I haven't posted here for over a year. It's been a year of being dragged down by 18 months of news reports and talk show hosts on both sides of political issues, a year of writing innumerable letters and pleas to representatives, often answered by form letters telling me what a good job they are all doing. It has been a nightmare year of family divisiveness over extreme opinions, of some of my children being ashamed of me for being old fashioned and not progressive enough in my thinking.
I drive a tour bus for a living. Every trip can be something new. Yesterday I had an experience that sent me back to this blog for an update. A group of local Catholics chartered a bus to take their group to Yakima, WA, 120 miles south, to an ordination ceremony of new Catholic priests. Some riders asked if I, the driver, was to collect their money for going. I found the director of the trip for them, but noticed how many young people paid their way and boarded the bus on a Saturday for a day's outing for their church. I have to mention, all were nicely dressed and clean and upright, looking me in the eye and speaking with a smile on their face.
I am not a Catholic. In fact, I wonder sometimes if I'm an agnostic. Still not sure on that one, as I've led a rather confused spiritual life. What I saw, though, at their destination, was an excited, engaged group of hundreds of people, happily laughing and talking and sharing seeing each other again, as many had gone to this event before. One of our tour buses pulled in from Tri-Cities, another 100 miles south of Yakima, and the parking lot was full of cars and difficult to maneuver in with our big vehicles. While de-boarding, and again while waiting to board passengers after the event, several priests in fine embroidered robes approached me to thank me for bringing people from our home town. Strangers stopped to talk while I stood by the door, asking where we were from and how I liked driving. Some had stories of using our company for trips from the past. While we talked I was aware of the happy gaggle of people collected outside the church around refreshment tables, many dressed in their church-going best, a sea of color and smiling faces on a beautiful fall day.
The point, you ask? There is definitely still something right with America, and I think I have found where to look for it. Look at the houses of worship, of any kind. They have a purpose the rest of us lack. They have guidance outside of themselves, something else to relate to. Every house of worship has this strength in common with every other one. And I believe all of them would like to stand with their doors open.
Beautiful Barb! Thank you for sharing this!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting that church attendance in US has actually been dropping and the laggers consolidating into "mega churches" now like Mars Hill etc. As a number of churches are also business clients of ours we are aware that donations, overall, have fallen sharply too.
ReplyDeleteThe above blog post beats the bogus Ben Stein quote I think I'd seen used one of the last times here before the dark sleep, eg
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_ben_stein_christmas.htm
Agnostic now? From being a believer, or otherwise?
Our stance, evolution is correct, intelligent design creationism a load of baloney. RE the remainder, research is ongoing (eg how much the new testament has been corrupted and edited throughout the centuries) so we suppose we fall under the "agnost" category likewise.
Hello RTaggert- Yes, I did quote the Ben Stein speech, and was Very disappointed to learn it was bogus later. That's why I deleted it earlier. I've always been a believer, yet as are so many nowadays, not a fan of any organized religion. Big religions tend to fall into the same old, same old 'Power Corrupts' trap. If it must be know, I was raised and baptized a Mormon, and that basic teaching of self-reliance and independence has stayed with me throughout a lifetime. Interesting, your observation of mega-churches. Maybe with all the current political upheaval over social/religious issues, church-going will come back into vogue. I don't know. I just know that when I get really depressed over the future of my grandchildren, and then see a like-minded gathering of people committed to common beliefs, it warms the heart. Things are good Somewhere, and it tends to spill over on those just standing near it, which in my mind, confirms its value.
ReplyDeleteWhat disappoints me is that those on both sides of the "aisle" resort to various of deceptions in pursuit of agendas political rather than what the truth maysoever be, eg that Stein quote (which iirr I happened across whilst researching RE that movie of his "Expelled" which was out and being much discussed at about that time).
ReplyDeleteBest to you in all. Looking like some dark times in the offing before it, one hopes, brightens again.