
My only positive memories of being affiliated with a church was when I was in the 6th grade. I was in bell choir and I got to leave school early on Wednesdays for practice. When we were done, we raided the cookie and hot chocolate supply in the church's pantry. I always liked the music around the holidays too.
Other than that, church seemed like a generational thing that I couldn't relate to. Then at the influential age of 16, I met Father in Chief. He was rational, logical, skeptical, sexy. He believed things were founded in science not theology. And I really liked him. So that was that.
The last time God had any kind of presence in my life was when Toddler in Chief was born with his assortment of anatomical abnormalities. People weren't sure how to respond to our email birth announcement that did NOT proclaim mom and baby were doing great. There were plenty of well-meaning replies, but some were not helpful: "God has his reasons." Or, "It's all part of God's plan." Or, "God would never give you anything you can't handle." I especially hate that last one. Do only people who can't handle a sick kid get a healthy one??
If God is so powerful and loving, why are kids born with life-shortening diseases? Mostly, people seem to fall back on God and religion when life has no real explanation. My kid will learn that his defects are a random genetic blooper and that science is the best chance for saving his life, not prayer.
Permalink | Should you raise your child religious? | Comments (6)
This idea of people falling back on God and religion when life has no real explaination is exactly true. It seems as humans or a society (not sure which is the *real* reason) we all NEED to have solution or a probable cause for something we can't explain. So, we fall back on another unknown, faith.
And as far as all those comments with TIC was born--people feel compelled to say something. Though, as with you, all those comments weren't exactly comforting (at least to me). I think it is hard to just say, "I am so sorry. I wish there is something I could say to help (or make this a better situation)." Which is *really* the truth. All the other stuff, makes you feel even worse (or at least makes me feel worse).
Posted by: bethany | Nov 28, 2005 3:38:16 PM