Sorcy talks about Catholicism, apparently

(The stuff between the stars is stolen from a chatlog with Tailsteak, which is why it's formatted kinda staccato and weird)

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In other news, I actually have a favourite bible verse now
Which is a weird feeling
(I'm sure I'd find a lot I liked if I cared to look, I haven't)

At Mass, the priest started near the beginning reciting Matthew 6:5-6 and 6:16-18. 6:5-6 boils down to "Don't pray in public and make a big deal out of how devout and awesome you are, just go somewhere private to do your prayer because that's all God needs"

Which is SUPER IN LINE with how I feel about religion
And SUPER HILARIOUS to hear a father say during a giant group mass
Especially on Ash Wednesday, when the whole point is "YO, LOOK AT MY DEVOTION I'M ALL COVERED IN STUFF!"

(I do not participate in many of the overtly religious aspects, but Mass is mandatory at school (I sit with the ninth graders, apparently) and I like the singing parts)

(I also don't hate the contemplation and thinking parts. I wish it were acceptable to bring a notebook and pen to every mass. Really, the only time it was allowed was during the Teacher's Retreat when they gave us little prayer notebooks to write in)
(And I damn near filled that sucker)

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Anyways, yeah, I've attended four masses in the last four months. Prior to that, I think the last time I attended any sort of church services was...Veronica's confirmation, maybe? BOY MY JOB IS WEIRD, INNIT?

So far, I am no more converted than I started out. I am more aware that I do a pretty piss-poor job of actually giving money or time to charity, and should get better at that. And I supposed, I can recite almost a whole prayer (after hearing it every morning). That's gotta be useful for something?

(In general, I am comfortable when I interpret Mass as a combination theology-lesson/song circle/reminder to be a good person, and uncomfortable when I interpret Mass to be "so God, right?". God and I are not buddies. I one hundred percent believe that God --by which I mean the classic Christian, and specific Christian branch to which my school is affiliated-- I believe that God loves me just the way I am and will forgive me anything.

But I also believe, just as thoroughly and fully, that He is willing to forgive me anything because He hopes/believes/wants me to be a better version of myself. Only His version of better involves turning my back on and forsaking some really fucking fundamental parts of mySelf --I regularly engage in adultery, for one, and make no apologies for it.

(Poly, but specifically, my sir is married. His wife is great and I think she's the bees knees and she knows about and is cool with me. BUT YEAH. TECHNICALLY IMMORAL and also as I learned recently, illegal in the state of Massachusetts!)

So we're not actually cool. I mean, I respect the big guy --my school is pretty keen on the service-oriented and forgiving "nice" version of God (as opposed to the petty and vengeance filled old testament one) and I'm generally down with the majority of His word. But He is not my God and I will not give Him my worship.

And even if I were, I really don't think I'd be inclined to do so at my place of employ, in front of 200 students and 30 coworkers. Matthew 6:6. Keep the private religious stuff private.

~Sor
(who belongs to Athe and Gaea and sometimes Eris or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and in small part to Chort and s00j and Vienna)
MOOP!