About the Title...

I was raised hardcore old-school catholic. Latin mass. CCD classes. First communion, then at confirmation, I refused and finally planted my feet like the stubborn donkey I am.

I refuse to be confirmed into a faith I could not wholeheartedly follow. I wasn't going to get up before God, the Bishop and the parish, and swear to follow THEIR words, since I think a lot of what the Pope has to say is a lot of (as my Memere would say,) horse feathers.

Recently, the newest (and the one I refer to as The Nazi, for obvious reasons) Pope gave a lecture to Africans. He proceeded to tell them that using condoms is a sin. Yes, the same Africans who are dying of AIDS. The ones who think raping a virgin means you can never get AIDS. Those guys are apparently some of the few still faithful who listen to this malarkey.

I have some news for you. I don't think a loving God nor his Son expect you realistically to be without sin. That's why we confess, isn't it? And, given that we are sinners, we are expected to sin. I don't think Jesus is going to get his knickers in a twist if we use a latex sheath *as* we sin, in order not to KILL the person we love (murder being a sin,) or not to commit SUICIDE (which, newsflash, is also a sin,) by sex (again a sin, but a lesser one, so really we just have to pick the least sinful out of the above, like a bad multiple choice.)

Wow. I think I sounded like a lawyer or politician there.

I mean, call me cuckoo. Call me a heathen. Call me common sensical, because I think religion, like law, should be a living thing that adapts to the times. Let's face it, Jesus was about what, 2008 years ago (allegedly,) and I don't think he had to worry much about AIDS while he drove the demons into the swine or raised Lazarus, or he would have left us some words of wisdom about that.

I personally think Jesus would be seriously pissed about some of the crap His representatives have thrown at us. Like babies going to purgatory for not having been baptised before they have the gall to go and die. I mean, who made that one up? That's about the time I decided I was pulling out (no pun intended.) If He sends innocent babies to Purgatory for dying before His representative came around to cleanse them of original sin, I personally would like to go and argue with God, because that is some serious.....fu....bullsh.....HORSEFEATHERS. Yeah.

So, I am a recovering Catholic. I don't think I'm going to Hell because I never told some priest my sins. I don't think the Pope is King of Kings (one of his real titles. Honest to GOD. Think about it. A BORGIA was considered to have more power and moral authority than most Kings. HOLY HORSEFEATHERS BATMAN. THAT is a major red flag to me.)

So yeah. I'm a secular humanist. Check wikipedia if you need to know what that is, but long story short, it's basically doing unto others, relying on personal ethics and law and common sense instead of some unseen force that forces us to be good or else.

Is God there? I cannot speak to that is S/He or It is unknowable. I still pray sometimes, as it does make me feel better. Perhaps S/He (or it) listens and helps, or perhaps putting positive energy out there does. Either way, it is of comfort to me. I just can't prove to you what/who He or She or It is. But I know intrinsically what is right, what is just, and what is good. No one needs the rule book for that one. We just need our common sense and a healthy sense of respect for others. Both seem in short supply in today's world.