A good friend of mine in here on Blogger’s Lane, The Warped Mind of Ron, did a post on Religion.
Yah, yah, yah. It’s not ethical to talk politics or religion…
Oh wait, that was what they told us not to discuss with clients when I was in beauty school… but this es mi casa on Blogger’s Lane and I can be as unethical as I wanna be, huh?
Ron’s post basically stated that he beleives in a higher power and:
“In the end an act of good committed in the name of any deity is still an act of good and an act of evil committed in the name of any deity is still evil. It’s not the label you chose wear it’s the choices you make in life.”
I couldn’t agree more with that statement. Just because I don’t actively participate in church doesn’t mean I don’t believe in a higher power.
Which brings me to my subject at hand…. heathens, hypocrites & halos.
I suppose I would be classified as a heathen.
Websters says a heathen is an uncivilized or irreligious person. That’s me.
I suppose I could qualify as civilized easy enough, I don’t fart or burp in public. Nor do I chew with my mouth gaping open or talk when my mouth is full. In short, my Mama done taught me some manners.
With regard to religion though… no thank you. You can keep it. I am old enough to decide for myself that church ain’t my cuppa joe. Don’t get me wrong. I may be a heathen. I may not go to church. I may smoke and I may drink.

And God knows, I’m catty. Not a gossip or a hater… just catty.
That in mind, I do know right from wrong. I know the commandments. I live my life and I do good by others. If I see someone who needs help, I help. If someone needs a shoulder or an ear, hey, here I am.
I do unto others as I would hope they would do for me. I will get my halo.
I’m not sitting in church, pretending that I am at least as Holy as Jesus himself and then going out gossiping or closet drinking or cheating on my spouse… all along acting the good part.
All my years growing up (until I was 17 and made my escape), I was forced into church/religion. Pew jumpin, Bible pounding, fire and brimstone Southern Baptist upbringing.
I actually enjoyed the social side of church until I was around 14 since the youth group was always doing something super cool.
It wasn’t so bad until we moved to Tennessee. Right smack in the heart of the Bible Belt.
Maybe the pastor was sincere in his teachings. He knew scripture well enough to know every single passage about tithing and giving and yelled enough to keep a the dozing types awake… and the congregation….
This is where we get to **hypocrites….

I have never been around so many people who were there for the fashion show and the social hour rather than for the learning of the Word.
My aunt is a socialite and a big time mover and shaker in this congregation. She is there to be seen. She holds social functions at her huge house to be noticed. She does this not so much because she wants to open her home up to share, but she wants to be sure that all the other hens in the coop are certain to be ranting and raving for days, nay, weeks about her, her house, her clothes, her perfect family.
These women gossip about each other. Tell each other’s secrets and are meaner than the biggest asshat I know. They fuss and fight over who will be sitting at the pastor’s table at the next pot-luck.

The pastor himself is trying to build a mini empire. HUGE church, HUGE school, HUGE college. More like a huge gated cult for social climbers.
What gets me is this. These so-called Christians, who are called by God to spread his word, wouldn’t piss on someone who was on fire if they were from outside of the bubbled in social circle.
I know this pastor and was a loyal (forced, but loyal) attendee. He knew me and he knows my extended family very well (snooty auntie). As does his wife.
But, if you pass them at the grocery store or any other place, they will look up, take note that you aren’t in their social circle, and look away so as not to have to speak.
That my friends is hypocracy. If you preach it or listen to it and act like you believe it, you should live it…. not just act like it.
**Disclaimer. I do not think all good, clean-living church folk are hypocrites. Nor do I believe all Pastors are in it for the money.
I’m just giving an account of why I choose not to do “religion”.