On Religion

 

I was baptized a Methodist as a baby, sang in the Episcopal children’s choir, was confirmed in the Evangelical and Reformed Church, converted to Roman Catholicism, joined a Presbyterian church, and completed the circle by joining the North Ontario United Methodist Church.

Being a Christian requires a leap of faith which I have never been able to do.  Being doubtful, I assumed the name Thomas when I became a Catholic.  I accept the Bible as a record of the memory and lore of people of that time, not necessarily accurate, as the writing was done after the fact, and has been translated and interpreted many times since.

I reject the doctrine of original sin and the Adam and Eve story.  Without the concept of original sin there is no need for a savior, least of all for one born of a virgin.  I believe in the doctrine of the “Golden Rule” and find that Christians have been the worst offenders of it over the centuries.  Witness the destruction of the Mayan civilization, the Spanish Inquisition, anti-Semitism, anti-gay, etc. all in the name of Christianity.

I believe there is an unknowable controlling the universe that some identify as “God” or “Allah” or “Father”, they assuming that we humans were created in it’s likeness.  But I believe, because he had no better idea, man created God in his own image.