Church
I went to church this Saturday to celebrate a new life. When I got there the sermon was about euthanasia. The pastor preached about how people should not necessarily thrive on pain that may come at the end of one's life, but that it is simply a part of life and should be accepted. To end one's life is to have a choice, and the choice isn't yours because your life was given to you by God.
I had gone to church my whole life, and my memory serves me in this feat from at least 1986 through 1999. That final year being the last time I had taken time out of my life to listen, or at least be present at a sermon.
Back then I had an idea of what I thought God was. He mostly made sense to me. I have read and been told the Bible stories. There is the vengeful God of the Old Testament where His people were nomads looking for a place to call their own. Then there's the God of the New Testament, who tries to relay to people how they should live in an established, governed society. It's a good thing there was an update.
Anyway, sitting through the hymnals and the teachings, I found myself struggling to conjure up an image of God, all the while being able to finish the pastor's sentences when a familiar Bible verse was mentioned. I can no longer understand what the yearning is to believe in God. The songs tell you about how he rules your life, how you should do as he bids. How he is your Lord.
Being a somewhat independent individual, but immersed in religion as a child, I had never before realized the message being told: You are being lorded over, give your life to whatever the church tells you to do through God. I can appreciate having somewhat universal morals to live up to, but unfortunately the Bible doesn't cover all the gray area, so each and every church or sect can dictate to it's people how they should live.
The pastor told of his ailing mother who brings pain to herself with every movement. He asked if she would like to die before "her time". "No" was her answer. If she chose to go, she wouldn't be honoring her Lord nor her son.
I suppose this sort of respect for your progeny is admirable -- thinking about how they would feel without you in their lives. But really, doesn't there come a time when you have to think about yourself? Your life can be nothing but pain, but the word of the Lord as seen by this congregation is basically to suck it up, quit being a pussy, and persevere to the end. Generally this is probably my stance on the issue. And when I get that old and persnickety, I'll probably be under that mindset, if only because I'd be too scared to die. However, that's my choice. If people can't handle it, they should be able to make the call.
What I don't understand is how these people can preach in one direction on how life is a matter up to God, but turn their head and demand that the most ardent evil doers should fall victim to capital punishment. Why is the decision making "unlawful" for the innocent, but those who have been judged fall into a different category? Wasn't that mentality just the same that got the Christians' "innocent" Jesus put up on a cross? But I guess if it weren't for Him, we'd all still be slaughtering lambs rather than eating crackers and drinking grape juice.
My, how we have evolved.
I had gone to church my whole life, and my memory serves me in this feat from at least 1986 through 1999. That final year being the last time I had taken time out of my life to listen, or at least be present at a sermon.
Back then I had an idea of what I thought God was. He mostly made sense to me. I have read and been told the Bible stories. There is the vengeful God of the Old Testament where His people were nomads looking for a place to call their own. Then there's the God of the New Testament, who tries to relay to people how they should live in an established, governed society. It's a good thing there was an update.
Anyway, sitting through the hymnals and the teachings, I found myself struggling to conjure up an image of God, all the while being able to finish the pastor's sentences when a familiar Bible verse was mentioned. I can no longer understand what the yearning is to believe in God. The songs tell you about how he rules your life, how you should do as he bids. How he is your Lord.
Being a somewhat independent individual, but immersed in religion as a child, I had never before realized the message being told: You are being lorded over, give your life to whatever the church tells you to do through God. I can appreciate having somewhat universal morals to live up to, but unfortunately the Bible doesn't cover all the gray area, so each and every church or sect can dictate to it's people how they should live.
The pastor told of his ailing mother who brings pain to herself with every movement. He asked if she would like to die before "her time". "No" was her answer. If she chose to go, she wouldn't be honoring her Lord nor her son.
I suppose this sort of respect for your progeny is admirable -- thinking about how they would feel without you in their lives. But really, doesn't there come a time when you have to think about yourself? Your life can be nothing but pain, but the word of the Lord as seen by this congregation is basically to suck it up, quit being a pussy, and persevere to the end. Generally this is probably my stance on the issue. And when I get that old and persnickety, I'll probably be under that mindset, if only because I'd be too scared to die. However, that's my choice. If people can't handle it, they should be able to make the call.
What I don't understand is how these people can preach in one direction on how life is a matter up to God, but turn their head and demand that the most ardent evil doers should fall victim to capital punishment. Why is the decision making "unlawful" for the innocent, but those who have been judged fall into a different category? Wasn't that mentality just the same that got the Christians' "innocent" Jesus put up on a cross? But I guess if it weren't for Him, we'd all still be slaughtering lambs rather than eating crackers and drinking grape juice.
My, how we have evolved.
