I Ask You
Topic: Religion
I was asked today by a co-slave from the previous shift, as he was leaving, what a Deist is.

"A Deist is a person that does not necessarily agree with organized religions, and only theistically accepts or believes what they have experienced or can logically determine. They believe because they've developed their own opinion, not because someone told them what to believe."

He then asked if I'd tried a U.U. church, and that I should go to his church's next service.

For those of you that may be unaware, Unitarian Universalist is special. They're basically founded in Christian and Hebrew faiths, but accept anyone to their church, regardless of that person's beliefs. Their literature claims that they do not force a creed upon anyone.

So this individual invited me, and said they're really not an organized religion.

"Do you have a building where people meet and attend regular services?" I asked.

"Well, yes."

"Then you're an organized religion.

"No, no! We're really not." he said. "One week, we'll hold, say, Iroquois services, and maybe next week, Pagan."

"So you're not even worshipping consistently?" I asked. "That seems like worshipping out of convenience, rather than faith."

"I don't think we're really even worshipping." He said.

I was stunned, and tried not to laugh. But I did a little, and had to apologize after I asked him "Then why go?"

I did apologize, because even when I tell someone I disagree with their faith, I don't want them to think I'm trying to convert them. I don't want to be converted, and I don't want to convert anyone else... everyone is free to hold their own religious beliefs, as far as I am concerned. If he wants to attend U.U. then I won't try to stop him.

Personally, though, I think worship should be something you feel compelled to do for your own reasons of faith and belief, and it should be fairly consistent; that is, if you believe in a certain Deity, then by all means, worship that Deity. But it kind of takes the punch out of it if, the next week, you're worshipping another deity in the same church. If I pray to Buddha one week, I probably shouldn't be leaving offerings to Mother Earth and Father Sky the next.

On a completely unrelated note, I saw a white stretched limousine pull into the local grocery store on my way to work today. I guess the limo has run out of Grey Poupon.