It’s not really an astonishing thing to say that it’s become part of almost every culture of the world. Religion that is and more specifically, Christianity. It’s become first nature to everyone and half of what they believe is not even tangible facts. Just events created by man that were believed to have happened. It’s amazing how many individuals belong to the Catholic faith simply because these events. Or how no one thinks about anything else on the issue of “what’s out there,” or “how we came to be.” Besides the generic answer, “God made us, the world, the universe, in 7 days. He chose us to be here. He is just and kind and right. Without us, natives would still be worshipping their ugly pagans.” It pains me to see one of the smartest people I look up to for wisdom, my father, to be part of it. He’s only part of it because it’s a vital part of the Hispanic culture. But recently, and to my amazement, he has confessed he never really believed in God. Simply because he felt that he never really needed to tell a man of God (a priest) how he was feeling or when he needed reveal his “sins.” Moreover he confided in me that he was only a part of the religion because it was such a norm in how he was raised. I was nonplussed. But still, festivals thrive on Catholicism in almost every culture that practices it. My mother. She has also been drawn in by the façade the Catholic Church has put up. It’s sad to see a woman of her strength and intellect to be brought down by empty words and the thought of having someone, something tell her how to live. When they could both be living how they choose to. From Rome, The Catholic Church spread their religion and discarded their genuine mythical gods they worshipped for epochs. Like that. The gods of foreign countries were most likely more thought out and perpetual than the newborn God. So my question is. Why is it that he gets the only say in this? When he’s not even here to say it. A feeling, a presence is not always enough. But seeing someone stand up for why half of the world is following you, seems only right if you answer it yourself.
Everyone will try to attack the free and open minds that say even one word against the Church as if it’s some mandated way of life. I have my reasons. As just or as insane as they are seen. Going to two of the “best” private schools, having been raised by Catholic parents, and having been baptized under the Church, I do know what growing up Catholic feels like. Looking back on how ridiculously strict it was in school, I laugh at how I ever had a mind back then. I was taught to think one way, everyday was as if I were attending Mass, everyday thinking only one ‘right way.’ It was a sin to do this, it was a sin to think that, it’s a sin to be you besides what they teach you to be. Because I never learned about science or history to be honest. Everyday, I had a religion test on every chapter in my book. Everyday. To prove religion doesn’t necessarily make everyone a better person, I cheated on every religion test I had. I had no moral guidance. I had to find it on my own. No foreign apparition was going to help me find it. I’m living now with my own mind and no other piece of writing, no individual predestined with neither wisdom, nor anything else that is going to make me who I am.
I was young, but I always felt unusual everyday. It was as if I knew something was wrong with my lifestyle. For one major reason. It didn’t fit me in any logical way. My last year of being a Catholic was when I was attending my 6th year in private school, and was open about it with my parents when I turned into a Junior in high school. If I had been in a private school for much longer, I wouldn’t be tolerant of myself at all. I have no problem with any religion in the world; I have complete respect for Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. BUT, it’s those who embark on their own ‘self-righteous’ journey and begin enforcing their way of life onto you simply so they can become a ‘better person’ is pure blasphemy in and of itself. It’s not right. Atheists, Agnostics, everyone lives their life in peace and it seems as though Christians seek to be the right ones in everything. I have yet to meet one who is respectful and understanding of what others have to say, because there are those who do the same for everyone else. It’s time for a change in which the world lives in harmony and ends this mindless battle with no winner in sight. None of this is saying that I am completely and wholeheartedly correct in every way possible. Never. If you just live with what you are and leave it at that.
That’s all I’m asking for.
