In Defense of Christianity

I will be the first to admit that religion has not ever done a great job at promoting world peace but there are a couple of things that I would like for you to think about. 1) Hospitals were started because of religion. Now I realize that now with all the money to be made, hospitals are pretty much a secular industry but the word hospital is a derivative of the word hospitality. In the third century, one of the Roman governor's said that "these Christians just go around loving everyone". Now we have really fallen a long way from that time and entered into a hate filled and vicious circle, I realize that and so do a lot of other Christians who are hard at work trying to rehabilitate our image.

Part of the problem is that the normal Christians...and yes there are some out there....get overshadowed by all the nuts that the media loves to make such a fuss about. For instance, the nut jobs from Westboro, which I would argue are not Christian and have just hijacked the term. Or that idiot from Florida, who thought that burning the Koran was a good idea. Normal Christians go around trying their best to help people or if not that, at least do their best not to cause any harm.

Do we succeed? You might say no, but I think that for the majority of us we are doing just as good as anyone else is and maybe just a little better. I am not trying to convert you but to not group all of us together when you hear (another idiot) Pat Robertson saying America is going to fall because of gay marriage. I am a Christian who believes that two people of any gender have the right to live their lives out together with all the privileges and pitfalls that come from being married. I personally choose to be single, but it is my choice.

Now I am not holier than thou either, I like to have a beer and I cuss like a sailor (especially if I stub my toe). I, also, help hand out food to the hungry and visit those who are sick and dying in the hospital because of my religion. I am not uneducated or naive. I am not a Republican or a hater. And I'm not trying to convert you. This is my path and I came to it later in life than many but it is working for me. I just ask that you don't make blanket generalizations about Christianity. We are not all bad.....or all good.

Transitions

I am in the midst of a pretty big transition in my life right now. I'm starting a new position in my organization, which requires a move to a different location and job site. And in the midst of all of this, I finally finished my dissertation and sent it off to the book binders. God, I hope they don't any problems because I truly am sick of it. Four years of writing a dissertation makes for a lot of nightmares because it is always at the back of your mind.

Anyway, I tell you guys this because I have not really been doing a good job of keeping up this blog. Just wanted you to know that after the move it might get better.....hopefully, it will get better.

No Take Back

Well, we had a big week. After extensive probing and prodding, managed to slip into the inner sanctum and join the big boys...(insert evil laugh here). I truly hope to shake some things up with the help of my brother and sister witchs and warlocks. Now we just need to plan for some of the old people to die off or retire so we can start turning this big ship around, make some changes, and truly learn to follow the path. Or maybe we will just fish and drink, I haven't decided yet.

Unfortunately, the above mentioned change comes with a change of address. Therefore, I have spent all day today digging up all of my hemlock and other important "medicinal" herbs to transplant to the new place. I already have my new vegetable garden planted, although it was probably too late in the season for some of the plants to do very well.

Damn Shame

I spent the evening at a local hospice with the family of a young woman who died from liver failure. It hit me pretty hard because she basically drank herself to death. She even lost her chance at a liver transplant because she wouldn't get sober. That is bad, sad and a damn shame but the part that really upset me was her children. I asked if they had any stories about their mom that they wanted to share with people. The answer was so sad, "No we don't remember any good times. She got sick when we were too young to remember."

It really hurt to think that these kids didn't have any good memories of their mother. I pray that they will remember something as the days go by but it tugged at my heart. I came home and cried. I seldom do that when it comes to funerals....jaded--maybe but I believe it is more a profound faith in the promise of Jesus. Death isn't the boogie-man to me.

Garden

The one good thing about the upcoming move is that I will have a new raised bed vegetable garden. My pagan roots will be able to come out as I put my hands in Mother Earth and do something productive or at least with tangible results. That is one of the things that makes being in Christian ministry so hard, not always getting to see tangible results or only seeing them at the end of a particular tenure.

It is much harder to see the Fruits of the Spirit in people than it is to see the actual fruits (and veggies) that Mother Earth will provide. Come to think of it: Mother Earth is much easier to get along with than most people are....but that is for another day.

I Hate Moving

I am being moved again and I really hate moving. I just moved into my house a year ago and got it painted, decorated, and finally pleasantly messy (just my style). It isn't moving into a new neighborhood or even a new house that bothers me. It is the ACTUAL day of moving. I hate the process itself. I could live almost anywhere....not picky but getting there is always such a damn hassle.

This is one time that I regret not getting remarried, so that I could make him do all the heavy lifting (figuratively speaking of course). The new position comes with the free house and more money, so I'm not going to complain too much (well I will but not where anyone can hear me).