Photo by Desirée Delgado
Who do you have in your corner to cheer for you, encourage you, and kick you in the butt when you need it? Who makes up your support system? Do you have different people for different issues or areas of your life? Who can you talk to about family issues and not religious? For example, do you get relationship advice from someone who could never give you advice about work problems?
For example, I could only think of one or two people in my personal acquaintance whom I can call up and vent to or dish juicy tales to about the parts of me that are both dirty-minded & atheist (trust me, they aren’t the same part, but they make a nice Venn diagram). One of my confidants is my step-sister and the other is a Christian friend (You heard me right).
I am so grateful to have at least a few people who can understand me and respect me when I let those parts show in full color. Since I keep my loud-mouthed anti-religious rants confined mostly to the internet, a good face-to-face discussion is a balm to type-weary fingers. The crass part of me is just kept under wraps to keep old ladies and naive friends from gasping and blushing all the livelong day. I can be a proper, ladylike individual if it’s appropriate, don’t worry, Miss Manners.
So what about you?
We need more love in the world. There is so much acidity, bad blood, inequality, bigotry, hatred, poverty, hunger, suffering, and sorrow all around us. Each of us could improve the situation by helping someone in need or promoting peace and love.
But what about those who do these things for religious or superstitious motivations?
Jack believes God is asking him to donate groceries to a food bank.
Rhoda has been taught that good Mormons should give to charity and volunteer their time.
Quinn is afraid of being cast into hell because he didn’t help the poor (Matthew 25:31-46).
Sam’s psychic told him that good fortune would come to him if he first gave a large sum of money to a homeless shelter.
Lola founded an international charity to provide water for the poor because she wants to lead thousands of souls to Jesus.
What about the good these people are doing? Do their motivations taint the effects of their charity and dedication? Is service done for wrong or religious reasons less of a service?
As long as you do the right thing, love others, and help the poor and needy, does it matter what your motivations are in the long run?
Loading ...When someone you care about very much is training his or her children from birth to be the most closed-off, fundamentalist type of believers, how do you stay calm and butt-out as a relative or close friend? My sister-in-law posted a photo today of a beloved niece after going “doorknocking” (aka door-to-door evangelizing) with my brother. It sounds like sweet together time with her dad, and I’m sure it is fun for both of them… but taking a 3 year old out to evangelize strangers? It makes me sad, but I know I have to mind my manners and not say anything. They’re good parents and they’re doing what they think is best. Even if I think it’s ridiculous and indoctrinating their kids, it’s not really my business, right?
Any suggestions of gifts for young kids to encourage thinking and love for science and other brainy pursuits?
For my Christian and ex-Christian friends: What have your churches been named? Do the youth groups/small groups/Sunday school classes/ministries have catchy names?
I’ve been entertained lately by the four distinct themes I see in church naming:
Name-dropping: “St. Rhubarb Our Lady of Grace Holy Catholic Church”
Please Take a Number: “Fourth Baptist Church of Savannah”
Damn-long Denomination: “Holy Lovers in the Congregation of Christ’s Menorah”
Catchy Camouflage: “Peacewalk Community Mosaic”
As for youth groups, they want to attract kids who need action, excitement, a sense of purpose, and an identity to rally around. In a (not much more) mature way, so do adult groups. Some group names I know or have seen around (and yes, I got a bit carried away with this):
- Turning Point
- Freedom 56
- The Call
- Bibles and Beer [no joke, they brew their own!]
- Fusion
- Crux
- Da Jesus Chicas
- Pathfinders
- J. C. 24: Seven
- Red Sea
- Merge
- Regener8
- The Flock
- Fireproof
- Unplugged
- Souled Out
And of course Christians loooove their acronyms and will stretch them as far as possible:
- The ROCK (Reaching Others for Christ’s Kingdom)
- D.A.W.G.S. (Dynamically Annointed With God’s Spirit)
- ZAPT! (Zealous About Praising Together!)
- PIERCED (Prepared In Evangelism Receiving Christ Every Day)
- PHAT Ministries (Pursuing Holiness And Truth)
- PULSE (Purposeful Under our Lord’s Satisfying Expectations)
- VARSITY ROCKS (Victoriously And Responsibly Sustaining the Integrity of Today’s Youth by Righteously Obtaining Christ’s Kindness and Spirit) [you've got to be kidding me!]
- TUXIS (Together Under Christ In Service)
- TRASH! (The Real Answer Starts Here!)
- R.A.D.I.C.A.L. youth ministry (R.eaching A.nd D.iscipling I.n C.hrist A.s L.ord)
- TNT (Twenties and Thirties)
- WHAM (We Have A Mission)
- DUNG (Deliberately Uncreatively Named Group) [please say this is real!]
Chris on 
Bill the Heathen on 
jabran on 