I may have already mentioned that I come from a family steeped in religious history. Among my recent ancestors I can claim two parsons and a nun, and my Dad trained to be a priest but bailed out before signing up. Most of my Dad's more recent side of the family have spent lifetimes wandering between the church of Rome and the Anglican faith - I spent my early childhood going to Catholic church every sunday, and I spent one year in a Catholic school run by nuns.
At the end of this one year, when I was ten, my mother threw in the towel with Catholicism and took us to live about thirty miles from my Dad; I never went to church on a Sunday again. Three years later my Dad threw in the towel on Rome himself and signed up with the C of E. Thirty-six years after they split up my Mum and Dad got back together and ten years later they are still ok. My Dad still religiously attends church and my Mum now hangs out a bit with the Quakers.
I detest religion of all kinds - maybe that's a bit strong, but I am definitely not a fan. I can see that it does help some people to get through life, but what I don't like about it is that it is dogma. A load of theory and rules made up by humans to give them some kind of framework to hang their lives on. I'm not even going to go into the heaven and hell, laws of karma, reincarnation, eternal life with virgins (never mind fucking limbo) speculative bollocks - how much chaos has all this rubbish caused throughout our history.
But I'm pretty convinced this awesome creation is not just some accident of nature, and even if it is I do acknowledge the divine experience (possibly slightly too much acid there, do I hear you say). Go there and you won't need a load of religious bollocks to help you through your life. From there everything good comes.
Well it is fucking Sunday isn't it!
I'm Eighteen and I Like It
7 months ago
'How much chaos has all this rubbish caused throughout our history?'
ReplyDeletePretty much all of it. This particular Sunday morning, just ask the Lebanese...
Yes, and we and the Russians have to go give all involved plenty of party favors.
ReplyDeleteTommy dear. We need to have a chat.
ReplyDeleteOh Pammy, I do so hope the fact that I am an irreligious gobshite is going to come between us.
ReplyDeleteTommy, I agree with you on religion. It is completely separate from our connection with whatever-you-want-to-call-it. Religion was invented to keep people from thinking with their own heads. Yes, it's true that some people should NEVER try this but I hate the attempt at control.
ReplyDeletereligious sorts always seem so damn pious, miserable and warmongering, and of course always right - except of course the Pagans, not that I know anything about them but judging by the ones at Stonehenge this solstice, all you need is a pointy hat and something not quite legal to, smoke/sniff/quaff and you'd be smiling happy and unable to lift a finger in anger - perfect! Looks just the sort of 'religion' that should suit - apparently they believe in Mother Nature, doing exactly what you like (as long as it doesn't cause harm) and, it would appear, mostly naked. They did look a tad chilly though - bless.
ReplyDeletePammy, Pammy, Pammy, I'm so so sorry. That was meant to say 'isn't', not 'is'. And I can't work out how to delete the comment.
ReplyDeletePammy, don't you hate when they start backtracking like that?? Sheesh!
ReplyDeleteodyxu - What Pammy said she would do to Tommy if they don't clear this up
Actually I was just admiring his subtlety in saying he was hoping for something to come between them and suddenly he’s running scared – how disappointing - u know he did seem so virile there for a moment
ReplyDeletehey! the picture thing worked! it's amazing what you can do inder the unfluence!
ReplyDeleteTommy appears to want to hurt my feelings for some reason. I've never even boiled up a bunny in a stewpot in his kitchen.
ReplyDeleteHmm. I just finished reading the comments and found your second comment.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it was a bit of a Freudian slip there?
No worries. I'll stop crying eventually.
Pammy, how can I make it up to you. The thought of you crying is more than I can bear.
ReplyDeleteZiggi and Carmi, please, you are both very welcome here, I love you both, but please don't stir up any more shit between me and Pammy than there is already. She is a sensitive flower and the last thing she needs is you two adding your ten pence worth. I admit our relationship is in trouble but it's not for want of trying on my part. Pammy has impossibly high standards that I can't begin to live up to - my hope is that I can make up for my worldly shortcomings by sweet-talking her - it's got me this far so here's praying for my luck to hold.
ReplyDeleteTommy, you seem to be doing quite a good job of getting yourself in trouble without Ziggi and me helping! I think it may be agood thing to proofread before you hit the submit button.
ReplyDeleteAw, C'mon you two, patch it up.
Yet another amazing coincidence, my grandfather was a methodist lay preacher and my dad has been known to take the service at our chapel too from time to time, yet I rarely go near the place.
ReplyDeleteMy philosophy is that you don't have to clock in at the everlasting life factory every Sunday to be a decent sort of a person.
I like that your parent sgot back together after all those years, but I'd freak out if mine did that.
I was raised by Unitarians, so I never quite understood the relevance of dogma. (For many years, I was under the impression that it was akin to what black people used to refer to as "playing the 9s," where you ragged on someone's mom. (E.g, "Yo Mama got such a big ass dat dey neighbors use it for shade in da summertime.")
ReplyDeleteThe church closed during the summer months because it was too hot to be indoors; instead, the family spent Sunday (get it, "Sun"day) swimming at a local lake. Consequently, whenever I hear someone refer to "that old time religion," I think of sand and surf. Needless to say, Zen never impressed me much . . . . (vlmkhco)
http://www.skype.com/
ReplyDeletenifty bit of kit if you like to talk as well as write / blog
I thought I commented on this? God, I'm really slipping.
ReplyDeleteUm, hi Tom! As one recovering Catholic to another, I have to say you always give me such a laugh. I get where you're coming from.
Thank you everybody for taking the trouble to comment on such a serious topic. As my contribution towards world peace I will endeavour to 'lighten up' in the near future.
ReplyDelete