I wouldn't join the scouts; said I was a conscientious objector. I've never been a joiner, except for The Catholic Church which was thrust upon me in my infancy. For many years (12 of them at Saint Mary's School) I bucked and struggled against it. And the only teacher that hit me was Mrs. Murray in fourth grade who whapped me across the back once with a spelling book. I thought it was funny then; think it's funny now. When I was 30, after years of intemperance, meditation, rock and roll, Buddhist thought and more meditation I read C.S. Lewis and came back to Christianity on my own volition. I could have joined another church, but I've never been a joiner, and I was already a soul-carrying member of the 'New York Yankee Team of Christian Churches' (The Roman Catholic one), so I decided to be 'true to my old school'. It was the liberal nuns of my era. after all, who had taught me all about social justice for the poor, environmentalism, gender equality, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, meditation and compassion (we had tests!) so why turn my backs on them when I finally saw they were right all along? (They never mentioned homosexuality - but the other kids sure did!)
So I go to mass, off and on, when it suits me. I pay my nickel, offer the sign of peace to the brethren (and sistern?) recieve the Eucharist, light a candle, and shake the priest's hand when I leave, but my mind and my soul are my own. I am there when I want to be, and not when I don't. No one has ever stopped me from coming or going, and everyone is always welcome in my church. I always zone out during the sermon (the 'homily' we call it) which is mercifully short with my champion ball club. I cannot listen to the religion lesson for seven-year olds that
is the homily. I want to misquote Saint Paul and tell the holy father he's feeding us bread and milk, and we're all adults in the faith here, but do you think he would listen?
The Catholic Church, my church is the universal church and it is as wide as the seven seas. I've been called a 'cafeteria catholic' who picks and chooses the doctrines I like, but who ever called me that but morbidly obese, stoned atheists? So I don't care! We're like the Democratic Party with rich men, poor men, beggarmen, thieves (streetcar conductors and Indian chiefs) - all are welcome. I know cool punk rockers and flamboyant homosexuals who are seriously devout. Ask them what God thinks of them. I judge no one (except morbidly obese, stoned atheists - those fat fucks need to get their stomachs stapled, exercise, switch to coffee and cigarettes and turn to Jesus!)
All that I am trying to tell Magical Realist is that becoming a bigot in your own right is no way to fight bigotry and intolerance. When you do so the bigots and intolerant
win. There are a lot (a lot!) of idiots who call themselves Christians, and there are quite a few other idiots who say that they decidedly aren't. So find your own way, Be yourself. Be the best yourself you can be and don't stoop to the level of those who imagine they are superior to you.
Thomas à Kempis (an early 14th century non-denominational man) said, 'the moment you suppose you are superior to any man, know that you have made no spiritual progress whatsoever'. Quote that back at them, MR.
(Oh, and that quotation above is my contribution to 'crazy things famous Christians say') Thank you.