Two thoughts related to religion.
I'll start blogging my thoughts since I've always wanted somewhere to keep my random thoughts that I have stashed somewhere. I guess the internet is as good as anything although it could go down. I'll try to speak how I really think instead of trying to make it cool and hip. Maybe I'll share this with people maybe I won't, but for now I'll just pour my mind into this blog. Maybe it'll even help my essay writing ability. Hmmmm, I'll try to use big fancy words to help that objective. I wish there was another word for blogging instead of blog though... Cool it autosaves! No more Facebook notes being deleted by accident. Anyway, onto my first thought I have on religion. I'll probably have a lot of my posts on religion simply because it is such a big part of who I am and has dictated my life a lot. I'll try to be as unbiased as possible but that might be a learning process.
I always see people that go on mission trips and from my understanding these mission trips cost hundreds to thousands of dollars per person. The extravagant expenses occur from the airfare, supplies, lodging, etc. So here's my inquiry, would it be more beneficial to the cause to go there and help or to find a trustworthy non-profit organization to donate to? Like everything, it's probably best to look at both sides.
Some people would argue that the connections made between people on mission trips and the people their helping is a big enough reward. However, wouldn't the same thing happen if donations were made? Someone else would be there to make those connections with the added benefit of having more supplies to help the locals there. I guess the thing that irks me about mission trips is that while it is good in its intentions, people almost do it more for themselves than for the people they're helping. They want a tangible reward to be able to showcase like a trophy to other people saying, "I did this and helped them." I am guilty of having this same need before I help someone. I envy the person that can help another without ever showing their kindness out loud. I think I'm just starting to rant instead of keeping a cohesive argument. I guess I'll stop here with this one. On to my next thought.
My next thought was quite a pivotal moment in my life. I remember it so distinctly and made me have all kinds of confused thoughts mixed emotions. This particular event happened about two years ago in the spring. Mass had just ended at church and we were all deciding where to go eat. A group of us decided to go eat at the Waffle House on Buford Highway. While we were eating a lone black man, let's call him Ralph, walked in and ordered a meal. The servers seemed to be rather rude to him. Maybe it was because he had a hobo/disheveled look to him or maybe because he had done the same thing in the past (read on). As the church kids were just chit-chatting and eating their meal, Ralph was quickly eating his meal. When it came time for him to pay, he said he didn't have any money. The Waho servers instantly got irate and started causing a small scene and called the police. Eventually, the police arrived and took Ralph away with his hands cuffed and his head hung low. After he left, my group started to say things like,"Why would he come if he didn't have money," "What a hobo," "Man, sucks to be him," and, "He should just get a job." (I'm not really sure how to use commas with quotes so excuse my grammar.) I had those same feelings to an extent, but the dominant emotion in me at the time was just guilt. I just felt guilty for not helping him at all. How could I, we, call ourselves Catholics and "followers" of Christ and his ways and not be able to spare a few dollars to help a fellow person? Instead we shun him, stare at him, and when it passes it's as if nothing happened. The teachings and Gospel we heard just an hour earlier about being humble seemed to have gone through one ear and out the other, never once staying in between to be pondered upon and taken to heart. I started to question who I was and what where my true beliefs on life were. I simply couldn't stand the hypocritical nature all around having to be a Catholic or a believer of any religion for that matter. I know it's just my view but it just frustrated me that people call themselves something they're not. Call myself a Christian, but don't follow what the teachings are? How could I?
I always see people that go on mission trips and from my understanding these mission trips cost hundreds to thousands of dollars per person. The extravagant expenses occur from the airfare, supplies, lodging, etc. So here's my inquiry, would it be more beneficial to the cause to go there and help or to find a trustworthy non-profit organization to donate to? Like everything, it's probably best to look at both sides.
Some people would argue that the connections made between people on mission trips and the people their helping is a big enough reward. However, wouldn't the same thing happen if donations were made? Someone else would be there to make those connections with the added benefit of having more supplies to help the locals there. I guess the thing that irks me about mission trips is that while it is good in its intentions, people almost do it more for themselves than for the people they're helping. They want a tangible reward to be able to showcase like a trophy to other people saying, "I did this and helped them." I am guilty of having this same need before I help someone. I envy the person that can help another without ever showing their kindness out loud. I think I'm just starting to rant instead of keeping a cohesive argument. I guess I'll stop here with this one. On to my next thought.
My next thought was quite a pivotal moment in my life. I remember it so distinctly and made me have all kinds of confused thoughts mixed emotions. This particular event happened about two years ago in the spring. Mass had just ended at church and we were all deciding where to go eat. A group of us decided to go eat at the Waffle House on Buford Highway. While we were eating a lone black man, let's call him Ralph, walked in and ordered a meal. The servers seemed to be rather rude to him. Maybe it was because he had a hobo/disheveled look to him or maybe because he had done the same thing in the past (read on). As the church kids were just chit-chatting and eating their meal, Ralph was quickly eating his meal. When it came time for him to pay, he said he didn't have any money. The Waho servers instantly got irate and started causing a small scene and called the police. Eventually, the police arrived and took Ralph away with his hands cuffed and his head hung low. After he left, my group started to say things like,"Why would he come if he didn't have money," "What a hobo," "Man, sucks to be him," and, "He should just get a job." (I'm not really sure how to use commas with quotes so excuse my grammar.) I had those same feelings to an extent, but the dominant emotion in me at the time was just guilt. I just felt guilty for not helping him at all. How could I, we, call ourselves Catholics and "followers" of Christ and his ways and not be able to spare a few dollars to help a fellow person? Instead we shun him, stare at him, and when it passes it's as if nothing happened. The teachings and Gospel we heard just an hour earlier about being humble seemed to have gone through one ear and out the other, never once staying in between to be pondered upon and taken to heart. I started to question who I was and what where my true beliefs on life were. I simply couldn't stand the hypocritical nature all around having to be a Catholic or a believer of any religion for that matter. I know it's just my view but it just frustrated me that people call themselves something they're not. Call myself a Christian, but don't follow what the teachings are? How could I?
I know you've wanted to share your thoughts (privately or publicly) for quite some time now...and now I applaud you for your endeavors in this blog. I think this is a great site...and a great first post! I actually read the entire thing. I appreciate even more the invite to this and I'll try to keep up with it so we can have a constructive dialogue on your random thoughts. I will try to give you my honest feedback on most of your posts.
ReplyDeleteBefore I comment on the actual post, I do have a few pointers and tips.
- Try to keep up with this. Bloggers will tell you that once you get over the fact that you treat this like a "blog"...more of a nuisance rather than an actual diary for your life, you will start to like it and may even create a sensation of some sort. Keep posting no matter the number of comments or followers. Pay no attention to that...at least not now.
- When I used to carry my blackberry around, I would email myself papers and thoughts that I needed to complete on the road. Now, with the new Georgia law, I don't think you can do as much in your car, but when you get a chance, jot some stuff that is going through your head. If you are a broke ass college student, then you might havta suffer with just a paper and a pen.
- Be bold. Effrontery even. Push the envelope. There's no point in reading bland, vanilla posts about the same shit other people post about. Sure, you'll get the low-hanging fruit of your friends that already enjoy your personal insights, but if you want to increase the banter, and ultimately expand your views and not be so myopic, invite others to your conversation. Other folks, those that are not necessarily bloggers, but casual folks will be motivated to read and post on topics and conversations that illicit some emotional response.
*(Some may think that this is not important like the jackass that opposed my view when another mutual friend of ours started his sports blog, and I gave him the same feedback about being bold, but what that neophyte didn't understand is "shock-jocks" and "editorials" captivate an audience by pushing the envelope and developing thoughts that others cannot bring themselves to.)
As for your actual post: For you to understand my analogy, I hope you saw Evan Almighty starring Steve Carell. In that movie, Morgan Freeman plays God and visits Evan's wife as is frustrated with Evan's antics and is thinking about leaving him with their 3 kids. She hoped that she did not have to come to this conclusion of leaving so she "prayed" that "God" could give her some patience or the courage to carry on even through Evan's building of an Ark.
ReplyDeleteBut God said, that's not how it works. God doesn't just "zap" you with love or courage or kindness. He gives us earthly opportunities so that we, as fallible humans, have the opportunity to be loving, to be courageous and to be kind. This is what I believe Aquinas was talking about with "free will." Don't pray to God like he is some sort of genie, but rather pray for the opportunities to show Him that you are God's child and that you will be a Christian through faith and action--no matter the situation.
Do we fail? Absolutely we do.
Here's my second thought: I forgot to tag you to one of my latest FB note. If you get a chance, take a gander at my latest note which lauds a legendary college basketball coach, John Wooden of UCLA. One of his quotes is this:
19. "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
I undersand sometimes we get paralyzed by something we experience and our cognitive instinct tells us not to do it again because of that bad consequence, but don't let what you can't do interfere with what you can do. Yeah, you went through that traumatic episode at Waffle House, but that doesn't mean in turn you start down the path of not practicing religion, or worse stop believing in God.
Do you know why I ultimately go to church, Chris? Not because I'm perfect, but rather because I am entirely imperfect that I seek God and His strength and guidance. I go to church because I am a sinner. Why the hell would anyone go to church if they are perfect? It is because I acknowledge that I am not perfect, nor do I act like I am. I go because my sanity needs it. I go because I am a sinner.
Its quite amazing how some folks at our church walk around as if they are perfect. You'd be the first one to know, out of my own mouth, that when I said something, I would always preface everything with, "Not that I'm perfect and/or I have made my mistakes in the past..." We can't afford people trying to perfect or pedantic about his/her own religion; what we need are people realizing their true selves.
Well I think that's a lot for now. I don't even know if you are still reading this, but I enjoyed our discussion here, and I look forward to many more in the future. Keep it up, but more importantly, keep up your studies and your grades.
Love ya, bro.
you need to update more!
ReplyDelete