Cuius regio, eius religio

 

I slept well, and a lot, so I was a bit slow this morning. It's been pouring rain since last night, which really doesn't inspire much activity! So we've all been dozing and recharging energy. While resting, my tummy decided to play up. most annoyingly. Luckily, I hadn't eaten much, but I'm still being careful of what I consume. Jerry is having a good time trying to maximize his petting opportunities He moves from one lap to the other, seeking the more attentive tummy masseur(se) He's so far been unable to get settled, because we keep moving LOL.

I participated in the virtual wake/ prayer service for my cousin tonight. It was a family gathering of about 45 people; we did the usual commiserating about only meeting at funerals-sad but true. We have tried doing birthday gatherings, with generally good results, so it's possible to change the dynamic. The group fell quickly into the format for the prayers, with minimal hesitation. It occured to me that the family's religious traditions are deep!

I was talking to a friend recently, where we compared the cultures of Trinidad and Canada. One thing we noticed was that religious belief in Trinidad is so endemic that you're safe to assume that anyone you meet is a churchgoer. The denomination is immaterial- Christian or not-it's safe to assume that everyone believes in God, and that they are more likely to take offense at being considered an atheist than a church goer. It's also generally assumed that all women are "good, church-going women" no matter their job or income level. I'm actually perfectly OK with that, and I don't feel defensive when I'm asked "which church do you attend?" Saying, "none" will more often than not lead to a comment that they'll pay for your soul-but since I am an active Catholic, the response might be, "Amen!"

I raise this because I've encountered my share of anti-Catholic bigotry, with some vitriol accompanying it, and often focussed on paedophilia. I've sat and chatted with people who had left the Catholic church, and who were trying to persuade me to join them! (My irreverent response was always, "Why? Because misery loves company? No thanks, I'll stay here and, you' can rejoin me!" 😜)The reasons they gave for leaving all seemed specious. One person claimed that he left because he was told to change his seat. (That was in the days when families paid for their own pews as a way of covering costs in churches) . Someone else claimed that they left because he wasn't allowed communion before he'd made his First communion. They left because they left, and the reasons seem ridiculous now. That being said, to me, sometimes the justifications are made up long after the decision was made.

Their attempts to sway me by sharing those stories failed drastically. They were trying emotional manipulate to make a logical point. That's a poor approach.  But I'm not about to teach any of them logic. I've got other uses for my time. I've several god kids/ nieces/ nephews who would be better beneficiaries! Good night!