If someone asks me if I am religious, I usually respond that I was raised Catholic. That’s enough explanation as far as I’m concerned. Do I go to church on Sundays? No. I don’t feel any need to go to church. Do I pray? Sometimes. I try to live my life as a good person, and I choose to believe that good people go to heaven (if there is a heaven). I like to think there is, because it pleases me to think so. It’s a lovely thought! Do I believe in God? Well, yes. I believe in “my” God.
Several years ago, I worked for a firm where a lot of the people were Evangelical Christians. Many radios in the company were turned to a favorite preacher so that the person listening could get a little inspiration while they worked. I get inspiration from many things: new babies, puppies, kittens, trees, nature in all her glory, and seeing people being kind to each other.
In conversations, some of my co-workers would explain to me that Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and even some “Christians” would not be allowed into heaven unless they accepted Jesus Christ into their hearts as their Lord and Savior. There are no exceptions. Gandhi, Buddha, L. Ron Hubbard, these guys are all out of luck as far as heaven (if there is a heaven) goes.
Now we can move on to a discussion of homosexuality. I was frequently told, “it says right in the Bible” which was followed with something about “his neighbors should rise up and kill him.” Why these folks seemed to think “it says right in the Bible ...” was a fine preface to some exhibition of extreme hatred, I don’t know. Death to homosexuals? No entry to heaven for so many? These people’s God is a pretty harsh and judgmental character.
That is not “my” God. My God is about inclusion, not exclusion, about love, not hate. And I really don’t believe they are two different guys, (if They, or He, or She exists).
