Not a question of faith

On the subject of God, I have always believed in Him.  I was brought up to believe in God.  Our family went to church sometimes when I was little.  I went to Sunday school and religion classes. Then, for a while, we didn’t go anymore.  We moved around to a few different places over the course of a year when I was 10.  When my parents bought a house and a business in a small village, we started going to church again.  It is an Episcopal church and very, very beautiful.  I was in the children’s choir for a while.  My dad was in the adult choir for a while (I think).  Then he became a lay reader.  Then he and Mom got divorced and he moved to a different town four hours away.

In the meantime, when I was a teenager, I became an acolyte, as did my brother and sister.  That was a lot of fun!  It really made it enjoyable to go to church.  Not that I didn’t like church anyway, but let’s face it, an Episcopal service isn’t a barrel of monkeys.  Not that it should be.  As an acolyte, I was right up there at the altar with Father Bob.  I felt so important.  I was his helper and had a very important job.  I was pretty good at it, not that it was difficult by any means, but when the entire congregation is watching, it’s better not to mess up too often.  I made a lot of friends as an acolyte.  I loved it, it was an important time in my life, and I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.

After I graduated from highschool, I went away to college.  There wasn’t an Episcopal church within walking distance.  I didn’t have a car so the times I went to church during that time, I decided to go to the church on campus.  It was Roman Catholic.  I liked a couple of things about that church.  The service (or as they say “Mass”) itself was very similar to the one I was used to.  So that made it nice.  But there were a few differences and that made me a little uncomfortable.  I didn’t go very often during college, unless I was home at my own church.

After college was over, I lived in my hometown for a short time and worked on the Altar Guild.  Then, we moved about 45 minutes away.  I would go to church if I could go to my hometown church, but it was never the same anywhere else.  I think most people would say that it shouldn’t matter which church you go to, as long as you go.  I disagree with that, for the most part.  I believe in God.  I also believe that you don’t have to be in church to be near Him or to talk to Him or for Him to hear you.  Church is a place to be with other people and God at the same time.  I think they call that fellowship.  You all celebrate God together and at the same time, you pray together, ask for forgiveness together, take communion together.  It’s a wonderful thing.  I just don’t think it’s a requirement for someone to attend church just because they believe in God (and Jesus, for that matter).  For me, it’s about the experience and that changed as people changed over the years.

I think I can have that kind of experience again.  I have to give it a try, but I’m pretty lazy about it now.  As long as I keep my beliefs and raise my boys with the same values, I think God will understand. 

The whole reason I started writing this post has to do with something someone wrote in to Rosie.com.  A woman had had a biopsy and the results were benign.  She was so relieved and said, “There is a God”.  Then, Rosie’s question back to her was, “And if it was positive, would there be no God?”  I thought that was a very cold thing to say.  And I understand what she’s asking… don’t get me wrong, but I found it quite upsetting.  Rosie is asking if the woman is saying God wouldn’t exist if He would allow her to have cancer.  All the woman was saying was that He answered her prayers and she was so happy.  People who do have cancer still believe in God, mostly, I think.  But, I think also that when you pray and pray for something and don’t get it, there’s no confirmation.  When He answers your prayers, you get that secure feeling that He is there watching over you.  It’s a tremendous feeling!

There IS a God AND people get cancer. It doesn’t happen only to people who don’t believe in God.  This woman knows that and so does Rosie.  Why did she have to stomp on her happiness that way?  I think she made her feel bad and I don’t think Rosie would have said something like that to her they were sitting in Rosie’s living room having a conversation.  She should have said something like, “You’re very blessed. I’m happy for you.  Remember to pray for those who do have cancer.”  Everyone has to die. And not everyone is going to die when they’re old.  If everyone did, the world would be total and complete Chaos.  What I don’t know is why many deaths have to be painful.  We have enough pain throughout life: loved ones die, hearts are broken, natural disasters occur.  Some day we all die. When that day comes for each of us, I’m sure we will get the answers.  Until then, keep praying and thanking God for every day… especially those without pain.

I do respect Rosie.  I have fun going to her blog everyday.  I don’t consider her the most annoying celebrity, in fact I would have to say Donald Trump is waaaaaay more annoying than she is.  She has a huge heart. But, I think that sometimes in her haste to answer the many questions she gets daily, she might forget that feelings can get hurt; that there are human beings that look up to her; that although they are strangers to her, she is not a stranger to them.  It must be hard to do that, but it’s the position she’s put herself in. She may not be the kind of person who sugar coats what she has to say, and everyone makes mistakes, of course, but I think she could have been kinder in her response this time.

Peace & Luv