I'm Going Straight to Hell
Isn’t that a song lyric? I’m rather perplexed by my plight. I was on the phone with a friend when I was informed of my future.
Now, let me stop and say that I have recently considered going back to church. Mainly because I’ve felt that something was missing in my life. I was raised in the church. I appreciate the social opportunities offered by church. I have had trouble finding a church that I liked since moving South, mainly because I was raised in a very liberal protestant church. It’s been very hard to duplicate that since moving to the Bible Belt. I digress, back to the story.
This friend has recently started going back to church. There’s a miraculous thing that happens to some people when they return to church after a long absence. Their field of vision seems to narrow. The gray areas seem to disappear and everything is either black or white. Let me explain.
This friend tried to convince me to worship at their church. I wouldn’t have been opposed but it was the line of argument that stopped me. It seems that if the apocalypse was scheduled for today, I would go to hell and this person would go to heaven simply because they have been to church recently and I haven’t. The interesting thing is that this friend continues to break one of the 10 Commandments on a regular basis (let’s say there’s a little more going on than just coveting of thy neighbor’s wife’s ass). Now, while I know that sins can be forgiven if you repent, I could have sworn that repenting meant that the act didn’t reoccur at every given opportunity. But, then…maybe they use a different dictionary than I do.
Maybe I need to re-think this. I can commit any sin I like and still get into the Promised Land, as long as I go to this church every Sunday. Maybe this isn’t such a bad idea….
Now, let me stop and say that I have recently considered going back to church. Mainly because I’ve felt that something was missing in my life. I was raised in the church. I appreciate the social opportunities offered by church. I have had trouble finding a church that I liked since moving South, mainly because I was raised in a very liberal protestant church. It’s been very hard to duplicate that since moving to the Bible Belt. I digress, back to the story.
This friend has recently started going back to church. There’s a miraculous thing that happens to some people when they return to church after a long absence. Their field of vision seems to narrow. The gray areas seem to disappear and everything is either black or white. Let me explain.
This friend tried to convince me to worship at their church. I wouldn’t have been opposed but it was the line of argument that stopped me. It seems that if the apocalypse was scheduled for today, I would go to hell and this person would go to heaven simply because they have been to church recently and I haven’t. The interesting thing is that this friend continues to break one of the 10 Commandments on a regular basis (let’s say there’s a little more going on than just coveting of thy neighbor’s wife’s ass). Now, while I know that sins can be forgiven if you repent, I could have sworn that repenting meant that the act didn’t reoccur at every given opportunity. But, then…maybe they use a different dictionary than I do.
Maybe I need to re-think this. I can commit any sin I like and still get into the Promised Land, as long as I go to this church every Sunday. Maybe this isn’t such a bad idea….
11 Comments:
You have certainly opened up a can of worms here! This is a subject broad enough I may need a post to form a suitable comment. In fact I think I will do just that. It is a brave and probing question and I applaud you letting the can spill out the wigglies. The phenomena you describe is what I call 'the road easily traveled'. As a child I was in church more than Billy Graham. A Southern Baptist Church at that. I'll get back to you.
Good post.
hehehe...I love to open up the ol' worm can! Can't wait to read your post. You'll find there are 2 things I am very intolerant of...hypocrites and incompetence.
2 topics i rarely discuss are religion and politics. i don't believe that we'll go to Hell so long as we tell the truth, and try and live the best we know how. eventually, everyone has to make ammends...with themselves.
Well put Poet.
Besides the weddings I've attended this year (actually only 1 was in a church, darn), I haven't been to church for years...so if you're wanting someone to hold hands with as you skip to hell..I'm your girl lol
On a serious note, and with no intention of offending anyone...I've found that some of those avid Sunday church attendees are the biggest hypocrites around. I don't think you have to go to church and worship God to believe in him...and if you have a good heart and cause no basic harm to others, then it's all good. Just my opinion.
I have a sister-in-law that is the same way...(except she's not messing around on my brother...at least she BETTER NOT BE!!!)
But according to her and her fellow worshipers, if you don't practice their religion, you're going to hell, no matter WHAT kind of person you are. She drives me CRAZY sometimes...and has my poor 11 year old niece pretty much brainwashed. It's sad, really.
And while I think finding a church you like and going every week is terrific (The PK and I used to have a church like that), I also think that you don't have to go to a certain building to worship...God is everywhere. :)
Poet - I said when I started blogging that I wouldn't talk about politics or religion. Yet I've posted about both in one fashion or another. Oh well, I always was a rule breaker.
Lisa - My last time was for a baptism so I guess we're even.
PQ - I hate when they brain wash the children. You can only hope that they grow up to see the world in a wider focus.
Well, it seems that most of us seem to share the same view on this topic. If it turns out that we're wrong I'll take comfort in the fact that, while I may spend eternity in hell, I'll be in good company!
Angie I know exactly where you are coming from and have the same view on it. So many people around here brag about going to church and yet they do things that make my jaw drop. Not very christ-like at all.
Stay our of our churches, you fecking godless heathen Yankee. :p
In my youth, the various churches I attended all agreed that repenting involved saying you're sorry AND honestly intending to never commit the sin again. I plan to shout "Sorry" just before I die so I can slip into heaven on a technicality.
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Cakes - Exactly. It's like they think it's just an attendence contest.
Denny - Well, if it's said by a direct descendent then it must be true ;)
Grant - I'm changing my screen name to Stormy, the fecking godless heathen Yankee.
This is the first time i am posting here and you already read my mind?
Hypocrites go to churches/mosques etc.
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