Stuff

Blogger Dan recently posted this: http://honkifyoureaknob.blogspot.com/2008/08/lake-of-fire.html and so I'm responding knowing that my unenlightened meanderings will probably tick some people off.

His blog brought to the surface some irritated thoughts regarding a church class I attended several years ago... 'unbaptized babies float around in limbo never reaching heaven or hell....' was one of the topics and another gal had many “if” scenarios: “IF a young couple were bringing their baby home from the hospital and wrecked their car, and everyone was hurt, would you baptize that baby before it died?” “No” was the snobby answer. (All of us gals were shocked.)

“What if the dying parents begged you to?” “And what if the baby was almost dead?”

“No” again. It all boiled down to only if he knew for SURE that the parents were Catholic and attended his church on a regular basis...

Think of the most arrogant and narcissistic man you have ever met and imagine him in a room with 6 gals between the ages of 24 and 28...one of those types that look down their nose upon women like females haven't a credible braincell or ounce of intelligence whatsoever....I guess I deserve a medal for attending a week of this and managing to keep quiet...Hoorah. (I'm envisioning Al Pacino's voice here.)

So, nevermind that the innocent little baby is a newborn hours old with no preconceived notions formed in it's tiny skull-- if that baby's parents weren't Consistent Church-Attending (I'd type Abiding, but they don't all Abide!) Catholics, then there was no way in hell he'd baptize it. (He didn't say 'hell'.)

I also noticed his ability to UN-answer some questions, roundabouting them worse than a politician. (He knows darn well some of this is a load of crap and he can't come up with a truth to save his soul. Ooops. I'm sure his was already saved, you know, guiding us all in the proper direction. Doing God's work... rolling my eyes here.)

There were so many other scenarios and situations, each answered with some type of snide comment, which makes me wonder—so, If you were conducting meetings to entice strays to join/rejoin the flock—you know, the correct church, the one true church and all, wouldn't you at least try to present your theories in a positive light? Wouldn't you try to be welcoming and friendly and graciously explanatory? Well, I guess Heaven was full that week... and when these nightly meetings were over I flat out refused to sign his paper stating that I was wanting to become a member and I was brave enough to say “NO” in front of him and all the other ladies, thank God. (I heard later he read my name outloud in church the next day anyway, with the other gals' that WERE in attendance—I seethed a little bit then! Outrage!)

And if you ever imagine air writhing and seething, joining us in a little side chamber of the funeral home after my dad's death would have been the very place to do so! Me and sister and my two brothers were asked to sit in there to listen to a very old priest lay the guilt on super thick. He said all those irritating things that priests say about going back to church and rubbing in how much dad wanted that....How dare he? Whoa...body language. Everyone was getting stiffer and angrier by the second and the tension felt like peanut butter. I'm surprised my brother didn't punch him.

But back to the Blog! So many situations, so many moods, tragedy/violence/injustice/caring, so many different types of people, so many different choices... when the abortion questions comes up I always think of Mrs Eames, rhymes with screams, a character in one of John Irving's books, along with several others (dead or alive)-- like Melody and her penis knife and the fetuses and the nurses and Fuzzy Stone and the cadaver, and then there's the ether, affairs, apples, STD's and rape—it all pretty much makes one consider the pro-choice pro-life question—an orphan or an abortion? Cider House Rules is funny/sad/informative/a good read, and I marvel that not once does Irving try to sway the reader either way....an orphan or an abortion? He develops these tiny scenarios, and sometimes elaborately detailed characters, hitting you with waves of sentimentality (if that's a word), but never forcing the reader in either direction. He serves as a guide...open up your eyes...see both sides of the issue from a very human point of view. Make your own CHOICE.