My son is 2 months old today and is being blessed in the LDS religion in about 1.5 hours. I'm still not sure how I feel about that particular religion since I'm not a member of it. (FYI: I have absolutely NO plans to join it as there are some aspects of it that I cannot get behind or agree with. As a result of my feelings, I will not join so don't ask me to do so.) The ceremony itself seems innocuous since the participants are simply asking a greater power to bless him.
At any rate, my son is healthy and is two months old today. I'm happy about that. :)
I need to go shower and the like so I can go hold my son during the ceremony not that I really want to go to that church, or any church for that matter (I have an issue with organized religion if you haven't heard), but I want to be there for my son though he won't really know about it unless he sees pictures later.
Anyway, the shower calls.
This post was brought to you by the letters M, J, H, and the number 112.
Sunday, June 07, 2009
My son and Religion...
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2 more ramblings:
Thank you for being there. And I still need a picture of you and him since you left early. Which isn't a problem, except now I don't have a picture. :)
Religion is generally a personal thing, but I've found out that allowing others to engage in their own religious rituals, however idiosyncratic in my mind, and even if I don't agree with those rituals or the precepts on which they are based, often builds and strengthens my relationships with them, as long as the rituals don't actually do any harm. I agree with you that *inviting* others to join your religion is one thing (and probably to be tolerated since in most cases it is done in a sincere effort to share with others the joy one has found in their own religion), but requesting, insisting, or demanding others to join your religion is another thing altogether, and to be discouraged.
But joining a religion is something entirely different than participating in a religious ritual or service. Last week I attended a service at my parents church, a denomination of which I am not a member and don't agree with many of their precepts or practices. But I went out of respect for them, and participate in a ritual that has no meaning for me, but my participation meant a lot to them, even though they know how I feel and what I think. I'm sure your family appreciates your tolerance and that you made them very, very happy through your agreeing to go. And you are probably like me, you don't believe that raising a kid in one church or another is harmful as long as the kid is taught to think, to analyze, to learn, to watch and compare. Many, many, perhaps a majority of kids raised in one religion often leave for one reason or another once they reach adulthood, because they have been taught to learn, to analyze, to think for themselves. Hence, my own kids are thinking for themselves and leaving the religion I chose for myself... I make no pretense about choosing one for them, nor do I believe that having raised my kids in my church has hurt them or made them less able to think, to compare, and to make religious and spiritual choices for themselves, whatever those end decisions may be. I'm proud of my kids, and I'm sure you will be proud of yours. I admire you as a father, as a husband, and as a role model. (And I wish I had half you abilities, especially after seeing the handiwork in your basement!)
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