30 Days of Truth: religion and what I believe.

19. What do you think of reli­gion? Or what do you think of politics?

This one is much, much harder than the last one.  I can't decide which question to answer.  So I flipped a coin, and we'll be talking about...religion. 

Hmmm.  Where to start without pissing everyone off??  Well, I was baptized and raised as a Catholic.  I went to a Catholic elementary school (go, go STM) and I had my first communion and confirmation.  Then I went to a Catholic high school (yeah Pocock).  I even joined Heart Ministry, which was the group led by the priest at our school and did things like food drives and Christmas baskets.

But honestly, I haven't been inside a church in a long, long time.  Well, other than Ste. Anne-de-Beaupré outside Quebec City, but that was more of a touristy thing than a religious thing.  I don't think I went to church during my high school years at all.  Except maybe if my siblings had a communion or a confirmation.  Even then, I may have skipped it.  What?? I was like 14.  I had way better things to do, you know.  I was a good sister like that.

So what do I believe??  Well, I'm not faith-less.  I'm not atheist (like I used to think I was).  I just don't believe everything I'm told to believe or in the church (any of them) itself.

What does that mean??  I believe there is a god, although I don't really believe it's the god of any one particular religion.  I mean, it could be Zeus for all I know.  But really, I do believe there is a higher being.  I'm not so sure about Jesus.  I feel that Jesus could have been some guy that they picked to write about, although I admit I don't know, and I could very well be wrong.  As for the Bible, well, I feel like it could have been written by anyone.  And you hear all about these books that should have been in there but weren't because they said something different, and while they could all be lies, it's just enough to make me doubt them all.

I don't believe in priests absolving you of sins, and I don't believe confession is the key to Heaven.  Honestly, I don't know if I believe in Heaven.  I like the idea of reincarnation better, if for no other reason than it means we get another chance at life.  But I don't believe that confessing your sins makes you clean and pure again.  How can someone who kills a bunch of people, or rapes and tortures women, or hurts children, suddenly be okay because he told a priest all about it and said a few Hail Marys??  That doesn't make sense to me at all. They should be born again as a slug.  Or, if I'm wrong and there is a Heaven and Hell, then they should burn forever.

Also, I'm all for gay marriage.  I think being gay is something you are, not something you learn, and I believe they should have the same rights to a legal marriage as everyone else.  I'm also all for birth control and pre-marital sex.  Yeah, let's not pretend that it doesn't happen, 'cause it does.  And I like things that will help keep all the pre-marital sex-havers baby-less.  

Do I want to get married in a church??  Not really, but if it meant a lot to the person I was marrying, then I'd be willing to do it. I'd prefer a non-religious ceremony, if only because they're so long!!  Also, there is that "obey" line I take offense to, although that's easily removable. 

I could totally get more into it, but that's the basics.  I don't think I'm missing anything super big. 

Check out this post, from Avitable, called "Why You're Probably Stupid If You're Giving Something Up For Lent."  It's pretty good, and totally in line with what I think.  Actually, just check out his whole site.  It's pretty funny.

There is a song by a Spanish singer named Ricardo Arjona that I feel really sums things up well.  It's called "Jesus Verbo No Substantivo."  My mom played it for me when I was younger, and I've loved it since then.  He's got a bunch of songs that are awesome and fairly protesty.  And he sings one of my favourite songs ever, called "El Problema."  Too bad it's in Spanish and most of you can't understand it.  Maybe look for a translation??  

I guess you can always ask me later.  I'll translate for you.  Or, to be more honest, I'll email you a translation that I Googled, which you can really do yourself.  Don't be lazy.  Only one of us can be, and I'm already doing a great job at it.