in violation of the Constitution that they pledged to uphold. By putting any one group above another they are not doing their job, they are violating the Constitution and in my mind they are committing treason. Using the definition of treason as putting this country at jeopardy.

In my mind it is possible for this representative to vote for something that is good for this country but would not be what the people of their state/district would want. To do this it takes a person of conviction and a large sense of duty. Few in elected positions in this country could stand up to this litmus test. I base this on the posts that I read, the voices on the street, the news articles that I read. It is not just my opinion but the opinion of the vast majority of the people of this country.

There is trust in government today. Who's fault is that. Everyone's. We as a voting population have let our parties and politicians, the power brokers also, corrupt the system. Until we can gain control of the system and put in safe guards this will continue.


Below is something I took off the web. Sorry I missed the link and the credit.
Referring to Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA)


I read the versions of the House [health reform] bill. I listened to the countless stories of Orleans and Jefferson Parish citizens whose health care costs are exploding — if they are able to obtain health care at all. Louisianans needs real options for primary care, for mental health care, and for expanded health care for seniors and children. [...]
I have always said that I would put aside partisan wrangling to do the business of the people. My vote tonight was based on my priority of doing what is best for my constituents.
The reaction to Cao from the right wing has been swift and fierce, with some comparing the only non-Hispanic minority in the GOP caucus to Mao Tse Tung and Calling him racial epithets. Rep. Don Young (R-AK) — who has defended Cao’s vote — had to stand beside him during Saturday’s roll call, “fending off his GOP colleagues who might have twisted Cao’s arms.” Last week, RNC Chairman Michael Steele made clear that moderates who don't walk the Party line have no place in the GOP:
So candidates who live in moderate to slightly liberal districts have got to walk a little bit carefully here, because you do not want to put yourself in a position where you’re crossing that line on conservative principles, fiscal principles, because we’ll come after you.
Cao “chuckled” in response to Steele’s comments, pointing out that his vision would essentially lead the party toward a path of political suicide. “He has the right to come after those members who do not conform to party lines,” said Cao, “but I would hope that he would work with us in order to adjust to the needs of the district and to hold a seat that the Republican party would need.”


Is this for real. A man tries to do what he feels right and gets blasted by his party?? That is not the way things are suppose to work. The parties have gotten too big, not much different than a corporation. They think if they help you get elected you are suppose to work for them. His colleagues threaten him, his party threatens him. If it okay for elected officials to threaten then it is okay for the tax payers to threaten any elected official. Is this what they want?? Let them answer this question.

An elected official has a duty to balance their decisions. If they are not able to do this then they have no business being in office. The time to stop bowing down to power brokers, political parties, large corporations is NOW. Until this is done this country can not get back on tract. Once it is back on tract we have to figure out ways to keep it that way.

Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck Practice Pagan Religion

It always bothers me when people do and say mean and illegal things in the name of god. That he/she would condone such things was not a god that I would ever want to believe in. So when I keep on hearing Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann and others of their kind it bothered me that their god could be so full of hate and vengeance.

After reading the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America I better understand which gods they are talking about. They all say that they believe in and hold dearly these documents. If one looks it is very easy to see:

First part of the Declaration of Independence

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

It is right there, laws of nature and nature's God and Creator, right in the Declaration.

In simplest terms Paganism is a religion of place, or a native religion, for example the Native American's religion is Pagan, Hinduism is a form of Paganism. All Pagan religions are characterized by a connection and reverence for nature, and are usually polytheistic i.e. have many Gods and/or Goddesses. Paganism is a religion of nature, in other words Pagans revere Nature. Pagans see the divine as immanent in the whole of life and the universe; in every tree, plant, animal and object, man and woman and in the dark side of life as much as in the light. Pagans live their lives attuned to the cycles of Nature, the seasons, life and death.

I feel better now that I better understand the Pagan religion that Rush, Glenn, Sarah, Michele and their friends practice and believe. There are many gods that one can believe in now with these people leading the way to a better understanding of nature, how we all fit into this world around us. Don't you feel better too??

So the next time you hear someone say that they believe these people and believe their god you can fully understand that they just want you to believe in nature's God and their true belief that they worship nature. Also, that pagan religions have more of an emphasis on goddesses than a manly god. Don't you just love it that these boys can really recognize, accept, and embrace their feminine side?? They really want to have equality among the sexes.

So I can only suggest that you men and woman out there send cards and letters telling these fine men how much you appreciate their concern for nature, their worship of nature and that they are working towards bringing women to the forefront.

My belief is that they are finally secure enough to state their religion to all.

May the Goddesses bless them all!!

Bear False Witness

The title refers to one of the Ten Commandments for all you Christians out there. If you not are aware of it, it means do not lie. The strange thing I notice while surfing the net and listening to the news is that there are a lot of people that call themselves Christians that tell a lot of lies to feed the fears of people.

This bothers me a great deal. Through out my journey through life I have run across a number of people that try to be good Christians. Being human they do make mistakes, but do not go out of their way to hurt or harm anyone. You so called Christians make their life harder and make the name Christian into a mockery.

Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck say things on the air that are either lies or at the best are half-truths. To me that is lying. But they will tell you that this country was founded under God. That is not the god that I have read about. Wait, perhaps they have a different god. That would mean that there is more than one god. A god for you and a god for them. Perhaps their god is the god of money and hate.

Question for you boys: Which god are you really talking about??

What is the Deal with my Employees??

There is something that has bothered me for quite a while and now it seems to be getting that much worse. I need help understanding this problem.

I will hire some employees and the next thing I notice is that for the most part the most important thing on their minds is how do they can keep working for me. They kinda do their jobs but they keep telling me "See what a good worker I am and really trying to do well for you". The problem is that I have trouble really seeing any real work come out of them. Also part of the problem is that they have 2, 4, and 6 year contracts and I have to keep them on no matter how I view their job performance. From the day I hired them they keep on telling me that they want me to sign another contract with them before the one they are on has been really started. Oh, and also they fight with all the other employees and make for a hostile work environment.

I speak of my elected officials.

We sat down and talked about what I wanted and they told me that they could do those things that I thought important. They said that they held those same things important.

Damn, if they did not lie.

Now it seems all they are interested in is making more money from what ever source they can find, getting job perks that they deny to everyone else, worry most about keeping their job and extending the contract out to the future of infinity, listening to others that did not even hire them and then even refuse to listen to me and respond to questions that I pose to them.

If one ran a business and hired this type of employee, that employee would soon find the door hitting their ass as the employer kicked it out the door. Most of these people have never worked for a living so it might be hard to fully realize how one is suppose to really work for an employer or what it means to work a job that pays a half decent wage yet alone with benefits.

It seems that these people we elect are so worried about how they look in doing their jobs that they actually forget to do the job that they were hired to do. " I can't do that I may not be able to get elected again".

My position is that if they actually did their job instead of worrying about extending it they would not have worry about getting elected again because they really would put the people first and the people would be fools to get rid of someone that was doing a good job. So if one does a good job, you will keep it. If someone comes along that can do your job better and because of that you lose your job then so be it. Welcome to the real world that millions in this country face everyday.

There is no job security for the people at the bottom due to government and business whims. Everything thing that is granted to us we have to beg for.

I say to you

"Get off your butts and do the job that you were elected to do, getting paid for, and get this country back on tract".

These are my beliefs.

Michele Bachmann.........Christian??

Michele Bachmann calls herself a Christian. The Christian way is to attack people, to call them names, to belittle them?? I want her to show me in this Bible of hers where it says that Christian should do that. All I can see is a very disturbed woman that is not following the Christian way of shutting her mouth and let her man do the talking for her.

She has her own agenda, cares nothing for the people that she is sworn to by the Constitution to protect and serve. She is one of the first to tell others that they are un-American, breaking the Constitution and not doing their jobs. She has told so many lies that they have web sites that are full of her false statements. She figures if she yells loud enough and long enough she must be right. Her boy friends Rush, Glenn, and Sean just love her. I wonder if there is something more there than they are telling us??

I have the feeling that she may be treasonous. Anything that threatens the security of this nation is treasonous and she does threaten.

In among the talks about this health care plan she has said that it is not good. Does not need a public option. Well, she has her health care plan, she can not worry about everyone. She also said that the government was not going to tell her what she could do with her body. They were not going to control her body. So the only thing I can assume from that is she is now in favor in abortion rights.

Michele Bachmann is now in favor of abortion rights.

Can't have it both ways Michele!! Just had a thought. I wonder if both ways is the way she thinks.......both men and woman think she is pretty......just a thought. Thoughts do not hurt anyone. But in her case she is hurting this country by her rabid disregard for the American people and she should just really do her job.

This just in..........

A conservative Republican House member, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested that Bachmann’s views — and her willingness to state them — make it hard for her to keep staff.

“When your captain’s crazy, it’s time to find a new ship,” the lawmaker said.



These are just beliefs. Beliefs do not hurt anyone.

A Great Home for Sex Offenders

An angry cry rises up from the masses and screams why has the church forgotten the way!!

Surfing the net a little while ago I ran across a news article about a letter sent in 2001 from the now Pope, while he was a cardinal.

Jamie Doward, religious affairs correspondent
The Observer, Sunday 24 April 2005 09.58 BST

Below one will find quotes from the article listed above.

The order was made in a confidential letter, obtained by The Observer, which was sent to every Catholic bishop in May 2001.

It asserted the church's right to hold its inquiries behind closed doors and keep the evidence confidential for up to 10 years after the victims reached adulthood. The letter was signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was elected as John Paul II's successor last week.

The letter, 'concerning very grave sins', was sent from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office that once presided over the Inquisition and was overseen by Ratzinger.

It orders that 'preliminary investigations' into any claims of abuse should be sent to Ratzinger's office, which has the option of referring them back to private tribunals in which the 'functions of judge, promoter of justice, notary and legal representative can validly be performed for these cases only by priests'.

'Cases of this kind are subject to the pontifical secret,' Ratzinger's letter concludes. Breaching the pontifical secret at any time while the 10-year jurisdiction order is operating carries penalties, including the threat of excommunication.

Father John Beal, professor of canon law at the Catholic University of America, gave an oral deposition under oath on 8 April last year in which he admitted to Shea that the letter extended the church's jurisdiction and control over sexual assault crimes.

The Ratzinger letter was co-signed by Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone who gave an interview two years ago in which he hinted at the church's opposition to allowing outside agencies to investigate abuse

'In my opinion, the demand that a bishop be obligated to contact the police in order to denounce a priest who has admitted the offence of paedophilia is unfounded,' Bertone said.

A spokeswoman in the Vatican press office declined to comment when told about the contents of the letter. 'This is not a public document, so we would not talk about it,' she said.

End of quotes

When I read this type of stuff it just makes me so angry and my blood boils. So a good christen seeing someone hurting another and they are just to say nothing otherwise they are not fit to be in that religion??

Perhaps the new name of the Roman Catholic Church should be ... The Church of Ignorance and Arrogance.

The only thing that I can see to do is for all the sex offenders in the world to join the Catholic Church, become priests, and then they will have a true and caring home. Anyone that stays with this church is then believing at their own risk.

Is the church a religion or a government?? If they are a religion then is not everything open to the public?? This church makes me sick. They are the first ones to raise their voice when someone writes a book of fiction and they claim the facts are not right. Perhaps they need to read their book and understand it before they condemn someone else's book.

These are my beliefs.

Shall We Golf On Sunday??

There has been a rumble of sorts from the right about Obama playing golf so much on Sundays. I play golf and I wish he would invite me. But I digress.

They also speak and very often how much religion means to them. After doing some checking I have found out that the President is trying to do his best by upholding the Ten Commandments.

http://www.positiveatheism.org/crt/whichcom.htm



The following is one of the ten.

4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.


So the next time they complain tell them to read the Bible that they find so convenient to quote.

Organized Religion

It is once again Sunday morning and many start their day off going to their church of choice. Others prefer to start their day off in a different way. Which is the best way?? Which is the most correct way?? I can not tell you. Religion is such a personal thing, it is much like love. One can not tell another how to love, nor can one tell another how to practice their religion. We may not believe as another, but that is okay.

+++++++++++ My cat Boston Blackie has decided that he needed to say something. I guess he wanted me to say that + it may be important to have love and religion in our lives. Perhaps they are interconnected. He keeps adding things. Perhaps one does not need organized religion to be religious. Perhaps without organized religion one is just spiritual. This might be a thing that one needs to ponder on a higher plain.

Thoughts and Ponders of Religion This Week

As I went through my week I ran across a couple of things that I found interesting. One of them was a newspaper article and the other was a book of fiction.

The newspaper article (Star Tribune-Sunday, March 11, 2007-Dan Berry- New York Times) talked about a man, a minister of from Wisconsin. His name is Roy Ratcliff, minister of the Mandrake Road Church of Christ in Madison. Just a man. It pretty much stated that his one claim to fame was the baptism of Jeffrey Dahmer, back in 1994. One may remember him as a serial killer and you would be correct. You may ask yourself why he would have done such a thing.

I will try to tell you why I think he did it. He sat with him and talked, found he was seeking forgiveness from God. Does not state whether he was seeking forgiveness from the families that he tore apart. Many would say that he was a monster and did not deserve forgiveness. They may be right, but as my best friend said to me this week, "It is not our right to decide who gets forgiveness or not." I believe the Bible also says "Judge not, for yest be judged". He was doing his job as he saw it. He saw is as his job to baptize a person that wished to be baptized and leave it in God's hands.

The article goes on to relate how this has had an effect on others as they learn of it. Some have told him that he did the right thing and many others just walk away, others praise him to his face and then talk behind his back. This is in and out of the church.

He is rarely invited to other churches to talk about the salvation of the least of us, because he guesses, "there is a sense of shame." At gatherings of preachers in the region one minister from Milwaukee constantly points him out to others and says; Do you know who that man is? Do you know what he did? "I've become a little bit jaded by the hypocrisy," Ratcliff says.

As well he should. If a man/woman is to stand in front of you and say forgive others as god forgives you, and then goes out and finds fault with others, who is he/she to tell you how to live your life, how to believe, what to believe, and what you need to do to get forgiveness from the god/gods you believe in. I find nothing wrong with religion, it is in the way that it is brought out, how it is presented to others and then that person or church can not live the way that they tell you how you need to live to have salvation. I will do anything and everything in my power to point out this hypocrisy to the powers that be. I do understand that these people are just people, subject to faults as we all are. However, if one stands for something and then tries to tell others how to live then they need to try harder to live the way they say you have to live.

The other thing that I ran across was in a book I was reading (A God in Ruins by Leon Uris-1999-page 81).

""There is one bottom line for me," Father Sean said, "and that is the message of love from Jesus. All the rest of it, miracles and saints and whatever we've contrived or distorted, doesn't matter. Love is the bottom line. Find something in that message you can weave into your life."

Even as he spoke, Father Sean realized that Quinn would always inquire, always challenge a Church that did not promote inquiry and challenge. But no other religion would work for him, either, because he could never truly accept what was unacceptable to him."

I will sit and ponder this, for if nothing else, I promote inquiry and challenge. I hope that anyone reading this will also ponder.

Pieces of Religions

I am not an expert on religion. In fact there are no experts on religion no matter what anyone says. If there were experts, then there would be no questions left and I do believe that religion lends itself to many questions. I do not know it anyone knows how many religions there are in the world and I think that there are new ones being created all the time. There are people who study religion all their lives and still there are questions. So to me it seems reasonable that the everyday follower should have questions.

The following questions come to mind.

~Is there only one true religion??
~Is there only one god??
~Is there life after physical death??
~Is there reincarnation??
~Is there a heaven??
~Is there a hell??
~Am I able to question the leaders of a religion??
~Is this religion tolerant of other religions??
~Does one have to belong to an organized religion to be religious??
~Does the religion practice what it preaches??
~Is/are the god/gods merciful or vengeful??
~Does the religion say they have all the answers??
~Does the religion promote mercy or expulsion??

These are just some of the questions, I would think that there are many more. There are religions out there that promote the idea that if you do not believe exactly as you are told, ask questions, hide the workings of the church, or in any way disrupt the flow of the religion, then you must be a non-believer and are subject to harsh repercussions.

It is my belief that one needs to look, listen, ask questions, add, subtract, seek, and then perhaps you may find a religion that works for you.

Shameful Overpayment and Conduct

As I read the news on the Internet, listen to the radio, I am once again struck by the greed of the people that make too much money. Congress is letting themselves get a raise. The Money People are once again giving money away in bonuses. It just seems that there is no end. We allow poor performance to be given undue compensation. When will it stop??

It will not stop until the person on the street, the person in the factory, the person that is just trying to make a small way in the world decides to say to the people that make the rules.... ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. It is way past time for Congress and the government in general to stop right now. It is time for the People to take charge of this country and not leave it in the hands of those that their only concern is how they can keep their job and being reelected.

It is time for the common and average man/woman to once again take control of the government. These people work for us. This is something that I feel these people forget once they are in office for a while. They worry about how they look, can they keep their job. Instead they should be concerned only about what is best for the people and the country.

My position is that Congress and any one that works in any form of government job or position is an employee. Not to be put on a pedestal. They should not have any perks or remuneration that the average American does not. The health care that they receive should be something that all Americans have. Their pay should be decided by the people of this country. If they feel they should have a pay raise then they need to go to the people and put it up for a vote by the people. As an employee are you able to go to your company and say?? "Well, I think I need a pay raise because the cost of living has gone up."

It is well past the time for Congress and the government to live by the small rules that they deem right for everyone else. It is time for the people to make these people to be held accountable. It is the governments fault that we are in the position that we find ourselves in now. I dare them to state otherwise. Let them answer for the misuse and mistrust that they have generated.

I can only say that I am as guilty has anyone for not doing my part in seeing that my employees are held accountable for their misdeeds. I thought that by voting I was doing my part. I find that this was not enough. It is time to get off my backside and tell them what I think and to ask them what they have done and what they are going to do.

Congress passed a bailout ($700 Billion) for the financial sector and put no restraints on it, but later when the auto companies ask for a loan, money to be repaid ($30 Billion??) it is questioned whether this can be done and there has to be all kinds of rules and regulations that have to be met. Cut back on expenses, reduce hourly wages for the factory workers. I asked myself why the differences. I will tell you why. It is because they are in the same bed together.

It has all to do about money. It is the perception, real or imagined, that money gives power. The people that have money want more, power and money. Congress wants power too. So they try to please the people that they think can give them power. So until the average person takes their power back things will stay the same as they have been for too long.

I would ask anyone reading this post to please leave a comment to perhaps help me see things in a different light, to find ways to bring back the power, to perhaps refine my perceptions.

Sunday Being for Most a Day of Faith

Sunday for most being a day of religion and faith I am going to save this day for the discussion and exchange of this topic. That being said...........

For many years, more than I would care to ponder, I have searched for a way to make sense of religion and what would work for me. Religion being a very personal thing and it has to be something that one can live. It has to be something that once one has found one then they have to keep on searching within it to add more and more to it. It has to be a religion that is not afraid to be questioned. If one finds a religion that is afraid to stand up to questioning then I think and believe that they might not have all the answers.

Some may disagree with this approach, but I would say to you that we are thinking and feeling people that if a creator wished us not to use it within our religion then why ask us to use it in all other things but do not use it in examining religion??

There many religions in the world today, many more than days past. Which one is the correct one?? Which God is the correct one to follow?? Is there more than one God?? So many questions about religion that I do not think I could ever list them all here.

I would ask anyone reading this post to stop and think about their religion and beliefs. Does your religion encourage you to ask questions, do they favor a true exchange of ideas?? Are they tolerant of other religions?? Do they express the idea that theirs is the only true religion and any followers of others will surely be condemned to eternal hell and damnation??

It is my belief that I if a God or Gods exist that they would be merciful and not vengeful. Why would one want one that promised pain and suffering if they were not obeyed?? Sounds like a controlling being. I would want to have the freedom to explore, to make mistakes and seek more answers and not be held to a rigid belief system.

The human animal is made up of at least three parts. Heart, mind, and soul. When one has these three parts working in harmony, then perhaps one is close to finding the path that they need to follow. It is important to seek and explore, to ask questions, to let your mind also guide you and not just let your spirit make all the decisions for you.

All comments are welcome, but keep in mind that comments also go both ways. I seek, so any information that is exchanged here will be in a fair and honest way. One belief is no more important than another.

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit

Belarc Advisor - Free Personal PC Audit

Here is a program to help you check out what is on your computer. I hope this is a help to anyone.

The Start of a New Begining

This will be a blog of things that enter the mind of the Dragon. Perhaps it is necessary at this time to explain a little of Dragons.

It is the role of a Dragon to be the messenger of love. To protect the ones that are unable to protect themselves. To help them to reach that potential inside of themselves. I will strive to give a voice to others that find it hard to speak up for themselves.