Maybe I am a touch naive, but I do not look at religion as rational. It's totally a faith thing. You believe, or you don't. I feel that if you look around at all the beauty that exists, there must be a God who created it - I don't believe in "accidents" - especially of the magnitude that must have taken place to lead "evolution" (plants, animals, the universe) to grow into what we have now.
I have faith that the 'religion' I follow is the truth, and I pray for more faith. I believe that our creator gave us free will - to follow/seek Him, or not. If the choice is "Not", then there are consequences. Simple. Like if you choose to have sex outside of marriage, there are several possible consequences - among them are pregnancy, STDs, etc. If you chose to be brutal, there is the possible consequence of yourself being brutallized, imprisoned, condemned, etc. Unfortunately, there is much wrong and there are many innocent victims - but somewhere along the line, SOME ONE made a choice, and the 'unfairness' is a consequence.
In other words, I do not blame God for man's inhumanity to man. That is man-made, man provoked, man curable. But that requires man to make the proper choices to eliminate the inecquities. There is violence in nature, to be sure - but again, man chooses to live in the areas that have natural dangers. Not nature's fault. Along those lines, why do
I have to pay for
YOUR choices? You choose to live in a flood plain, and suddenly get flooded, why do I, living on the hill, have to pay for your decision? Along those lines, why do I, a taxpayer, have to bailout your business when it is mis-managed? Same principle.
Anyway, back on point, I am a convert to Catholism within the last several years. Spent many years going from Protestant Church to Protestant Church looking for a comfort zone. Many have "principles" according to who the pastor/preacher is. If I disagree, I can work within the community to change the view (and who says MINE is right?), or move on to another church. The Catholics are more hard core, if you will. This is right - that is wrong! Period. I like that - I do not like a ton of "gray". It confuses the issue, and again, is fashioned after the belief of whoever is preacher at the time. And I like that I can trace my church back to the founder of "Christian" religion, Jesus Christ. Most other churches are off-shoots and go back no further than 500 years, tops. Why not go for the real thing? Yes, there were issues of corruption and mismanagement, etc. years ago - but doesn't that prove our humanity? And the fact that even our church fathers have "choice"? Aren't those issues being addressed? Of course.
People say the church is full of hypocrites. Exactly! Isn't that where they belong? And, why not join us - we can always use one more! Remember - Jesus didn't come to save the righteous - He came to save the sinner! Since we are ALL sinners to one degree or another, why not let Him save us? And since we have ALL sinned, regardless of degree, we are ALL sinners in need of salvation. "No greater sinner was, then I" said Paul. I'm right there with him - there is not one Commandment that hasn't been broken, through word, deed, or thought. We're all equal. Even the priests - the Pope - all of us.
Okay - I've rattled on enough, I relinquish the pulpit to some one else.
Hope this helps, tho, topo
God Bless
(re-reading this, I found spelling mistakes - so I corrected them.
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