tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21751871734542765122024-09-22T19:07:21.088-07:00exploring the possibility that what we've been taught all our lives just might be wrong...fesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16215423681661409990noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2175187173454276512.post-78661886439431351822007-07-16T13:43:00.000-07:002007-07-16T13:44:48.765-07:00i've been toying with the idea of starting my own religion.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">let me rephrase that.</span><br /><br />i've been toying with the idea of starting my own religion.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">hmmm... i guess i really mean that.</span><br /><br />before you get all mad, i should say that religion is just a man-made concept, so you shouldn't get all mad. i'm after truth, and i don't care what package it comes in.<br /><br />i went to an <a href="http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/">Alcoholics Anonymous</a> meeting the other day. i'm not an alcoholic <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica; color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">(</span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica; color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:85%;" >that's what they all say</span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica; color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">)</span>, but i wanted to go to a meeting because i think they have a great religion. they support each other, they believe the same things, they meet regularly... it's a lot like my current religion.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">except...</span><br /><br /><ul><li>there doesn't appear to be a "pastor"-like person on staff <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">(who draws a salary that must be provided by the congregation)</span></li><li>the teaching is done by reading aloud from standard materials, not by a central "pastor"-like person on staff who draws a salary that must be provided by the congregation<br /></li><li>there is no music, and no music-pastor <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">(who draws a salary that must be provided by the congregation)</span></li><li>in every meeting there is an emphasis on sharing your story<br /></li><li>you can attend a meeting on any day of the week, not just on sunday morning or tuesday night</li><li>they don't meet in a building that has a mortgage and landscaping and other overhead costs <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">(that must be provided by the congregation)</span></li></ul><br /><br /><span class="insertedphoto"><a href="http://budnistink.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/RcIp0woKCpgAAGKScy81"><center><img class="alignmiddle" src="http://images.budnistink.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/RcIp0woKCpgAAGKScy81/churchsign.jpg?et=SdTnsr2MzOiC%2BmxtiUcgDQ" border="0" /></center><br /></a></span><br />i don't think that the existing church is evil <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">(all the time)</span>. i think there are benefits for having a pastor, music, and a building. however my conscience bothers me when i see how much money is going toward mortgage and staff salaries and landscaping. my conscience bothers me when alcoholics have a better support group than my current religion has.<br /><br />so i'm toying with the idea of starting my own religion. i don't know what to call it yet. <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">("sinners anonymous" is too corny, but thanks.)</span> i haven't figured out what it will look like, but it will look a lot more like <a href="http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/">AA</a> than church.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">you'll be hearing from me.</span>fesslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16215423681661409990noreply@blogger.com0