Can One Be Over-Churched?
Religion is a two-edged sword80 total reviews
Comment from KYPollard/El Gato
Your essay is well written and covers your subject well. Your writing style is friendly and your formatting and structure of sentences and paragraphs is perfect. I found no errors.
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Your essay is well written and covers your subject well. Your writing style is friendly and your formatting and structure of sentences and paragraphs is perfect. I found no errors.
Comment Written 20-Nov-2008
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Thanks for reading and sharing your comments. ann
Comment from azbukivedi
I think that marriage is getting out of favor, but not because of gays. Millions of straights live together for years and even have children without getting married. What exactly is the point of marriage anyway? To think that gay marriages can affect this... they are but one drop of water in an ocean.
As for the rest of it... I am so damn glad I was raised in an agnostic household. People use religions (Christian, Muslim, what have you) to support anything - whatever they want to support is God's will.
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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I think that marriage is getting out of favor, but not because of gays. Millions of straights live together for years and even have children without getting married. What exactly is the point of marriage anyway? To think that gay marriages can affect this... they are but one drop of water in an ocean.
As for the rest of it... I am so damn glad I was raised in an agnostic household. People use religions (Christian, Muslim, what have you) to support anything - whatever they want to support is God's will.
Comment Written 19-Nov-2008
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Thanks for reading my piece and sharing your thoughts. I appreciate your comments and your generous review. ann
Comment from Journey woman
In reading your essay your words only placed in print what I have always believed. I am not Christian, actually ex-Catholic...left the church when I was 14, felt happier finding my own way. I am very spiritual and having a son who is a happy openly gay man I relate to prop 8. He actually married in Oregon when they legalized and then they promptly voided all the unions.
Love is love is love...black, white, same sex, opposite sex...what are people so afraid of.
A "slogan" that I have always found issue with is
"Love the sinner, hate the sin"... as I recall a husband of one of my mom's friends who beat his wife weekly, went to confession on Sat...had communion on Sun. and promptly repeated his wife beating the followng week.
I am not versed in the bible but as a Catholic learned early that interpretation was in the hands of the teacher so I went my own way.
As I grew into adulthood my brother became fanatical in his coversion to Christianity...my nephew (his son) is also gay...he is now married with children, unhappy but living as God has intended according to his father's expectations and interpretations of his faith...my brother and I no longer speak and in my heart I know that he is gay and he has chosen to deny his true being which I do believe is his choice but I also see that it has made him a terribly unhappy human being...he suffers horribly for his God and condemns his son to the same life on pain of separation from his family. When I think of the sacrifice his son has made it makes me very sad. To expect a child to give up who they are to be in favor for a God that they say expects it. To live placing God above the paternal and maternal unconditional love that is specific to children and sentencing you children to an imprisoned life. I mean we have only one life.
Thank you for sharing and placing the words of many in print. Your essay brought my thoughts to surface.
Journey Woman
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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In reading your essay your words only placed in print what I have always believed. I am not Christian, actually ex-Catholic...left the church when I was 14, felt happier finding my own way. I am very spiritual and having a son who is a happy openly gay man I relate to prop 8. He actually married in Oregon when they legalized and then they promptly voided all the unions.
Love is love is love...black, white, same sex, opposite sex...what are people so afraid of.
A "slogan" that I have always found issue with is
"Love the sinner, hate the sin"... as I recall a husband of one of my mom's friends who beat his wife weekly, went to confession on Sat...had communion on Sun. and promptly repeated his wife beating the followng week.
I am not versed in the bible but as a Catholic learned early that interpretation was in the hands of the teacher so I went my own way.
As I grew into adulthood my brother became fanatical in his coversion to Christianity...my nephew (his son) is also gay...he is now married with children, unhappy but living as God has intended according to his father's expectations and interpretations of his faith...my brother and I no longer speak and in my heart I know that he is gay and he has chosen to deny his true being which I do believe is his choice but I also see that it has made him a terribly unhappy human being...he suffers horribly for his God and condemns his son to the same life on pain of separation from his family. When I think of the sacrifice his son has made it makes me very sad. To expect a child to give up who they are to be in favor for a God that they say expects it. To live placing God above the paternal and maternal unconditional love that is specific to children and sentencing you children to an imprisoned life. I mean we have only one life.
Thank you for sharing and placing the words of many in print. Your essay brought my thoughts to surface.
Journey Woman
Comment Written 19-Nov-2008
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Just one of the things I love about this site are conversations between writers and reviewers. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences with me. I have learned so much from my fellow fanstorians, and it is always nice to find those people who share my beliefs. Sometimes one can feel at odds with the world, just because their immediate group is so in opposition to what one knows is true.
I appreciate the generous review, but much more than that, I appreciate your stopping by and the chat. ann
Comment from JeffreyStone
YOur writing is excellent. Last paragraph, first senctence, you need to remove one "for". Otherwise great job. But I am not sure you anssered the question you asked at the start.
Let me say first, that I was raised in the Freewill Baptist Church, and my son is a homosexual. Having said that, I believe your piece would have been better if you had left politics out of it. I believe the election of a black man as Prsident is a step in the right direction for our country. I believe Barak Obama is a terrible choice for our country. Regarding religion, I believe it has no place in public policy, and that everyone is free to worship as they believe or not to worship at all. I think you needed no apology in your notes; we would have assumed that the word is not part of your normal vocabulary. JeffreyStone
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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YOur writing is excellent. Last paragraph, first senctence, you need to remove one "for". Otherwise great job. But I am not sure you anssered the question you asked at the start.
Let me say first, that I was raised in the Freewill Baptist Church, and my son is a homosexual. Having said that, I believe your piece would have been better if you had left politics out of it. I believe the election of a black man as Prsident is a step in the right direction for our country. I believe Barak Obama is a terrible choice for our country. Regarding religion, I believe it has no place in public policy, and that everyone is free to worship as they believe or not to worship at all. I think you needed no apology in your notes; we would have assumed that the word is not part of your normal vocabulary. JeffreyStone
Comment Written 19-Nov-2008
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Thanks for reading and commenting. I'll remove that extra 'for'. I agree that religion has no place in public policy and that was part of my point, i.e. religion is being used to influence and create public policy. That is one of the examples of religion as an accepted source of evil in our society.
I'm glad you stopped by and left your thoughts. ann
Comment from Gypsymooncat
Hear! Hear! How great is this? I agreed with every single word, and found myself rueing the behaviours of those "Christians" who mis-interpret the Bible to suit their own narrow beliefs. I also agree that you've brought up another of the world's worst evils. I've always said the same myself; "what starts wars is always religion, power or greed", so you've echoed my thoughts quite loudly my friend.
Just spotted this "... responsibility [for] not only for their ..." - I think one or the other "for" could be removed.
This is a great entry and a very strong contender I think. May I wish you all the best of luck, and also thank you for sharing this very well written, truthful and very important essay with all of us! xoxoxoxo
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Hear! Hear! How great is this? I agreed with every single word, and found myself rueing the behaviours of those "Christians" who mis-interpret the Bible to suit their own narrow beliefs. I also agree that you've brought up another of the world's worst evils. I've always said the same myself; "what starts wars is always religion, power or greed", so you've echoed my thoughts quite loudly my friend.
Just spotted this "... responsibility [for] not only for their ..." - I think one or the other "for" could be removed.
This is a great entry and a very strong contender I think. May I wish you all the best of luck, and also thank you for sharing this very well written, truthful and very important essay with all of us! xoxoxoxo
Comment Written 19-Nov-2008
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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That 'for' has been removed. thanks so much for noting it for me.
I appreciate your generous review and contest wishes. There are some really good entries, so the competition is going to be tough.
I also appreciation your time in sharing your thoughts and comments with me. Enjoyed the visit. ann
Comment from sara-beth
This was very open minded and informative. I was brought up attending catholic schools, and had many arguments with my religion teachers over these very matters. I agree one hundred percent with everything you wrote, which, by the way, you wrote well.
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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This was very open minded and informative. I was brought up attending catholic schools, and had many arguments with my religion teachers over these very matters. I agree one hundred percent with everything you wrote, which, by the way, you wrote well.
Comment Written 19-Nov-2008
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Thanks you for reading and commenting. I appreciate your thoughts and enjoyed the visit. ann
Comment from RSayre45
Very well thought out and written. I believe that people often hide behind their religions to permit themselves to behave in a manner which conscious should repute.
When reading this I thought of a couple of my sisters. In the name of Christianity and guided by their pastor they disenfranchised themselves from my eldest sister because she was pregnant out of wedlock. My thoughts were exactly as you stated ... "God is Love" and therefore would never condone such an action.
While they have since come to their senses (only because their pastor did first) I believe you are correct in people using religion as a means to commit unacceptable - evil if you will - deeds.
Thank you for sharing.
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Very well thought out and written. I believe that people often hide behind their religions to permit themselves to behave in a manner which conscious should repute.
When reading this I thought of a couple of my sisters. In the name of Christianity and guided by their pastor they disenfranchised themselves from my eldest sister because she was pregnant out of wedlock. My thoughts were exactly as you stated ... "God is Love" and therefore would never condone such an action.
While they have since come to their senses (only because their pastor did first) I believe you are correct in people using religion as a means to commit unacceptable - evil if you will - deeds.
Thank you for sharing.
Comment Written 19-Nov-2008
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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thanks for sharing with me your own experience. sometimes it seems as if people want a crutch--someone else to take the responsibility to what they do or say. It's as if they think, on judgment day, they can say "It's the preacher's fault. I just did as I was told."
Glad things have worked out in your family. thanks so much for stopping by. ann
Comment from Janilou
Excellent essay. I think you have just nailed this contest. I will be very surprised if you don't. I agree with your words and opinion.
I understood why you used that word.
No errors noted here.
Jan
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Excellent essay. I think you have just nailed this contest. I will be very surprised if you don't. I agree with your words and opinion.
I understood why you used that word.
No errors noted here.
Jan
Comment Written 19-Nov-2008
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Thanks so much. Such a generous review coming from you is really extra special! There are several really good entries in this contest, so the competition will be tough, and win or lose, I hope everyone remembers to vote.
Again, thanks for dropping by and leaving such an encouraging message. ann
Comment from LadyMary
This writing is well done and cites two major problems in today's society. Prejudice of any manner creates an imbalance of good spirit. You have captured that well. Just one slight advisement on the writing. Last paragraph, first sentence, remove the second "for". LadyMary
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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This writing is well done and cites two major problems in today's society. Prejudice of any manner creates an imbalance of good spirit. You have captured that well. Just one slight advisement on the writing. Last paragraph, first sentence, remove the second "for". LadyMary
Comment Written 19-Nov-2008
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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That second 'for' is gone now. Thanks for noting it for me. I appreciate your generous review. ann
Comment from JJJHHHH
annmuma
great essay. i agree with you one hundred percent. Christianity does a lot of wonderful things, but it can, indeed, be a double edged sword. well written, no spag, and enjoyable... good luck with the contest
james
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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annmuma
great essay. i agree with you one hundred percent. Christianity does a lot of wonderful things, but it can, indeed, be a double edged sword. well written, no spag, and enjoyable... good luck with the contest
james
Comment Written 19-Nov-2008
reply by the author on 20-Nov-2008
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Thank you for the generous review AND for those contest wishes. The competition is tough! ann
