I was a devout Catholic from kindergarten, through first communion, to fourth grade in a Catholic school (in Rio). Then I dropped out when I was in the Navy, forward deployed, in the early 1070s until I moved here (south central Louisiana), in 2011. Organized the local church’s extensive library. Dropped out again a year and a half ago after I went to confession and was confronted with a priest with a huge chip on his shoulder. Don’t need that anymore and God understands why. I am now free to communicate with God on our own terms.
That's an incredible arrangement; how did you get to set up your own rules with Him?
“I was in the Navy, forward deployed, in the early 1070s until I moved here (south central Louisiana), in 2011”
_________
[Cue dramatic music]
Sword-weilding Scotsman: There can be only one!
(Sorry, coukdn’t resist! 😉)
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us;
According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word:
It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning to write the in order, most excellent Theophilus,
That thou mayst know the verity if those words in which thou hast been instructed.
I have no argument. For starters, it seems that you have received the blessing of longevity. Secondly, I too have become disenchanted with some in the pulpit.
My wife is Methodist so we attend Methodist service together. The members are generally a wonderful group of people. Good Christians. While most sermons are fine, a small number rub the wrong way.
One, otherwise excellent minister, told us that we should say “black lives matter” rather than “all lives matter.” He had a well-crafted story to tell. Christian faith should, IMO, live in the shadow of eternity. That pastor’s message was not a message of eternal value. I don’t even think it was good for this decade.
The Methodist leadership, who we never see but who we fund, are very left-wing.
One female bishop is convinced that her love of her female spouse is granted by God. She sounds sincere. So did a relative who married a guy who underwent surgery, “out of true love,” to become a woman (sort of). Fast forward three years and they are divorced. I don’t think the surgery can be reversed. Oh well, too bad. The relative has found meaning with another guy. Who can argue with true love (again)?
I believe that many people first con themselves, then speak sincerely to others.