So, many people know that its been almost a year since a board at the church I attended for more than 20 years fired me from my job in their preschool. They showed me the door without talking to me or getting my side of things. I knew there was trouble, but I had no one to help me because everybody was either sick or caring for a sick person or a nutball. In their termination letter, they said the problem started the year before but they never said anything to me, just tossed me under the bus.
This behavior seemed to be the antithesis of what I felt was the point of going to church, that is: to learn how to exist in the world in a Christ-like way. Jesus is well known to be an advocate of helping and supporting the underdog. He spent time with hookers, lepers, women, children, and nutballs (people posessed by evil). He was supportive of people who were treated unfairly. He wasn't just a really Good Guy, He was the Son of God for Pete's sake!
So when my church treated me so poorly and gave me no recourse, I quit that bitch and began looking for a new place to worship. See, I've always loved church - being in a church gave me such a deep feeling of peace, even if I was just touring a landmark like a mission here in California, or Notre Dame in Paris. When I was a kid I begged my parents to take me and I loved it when they did. Plus, the music was so pretty...
I researched various religions. Tossed out any that espoused idiocy - the earth is more than 6,000 years old, Jeez. After watching the news and reading the paper, I decided not to embrace any religion that put pedophiles in charge of children, encouraged people to kill in the name of God, or put the religion's needs over the needs of people. By this time, I'd rejected almost all of the world's faiths.
The fact is that I like being Christan. I believe in God and I love Jesus. But, to paraphrase John Fugelsang (great writer/hilarious comedian) some of His fan clubs give me pause. Like my friend who finally (after 20 years!) divorced her emotionally abusive douchebag husband and had her clergyman berated her for "not trying". Her hub was not the only douche. And the church that gave a woman in her 30s a hard time for having a baby outside of marriage. She couldn't seem to meet a good man and she heard the clock ticking in her uterus...
Which brings me to this weekend and my last straw. The hub and I were at a party, and also in attendance were my friend's son and his fiance with their new baby. They are getting married next month and they asked the hub to perform the ceremony. I wondered why not a professional? I mean, the hub has been a proud minister in the Universal Life Church since he sent in $5 in Middle School, but he's a park ranger by trade. Turns out they took their 3 1/2 month old daughter to her family's church to talk about christening and the dude with the backward collar said: "It would be a waste of water" to baptize the baby. Let me repeat that..."it would be a waste of water" to baptize that paragon if innocence.
I thought the point of baptism was to welcome a person into the family of God. So her mother wasn't confirmed and her parents rarely attend church, why won't the baby be welcome in God's family? I think Jesus would have welcomed her. I also think Jesus would have welcomed the fatherless baby and his mother. And I think Jesus would have encouraged the abused woman and (in His spare time)I think He would have talked to me about my problem and let me work in a different position at the school if I couldn't adapt.
I thank God every day for all my gifts, including, but not limited to, my awesome family, terrific friends, food, a place to live, good health and my sense of humor. All of which have gotten me through the hard times. I thought I needed church to feel close to God but maybe not. I've always thought that calling a building "God's house" was a little disingenuous since God created all outdoors and churches are built by people. Well intentioned people, but people nonetheless. I think I'll spend my time worshipping outside. Waste of water, my ass!
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I can't believe it. I had no idea that's why they haven't baptized the baby yet! I have always been a Catholic, but not without my moments, of "are you guys kidding?" We just got our certificate of marriage from the church and that was a journey. I believe that in this day and age, if someone is actively trying to be a part of the Catholic church they should not only welcome them with open arms, but also with a red carpet and 4 piece band! But they didn't, they made it difficult and set up hoop after hoop for us to jump through. In the end our marriage only "counted" in the eyes of the Catholic Church because of our "rogue" retired priest, who, like you, believe that the outdoors is truly God's Church. After all this, I may have to finally let go of organized religion. I've always felt like a bit of a renegade anyway, maybe we should just form our own "church". I'm pretty sure it stand for "community" after all. I can promise you one thing though, my kids won't be using up any of the Catholic church's water any time soon. Regardless of where they do get baptized, I'm sure God would enjoy the view better if we held the baptism outside...=]
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