Olde Time Religion

It’s been an age since I’ve categorized myself as anything in the religious category, and I couldn’t be more pleased with that aspect of myself. I’m a skeptic and I’ve got commitment issues so I won’t even claim atheist or agnostic status. I am, happily, a non-religious person(which is its own discussion unto itself). I did, once upon a time, try to believe that I was a believer of a sect of Christianity. And even if that didn’t work out for me in real life, I realize that there are some aspects of that “life” that I do actually miss. So, in an attempt to reconcile my past/be deeper than I am, I’m going to list the things that I miss about religion(in no particular order):

• Music: Granted, not all of it makes a joyful noise unto the lord(in fact a great deal is quite depressing), but some truly amazing, haunting and beautiful music has been born from the need to worship/appease/create for the almighty. Plus I enjoy sining and church offers a once a week indulgence.
• Stained Glass: I don’t know why, but the only place I find stained glass to be appropriate is a church. Something about the sacred ground and light through colored glass that only works(for me), as a combination.
• Questioning Authority: In Sunday School, I was always asking too many, “what if/why not/how come” questions. I was curious. I wanted to explore these topics and stories. To find truth and meaning. I wasn’t aware that church was a, “because I said so,” kind of thing and as a child, this kind of questioning and making adults squirm in their uncertainty is written off as precocious. As an adult they just call you a jerk.
• A Scapegoat: Though I never bought it, it was always fun to see what Satan’s tool for corruption of the week was pulled out of the magic hat. Oh we had all the great classics: Playing metal records backwards, D&D and other role-playing games, credit cards(no kidding, and I still laugh about it). That kind of finger pointing logic still exists, but it was fun to see the “thought process” first hand, now I just read about it and shake my head.
• Christmas: I’m not a fan of the holiday now, and I am sure if I did believe I would still be against the commercialism of the holiday but, when I was young Jesus was the reason for the season. It was so theatrical: the nativity, the songs, the service…It all added a bit of extra…something more to the holiday and as a child it was comforting and magical.
• My Sunday Best: it was a pain in the ass then and it still is now, but sometimes(just sometimes) it’s nice to look good in the daytime.
• Lunch: After the service, we would go to one of the grandparent’s homes for a meal. As a child, I will admit, I despised the food and yet, looking back…it’s all comfort food now, no matter how good or bad it actually is.
• My Sunday Best, part 2: Changing out of the stiff “dress clothes” and getting into something comfortable to play in. Glorious relief.
• Grandparents: Once a week, a chance to be with amazing people(though I did not know it at the time), who had stories(that I never took the time to learn), and be with them.