Why I Don't Believe in Original Sin - Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church - Sandy, UT - August 30th, 2014

     

  Now that the blog is back, time to explore some of the issues that the visits bring up. Issues usually being the theme of the Mass or service and analyzing the thesis statement of the sermon. Before I get into that though. Blessed Sacrament really is a beautiful church, I arrived early today for the church visit so explored the grounds again and found more Mary statues, one of which was in a garden. The day was beautiful as well and not too hot. 

    When I arrived at the Mass I found the parking lot pretty crowded. Inside the church it was as well. It was largely made up of older folks with one or two families present before the music began. The Mass also started ten minutes later because two of the ministers didn't show, which annoyed the priest who was doing the sermon understandably. 

   

     We all stood, there was a song about being the City of God, the "Peace be with you," "and with your spirit." Call and response...the readings which were based around Jesus asking his followers to deny themselves in order to be like him and to follow him. I'll get into this more in the analyzing of the sermon. 

        The sermon was  based around why Jesus is needed. That humanity's sin at the beginning was infinite so needed an infinite sacrifice to atone. The priest followed it up on why there was the Sacrament of Atonement and the Sacraments in order so that we can be saved through God. 

  

      How can any finite action go on infinite? This seems to be the basis of original sin, and part of why I don't believe it. Is it right to punish a child because one of his parents was a murder? This is basically the actions we see take place in the Bible and the psychology behind the atonement. 

  

     The idea of the atonement that I also have is how it allows a get out of jail free card. You could be a psychopath or serial killer, but if you accept Jesus in the end, you are okay. The saving through grace and belief really doesn't involve much work if it is taken just at it's word. 

     I am at the point now, where humans overall and throughout history have done a lot of terrible things to each other. They have also done good too. I don't see how paradise or Hell is really just either way and that the legitimate problems of murder and rape aren't really dealt with... 

    The final thing is on the denying oneself for God. What is being denied? For many Christian, Muslim, Jewish and other communities...this means if you are Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, Queer or otherwise, denying your love for your partner. This isn't healthy and is in no way good. It has real effects on people and is being done for reasons that can only be justified by claiming the supernatural (of which there is always the possibility of - The Supernatural - but no concrete evidence). This can also happen in regards to women in leadership roles as if she is a good leader and would be able to lead, is kept from it by men quoting scripture and asking her to deny her pride. How is this just or good? These are a few of my big issues with the denying self issue and how it is tied to sin. 

    Sin I guess is the final thing...again, I don't think humans are good or bad. We're very much a mixture...but sin assumes we were once perfect or that a perfect human has existed. I haven't seen that. Even the character of Jesus as he's written isn't perfect. He gets angry, he's violent and not to the killers and rapists...but to merchants. He also only ever calls a women by their name once. He certainly did a lot of good, and was most likely a mad sage who may or may not have been divine, if in fact the divine exists. For me, where I am inspired the most from Christianity isn't in the mythos of Original Sin, Virgin Birth, the Resurrection or even Jesus's miracles...for me the inspiration is in the actions that we can see as good, in the words that were good. Giving to the poor, turning the other cheek and the times the stories actually inspire the followers to do good. The Desmond Tutu's of the world like my friends who are in the priesthood in the Episcopal and Catholic Church, etc. and my friends and family who I see living that action. 

     I can't believe because of the issues surrounding the unproven Supernatural as well as some of the things that I don't think are ethical (treatment of Gays and women in some sects), but I do still find inspiration in some of the stories, especially when they are taken as stories and not reasons to persecute or as fact...and for the times when it does inspire equality and fighting for the persecuted and the poor.     

Baby Blessing for Step-Niece - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - Butler West 33rd Ward - August 3rd, 2014

     First, it has been a while since I've done the blog. I plan to change this, as there are many places I want to see in Utah before I go, and there are still the big moments that happen in the religious context, even if I myself am agnostic on matters of religion. I definitely plan on doing some more reconnecting with folks and churches I've visited...especially as my work schedule opens up making it easier. So, what is it that brings back the blog? My amazing step-sister having a baby! 

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     There seems to be three things that bring people together in the large community context...a birth or a child, a marriage or a death. This time I'm happy to say it was a sweet baby who I feel lucky is a part of my life. 

     My time in the Church was actually pretty short, I left during communion since I'm not a Mormon and was pretty exhausted from waking up early and the party that was thrown to honor the baby that early afternoon, but I came for my step-sister and her amazing husband their baby. When I arrived a fairly political baby blessing was going on (you will spread the word of God and be an example to the world of the True Gospel), which reminded me of what I don't look forward to in my visits to the more conservative church communities and later was my Step-Brother-in-Law's blessing for his and my Step-Sister's baby.

    

    The blessing was beautiful. It was a tying to the past to the future in the best way possible. Their baby girl was named for both their grandmothers. For the first name it was my step-sister's grandmother, and for my step-brother-in-law it was his grandmothers...and the blessing was focused and I'd say focused on the core good. It was about being a good person and example to family and inspiration to community. This was great to hear as it encapsulated a father's hope as well as recognizing the freedom of the child's choice and the village it would be a part of. 

   Whether the baby is biological or adopted, the importance of raising a child cannot be ignored, which is one reason recognizing all loving couples is so important. When a couple is accepted and loved they have even greater support for themselves and any children they might have or adopt regardless of sexual orientation or the amount of people in the relationship. This is the beauty that can come out of a community...religious or otherwise, helping raise and care for a child and why I think it is so important to recognize and appreciate all caring families. For the couple and whatever child there maybe. For today was proof of that. Divorce, Sexual Orientation, Race...these are are things that have no bearing on how good a person is and the fact is, all children, regardless of parents are the future.   

Evening Meditation - Salt Lake Buddhist Temple - Salt Lake City, Utah - May 14th, 2014

        It has been a while since I've visited a non-Christian denomination for the blog. This visit was well overdue. I'm glad I did it too, and plan on visiting again. The Salt Lake Buddhist Temple hosts meditation classes every Wednesday with different teachers. The style isn't from the sect of Buddhism (Jodo Shinshu) that hosts the meditation classes, but all the members of the class are members of the Temple or were new like me.

     First, I should mention I've always related to Buddhism as a philosophy. The whole attachment leads to suffering is spot on, as well as living right action being the best way to live. The philosophy is great at growing discipline which is something I hope to continue to develop.

     When I arrived we did introductions before beginning the silent meditation. Silent meditations are in my opinion one of the best and most difficult meditation types. Visualization can keep the mind active, but to clear the mind and have it remain clear more often than not, needs silence.

    It is difficult. I try to meditate a little everyday, but usually don't last more than 10 minutes, this meditation lasted for 20 and during it I felt my mind beginning to think and analyze before I quieted again by counting my breath like the man hosting the meditation had advised. I also felt occasional itches and anytime I moved my arms to get comfortable felt being taken out of the silence again. The whole process was letting go. If I felt a certain way (the itching, thinking mind and analyzing my own thoughts when mind should be clear), letting it go. It was a quite relaxing process and afterwords I felt energized and relaxed.

    After the meditation we discussed our experiences. From looking at self from the outside (visualizing is what one person said), falling asleep, or letting go. It was a great experience. Myself and a few others had opened our eyes once and from that we talked about how community or Songha in Buddhism helped set the intention to continue rather than leaving or doing something else (like what would be more likely to happen if doing it alone). The discussion also covered different ways people have tried to change or alter their state of mind. It was cool since a few of the folks their were psychiatrists. It was during this discussion to that I learned that this meditation has a different person host it every week and with it a different way meditation is tackled or practiced. We also discussed the similar mysticism bent that most faiths have a branch of before doing some whirling from Sufism.

   Mysticism at its best is ethics in practice. Since "Do no harm" and looking in at ourselves in relation to others seems to be the basis of most mystic traditions. Rarely do you find mystics condemning outsiders to Hell. Hell if it ever is brought up is the Hell we experience in this life not some metaphysical eternal place of punishment. 

     I haven't whirled since high school when I visited the Seattle Dervishes with the Interfaith Voices of Youth group I was a part of (and when they visited our Interfaith Festival at Eastshore Unitarian Church). The experience was great and also a wonderful way to clear the mind and simply be. After we all talked again and I made friends with the man who had hosted, after the whirling we discussed the experience of it and what had brought us to the event. It was wonderful and an experience I look forward to repeating again and bringing into my life more fully.

Mother's Day, Family and Marriage - Butler West 33rd Ward - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - Cottonwood Heights, UT - May 11th, 2014

 

         Mother's Day...when I think of Mother's Day I think of a celebration of all Mother's regardless of their gender, sexuality, nationality, past or present. I experienced some of that here in the final talk, but the first talk left a bad taste since the legal expression of it has been witnessed in the world today in places like Uganda and Russia...

      First, for new readers I am an ex-Mormon. This is largely due to my disagreements with doctrine and the past of the Holy Books and history of the faith and the fact that the Supernatural is unknown and cannot be tested so I cannot by the very nature of it believe in the supernatural (same reason I'm not part of any religion outside of Unitarian Universalism really). I'll go into more detail as I talk about the service.

     The service began with a song from the old hymn, which was pretty and after the Bishop made the opening remarks and a woman did the opening prayer.

   After was another song and finally the first talk.

     The first talk started out okay (the man thanked all the women in his life and who he admired in the congregation), it could have easily continued on the theme of humanism and still remained just...instead it used Cicero to argue for the Nuclear family and put Cicero in agreement with conservative religion. The man than tied the talk into how other families are against God's plan (implying divorced, gay, lesbian and queer couples are bringing about the end and second coming). I hadn't heard that much implied hate since visiting the Muslim Association of Olympia, Mars Hill and Calvary Chapel...

    What does attacking different families actually do? I agree that marriage is good for society, it is one reason I support Gay Marriage. Marriage promotes stability and acceptance and connects us all together. It recognizes the love a couple shares and with it the community who would be there anyway will help raise the child. Nothing is gained and only harm is given when LGBTQ families are attacked and their children taken from them.

    The argument against these relationships hinges on arguments from authority. The weakest of the arguments since it says nothing for the content of the argument which is usually always circular in nature. It is right because it is right, basically.

     After was another song and finally the last talk which was more more inclusive. The woman who spoke recognized all the women in her life and how important motherhood is. Except for her mentioning Satan destroying the Kingdom of God on Earth if people don't stay righteous at the beginning (Red Flag for me with any religion - see the ones I mentioned above), it was a good talk. It was personal stories of her life as a mother and growing up with an adopted mother. The message was nearly universal except for defining women purely by their sex which happened once during the talk.

     Today was one reason I don't like visiting religions with a conservative bent...because it is never just kept in the group, it is brought out into law that seeks to criminalize or separate those who are different. Religions and groups that I connect to do not seek to tear apart families that differ in gender or sex, nor do they seek to destroy "Traditional families," (The 1950's Nuclear Family ideal). All are welcome, which is one thing I admire so much about secular humanism. It gives the freedom for each person to worship and live as they will without infringing on their freedom. The golden rule of "Do no harm," is lived in practice and all families are recognized. I hope this can happen worldwide for there is so far yet to go.

    A religion has every right to live by its own rules as long as those rules do not infringe upon another's well being, love and happiness. For it is in that legalism that love and justice die replaced by a religious form of tyranny. 

Personal Jesus - Saint Thomas More Catholic Parish - Sandy, UT - May 10th, 2014

  

      What a great service there was today. First, it was a pretty full Saturday, many more people where there than one of the Holy Days. The age range was all over the place, though there were many older folks. The music was the thing that stood out the most, besides the sermon which I will get into later. The music was sung by three women and was one of the best traditional church music I have heard, especially when they sang the psalm, "The Lord is my Shepard," Which was also the theme of the Mass.

    The readings leading up to the sermon were about Peter and how Jesus is the messiah and is there for those who seek him. Later was the reading about Jesus making allusions to being the Shepard and the Pharisees being thieves in the fold.

    What was taken from the readings by the priest was that Jesus is there for those who need him. He didn't take the tact of seeing outsiders and unbelievers as thieves in the fold, which was how an Evangelical church called Blue Sky I went to years ago interpreted it. This fit in with the loving compassionate Jesus that honestly is the one I wish we would see more of in the world.

   What I mean by this is what each person believes God or Jesus wants is different...just like the Bible. Each person interprets it in their own way because there isn't a physical entity that can be judged. We're going off the words of the past and the words of priests and pastors. From that though can come great inspiration for good and for evil.

   My hope is that the inspiration for good that I have seen it (and what Jesus the man means to me) becomes prevalent and not the Dominionist Jesus who persecutes Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgender folks and keeps women unequal. Like any idea or like any living person today, how we choose to use that inspiration is entirely in our hands.

Capital Church - Salt Lake City, UT - May 3rd, 2014

 

      It has been a while since I have visited an evangelical church...and this one definitely had a similar feel to Eastridge Church and Meadow Creek Chapel. I mean this in regards to the aesthetics, the church like the website is clean and polished and very corporate/concert feeling. This was made greater by the pastors books being sold at the entrance (generally a red flag for me - Hello Mars Hill) and a hip cafe that sold coffee to the congregants.  

    There were some great differences this time though, first it was easy to be invisible. Which I appreciated. It made it possible to leave early when I had to catch my bus, and to fully experience the great Christian rock concert music. Which a question I have for believers. 

   Is the modern Christian rock of today in Churches meant to be like the psalms of old? There is a romantic feel to the music though thankfully some sorrow thrown in to a good degree. I always saw the psalms as people wrestling with themselves and God as that glass in which they could see themselves and their hopes and fears through. If Christian Rock is meant to be this (even if I'm not a big fan of it because of my love of the more traditional sounding stuff), I can appreciate it more.

     The second difference (since I wasn't around for the sermon so I don't know if they were conservative or liberal leaning) was that they were active. They had missions were they were doing more than building churches for believers...they were helping local areas improve housing and orphans have schooling. That was somethign great and actually living love in the world. Which I appreciated. Both Meadow Creek and Eastridge had way too much naval gazing and all events and money went just into that community...

    The third difference was diversity. There was a great variety of race and age which I hadn't really seen in many evangelical churches which have largely been white. 

    It was an interesting experience, and definitely not what I was expecting.

 

Evening Vigil Mass - Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church - May 3rd, 2014

     Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church is a smaller Catholic Church connected to a school. It is beautiful inside with the stations of the cross and life size colored statues of Jesus and Mary, as well as the Golden Eucharist holder and open Bible on both sides of the altar.

     Before I arrived and read the magazine they had for vocations. Apparently Vestel Virgins are a still a thing, you just have to talk to your Bishop...it only applies to women though, which again with the obsession with female sexuality that religion seems to have (like the native religion Cuzco where the Priestesses were kept locked away for their virginity to remain pure). 

    The congregation is old and when I arrived contradictory. Everyone who came sat in their own pew and had distance between them. It was private, though before I'd heard two people conversing about life and in one case what sounded like fighting. Once the service started everything settled down, and an older woman announced the theme as being a journey as we would be journeying with the apostles.

    The theme I got was different. First, before we get to the sermon. Besides the fact that sound carries (so the fighting was loud before the service as well as every conversation) the music wasn't my thing.

     Now for the pros. The priest was one of the most humble of men. His favorite quote was him admitting that he doesn't have what the congregation has. That the priest may be a stand in for the Sacrament but based off the readings...Jesus is where two or more people in relationship are. This was the story, which the priest saw as a metaphor since the town the apostles were heading to there is no archeological evidence for of it even existing and Jesus appearing and speaking to them (them discussing the Bible amongst themselves lead to them returning to the "City of Peace" Jerusalem, after the conflict and lost place they were. I think this shows that to do good and to live with virtue there has to be those who you are being or virtuous to. He expressed how this was important to him and his ministry as a priest. It was a powerful sermon and definitely the best part.

    I had to leave early to catch the next Church visit but I plan on visiting again...at the very least to talk to the priest who was definitely one of the most humble and smart men I've heard up on the podium.