Fere libenter homines id quod volunt credunt

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My back continues to ache and I'm convinced that I've pulled a muscle because of how the pain radiates. But I managed a walk around the block with the tiny dictator, who was completely overjoyed to go out and bark at everything. He only agreed to come back in because it was hot and he was thirsty. I'm sure that otherwise I'd probably still be out trying to negotiate his re-entry into the building! He spent most of the rest of the afternoon snuggled up against me, patting my tummy and being cuddled.

Last entry, I talked about my integration of non-Christian beliefs into my personal credo. I remember, with surprising clarity, my conversation with our seminarian, on the question of religious beliefs. I said that all religions taught the same core thing. It was largely immaterial, I said, whether you espoused a form of Christianity or something else-it all boiled down to which form of belief you chose, and I could mix and match as I saw fit. He pointed out that if I were correct that they were all interchangeable then I really only needed to pick one and follow it. Like most teenagers, I expected him to be angry and tell me to follow the church, but he talked to me seriously, and that started some deep thought and several conversations and more research.

To the more conservative and rule-oriented, I fall into the category of "cafeteria Catholic" which is apparently an insult. It's someone who selects some of the Church's teachings and opts to ignore those that don't fit. I'm something of a pragmatist, so if there are facets that do not form a congruent whole, I go on with life and bypass them. I have not ever been very conservative in my interpretation of rules. There are. IMO, two ways to do that:

• Interpret anything that's not explicitly forbidden as allowed; or
• Interpret anything that's not clearly allowed as forbidden.

I opt for the former. Combine that with the injunction to hate the sin but love the sinner, and you'll appreciate that I tend towards a more liberal slant. That only got worse as I began to read the more "subversive" feminist literature popular in the early- to-mud 1980's. For instance, I read an article that took on the Eden myth and pointed out that it was plausible that Adam ate the fruit first and so learned to me, then blamed Eve for. everything. The text could be read that way, especially given Adam's pathetic reaction of "Well, the woman made me!"

My reading during this time was wide- ranging, including a number of Buddhist-inspired books, plus the Tao Te Chung and books like the Kama Sutra (which has a lot of religious instruction apart from the notorious chapter 4 that Westerners find so thrilling) and lots by C. S. Lewis, like his Screwtape Letters and the Pilgrim's Regress, bolt of which are still favourites. Then I added in The Last Temptation of Christ a banned book, that I found tedious where the censors saw evil. I tried-I really did to follow many of the meanings ascribed to texts, mainly to the role of women in the Church, but they flew in the face of really. so instead I navigated a facet out. of their control - like attacking LGBTQ+ members. Nor do I agree with hounding people who seek out abortions when there are very limited options! I think that reaching out, building relationships and seeking to understand different views makes for stronger, deeper ties and helps to support those who most need it..

I always liked the history of the early Church where local customs and beliefs were integrated into traditions. Things like integrating Saturnalia into Christmas celebrations, or the inclusion of some pagan beliefs into Christian practice. To me, this is how religious beliefs work. When we found the echoes of the same belief, we should ensure that it's embraced. Instead, we find ridiculous "wars" that claim to attack things that are not! like saying there's a "war on Christmas" and getting bent out of shape because you're wished "Happy holidays." Or claiming that attacking. Christianity is an "acceptable form of discrimination" when there is no attack happening.  I wish that we put as much effort into building relationships and loving our neighbours as we do into fake outrage!

I think that these posts explain why I believe what I do. Good night!

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