BEGIN RANT:
As I have mentioned before, I went to school, ALL of my schooling life, to a Southern Baptist Hellfire and Brimstone Academy. In the age of Facebook, people friend you left and right, people you really have no interest in speaking to again...but you know, the friending happens.
Case in point: I have been friended by various people from my ol school from back in the day, one of them was actually my 6th grade teacher! One particular person that friended me has been part of that school/church her entire life; she is in her late 40's now.
As you may also know, I have been suffering from allergies, which has caused a tremendous amount of snot build-up, which has resulted in a nice, deep, crackling cough.
A few days ago, as an update to my Facebook status, I wrote: "Jessica is coughing up a storm"
I got various responses, such as this from Mama Dawg: "Stop it, dammit!"
Which is hilarious. And then I responded: "Larkin has already pegged me in the head with a paper clip to try and make me stop. I already had half a bottle of cough medicine. What more can one do?!"
I THEN get this response, which is soooooooooooo very Baptist, from a sooooooooooo very Baptist acquaintance of that church/school (incidentally, the sister of my 6th grade teacher...weird.): "You could PRAY Jessica"
I have such a long, drawn out theory on prayer; one that is best discussed after about 3 beers and a lemon drop shot. The statement literally caused my entire body to cringe.
I think it is the ignorance within the religion that causes me to get all twitchy. I personally believe it is rediculous to pray for a cough. Sickness happens. I would pray for a cough as much as I would pray that I make rent next month or that I have enough money to go buy a case of beer. What a sad misuse of prayer!
Prayer for me is very much like what most people know as meditation. It is a time for me to get my mind centered and concentrate on a good energy and think about what course it is that I need to take in life to get where I need to be that day.
All in all, it brought back alot of animosity about how I feel about Christianity. The way that it was presented to me, ALL of my life, was very oppressive. It was taught that I was wrong for feeling human.
As a kid, if I stole something, it was Satan in me and I needed to confess then and there. Kid's steal! You explain stealing is wrong, but scaring a kid into thinking that some kind of satanic force was within them and that this mystical Jesus character was going to banish me from the gates of heaven was ALOT to put on a kid!
It wasn't until I got MUCH older that I realized how much the Baptist rely on fear to control their congregation and to control themselves. It is a crutch for them.
I have kept my Baptist church visitation to a minimum in my adult life. I was privy to such preachings just this last Sunday (as can be read a few posts down) and the message is still the same.
You are covered in the blood of Jesus. You cannot get to heaven without being covered in the blood of Jesus. The ways of this world are not of God, but of Satan and you MUST repent in order to even HOPE to be in the presence of God when you leave this filthy, rotten, terrible, God-forsaken earth.
Here is my deal: God created this world for us to LIVE in, to ENJOY! It is not evil in and of itself, people are. If you are in your right mind and surround yourself with the right people, you are going to enjoy your life here to the fullest AND enjoy whatever afterlife awaits you.
If you are a miserable little shit, then you are going to absolutely hate your life here on earth and I can't imagine an afterlife being much better for you. Simple as that.
I see no reason to constantly put yourself down as being not worthy of God's forgiveness, love, admiration, whatever...of COURSE you are worthy, He created your stank ass, didn't He?
Ah, anyway, this post has gone on long enough and I haven't had a damn thing to drink.
END RANT.
As I have mentioned before, I went to school, ALL of my schooling life, to a Southern Baptist Hellfire and Brimstone Academy. In the age of Facebook, people friend you left and right, people you really have no interest in speaking to again...but you know, the friending happens.
Case in point: I have been friended by various people from my ol school from back in the day, one of them was actually my 6th grade teacher! One particular person that friended me has been part of that school/church her entire life; she is in her late 40's now.
As you may also know, I have been suffering from allergies, which has caused a tremendous amount of snot build-up, which has resulted in a nice, deep, crackling cough.
A few days ago, as an update to my Facebook status, I wrote: "Jessica is coughing up a storm"
I got various responses, such as this from Mama Dawg: "Stop it, dammit!"
Which is hilarious. And then I responded: "Larkin has already pegged me in the head with a paper clip to try and make me stop. I already had half a bottle of cough medicine. What more can one do?!"
I THEN get this response, which is soooooooooooo very Baptist, from a sooooooooooo very Baptist acquaintance of that church/school (incidentally, the sister of my 6th grade teacher...weird.): "You could PRAY Jessica"
I have such a long, drawn out theory on prayer; one that is best discussed after about 3 beers and a lemon drop shot. The statement literally caused my entire body to cringe.
I think it is the ignorance within the religion that causes me to get all twitchy. I personally believe it is rediculous to pray for a cough. Sickness happens. I would pray for a cough as much as I would pray that I make rent next month or that I have enough money to go buy a case of beer. What a sad misuse of prayer!
Prayer for me is very much like what most people know as meditation. It is a time for me to get my mind centered and concentrate on a good energy and think about what course it is that I need to take in life to get where I need to be that day.
All in all, it brought back alot of animosity about how I feel about Christianity. The way that it was presented to me, ALL of my life, was very oppressive. It was taught that I was wrong for feeling human.
As a kid, if I stole something, it was Satan in me and I needed to confess then and there. Kid's steal! You explain stealing is wrong, but scaring a kid into thinking that some kind of satanic force was within them and that this mystical Jesus character was going to banish me from the gates of heaven was ALOT to put on a kid!
It wasn't until I got MUCH older that I realized how much the Baptist rely on fear to control their congregation and to control themselves. It is a crutch for them.
I have kept my Baptist church visitation to a minimum in my adult life. I was privy to such preachings just this last Sunday (as can be read a few posts down) and the message is still the same.
You are covered in the blood of Jesus. You cannot get to heaven without being covered in the blood of Jesus. The ways of this world are not of God, but of Satan and you MUST repent in order to even HOPE to be in the presence of God when you leave this filthy, rotten, terrible, God-forsaken earth.
Here is my deal: God created this world for us to LIVE in, to ENJOY! It is not evil in and of itself, people are. If you are in your right mind and surround yourself with the right people, you are going to enjoy your life here to the fullest AND enjoy whatever afterlife awaits you.
If you are a miserable little shit, then you are going to absolutely hate your life here on earth and I can't imagine an afterlife being much better for you. Simple as that.
I see no reason to constantly put yourself down as being not worthy of God's forgiveness, love, admiration, whatever...of COURSE you are worthy, He created your stank ass, didn't He?
Ah, anyway, this post has gone on long enough and I haven't had a damn thing to drink.
END RANT.
13 comments:
And THIS is why I love you!
MD - LOL! Where are you at?! I need a margarita Friday with my girls...!
lol...."he created your stank ass"
Sooo know where you're coming from on this one. I grew up going to baptist church. Haven't been back since I moved out on my own. Fire and Brimstone here I come!
Squirty - one of my favorite quotes is "Where Are We Going? And Why Are We In This Hand Basket?" HEHE!
See! See why I'm stalking you! This post...like it came out of my mouth. Except for replace 'baptist' with 'catholic'.
I believe I'm a good Christian, whether or not I thrown down a keg or not. Me loves to party, but it doesn't rule my existence. I still read my bible, treat peeps with kindness and respect, give to God what is His and realize I should be lovin' on others like he loves on me. My relationship with Him is MY biz...not my Catholic grandparents' biz. I know I'm not going to hell b/c I don't go to Catholic mass, or confess sins every week that I KNOW I'll be repeating.
That old lady on Ellen...my new tag line: "I love Jesus but I drink a little". Oh, and I cuss alot.
Covered in blood? I don't care whose blood it is, that's probable cause and that is no good.
I'll take the holidays, but I'll pass on the religion.
Hey girl!
I've gotta comment because I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. I am a Baptist and I almost gave up on the whole thing because of PEOPLE. I have learned to separate my relationship with GOD from the people that control 'religion'. That's why I HATE that word: religion. I really feel that my walk with Christ is a very personal thing, and that people can either be really supportive or really f it up.
Having said that, there are good people out there and I hope this stupid idiot of a lady get's smacked in her judgmental face. It took us a LONG time to find a good congregation of people, but we found one...full of people who screw up and are as screwed up as I am - as opposed to those people who try to rule in fear and act perfect all the time. I don't believe in a God who rules with fear. I believe in a God who is love and that's how I try to be.
So my point is - I am SO SORRY that this happened to you and I can relate. But you know who your God is so don't let them get to you. Their day is coming!
Nuff said! Done and done! ;)
Sassy Stephanie - That was AWESOME! Totally agree ;)
Sassy - Darlin, I can tell we would have some great convo over that keg! My Mother and her side of the family are Catholic, my father and his side of the family are Baptist. They go to a Methodist church. LOL! Thankfully my family has never tried to influence me either way, and my talks of religion and spirituality with ANY of my family is a very nice and informative time. I really enjoy it. I am sorry to hear that you get pressure from you family to conform to what they believe is right. I think it is important to remember that they HONESTLY believe that what they are doing is right. It is hard to fault people for just NOT knowing.
Capt D - very unsanitary sounding, isn't it?
Jes - as usual, you are awesome! I appreciate you commenting! I really enjoy my parent's church, however, it is three hours away from where I live! They are a Methodist congregation. I do want you to know that growing up in the school I did really did teach me alot more than I ever thought it would. It didn't teach me the way that THEY wanted me to learn, but it showed me how NOT to be and what Christianity WASN'T about. However, when remnants of the past come up, it tends to frustrate me, as there are so many people out there that are not able to escape that teaching style and are never able to expand their mind and soul to what God truly intended for them.
Agreed ;)
Keep on keepin' on sista!
So glad I never had any religeon pushed onto me- never understood if God is love then why is so much of it based on hatred?
Great post- sending you a drink.
BB
X
I have always felt like this I see church as a hospital for christians. They all have their own demons and reasons to be there. Nobody is perfect and it is those who are there who point out other people's problems and who have their own who need to be there the most. Cause seriously they need a little Jesus (or Jay-sus) I have learned that it is just best to ignore those who try to be haters at church.
Of course I am Baptist, but I also shopped around when I got to Missouri to find a church that fit me and believe me it was not a church that guilted you into coming and praying. It was a church that celebrated a persons walk with christ and aknowledged that it was a personal decision and not something to be forced
BB - It is most important to understand the difference between religion and spirituality and also the difference between people, religion and spirituality. The people breed the hatred, believing fully that they are following what God has asked them to do. As with anything in life, one must educate themselves as much as possible and not just listen to the "doctrine" that is taught by "God's chosen leaders". God is big enough to question...and I believe that is exactly what we should do in life...question EVERYTHING!
Kat - hospital for Christians...I like it! Very, very true! The way I view church is much like I view going out...you go out to be around people of like mind, you go to church to do the same. The key is finding a church like that!
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