Post your story
Do you believe in God? If so, why? If not, why not?
What made you come to this belief or conclusion? When was the moment you knew? What are your experiences that have formed these beliefs? How do you feel about people who believe the opposite of you?
Post your beliefs and stories and I’ll illustrate it …
(Note: Comments to other people’s stories will not be posted. This is not a debate forum. This is a place for people to tell their stories without interruption.)
One Response to “Post your story”
My feelings about God (and particularly Jesus) are decidedly mixed. I was brought up to be an extremely religious Catholic girl – my goal was to be a nun (although I think this had as much to do with avoiding marriage as with religious fervor).
I had the normal teenage epiphany about religion when I was about 16- God doesn’t exist, organized religion is bullshit, etc, etc. While I adopted the stance of a typically cynical agnostic artist- the Catholic Girl within was never really abandoned.
This has lead to some curious hobbies. My favorite tourist activity is to visit churches – I even visit churches here in my home city of New York on occasion (the old St. Patrick’s Church in Little Italy is a particular favorite).
One of the reasons I think I still secretly embrace Catholicism is the exhilarating feeling of being a sinner. I had forgotten all about being a “bad girl”, until I visited Rome about 15 years ago. I was standing in St. Agnes in Agony- a church in Piazza Navona that has a beautiful facade by Borromini. The sound of liturgical music, the smell of incense, and most importantly, the statue of the tortured woman with her breasts on a platter reminded me of what it was to be “good” and what it was to be “bad” (although it might seem the rewards of being “good” were somewhat questionable- torture and death?)
To clarify- being “bad” might involve drinking a cup of coffee- I don’t have to be very bad to be a sinner.
Occasionally the cynical artist and the Catholic Girl within clash. One Good Friday, I toasted Jesus with a martini- and was almost instantly stricken with nausea. I agonized over this incident, calling friends on the phone to “confess”, and I am still a little ashamed when I think of it. (Catholics among you will recognize this emotion).
I sometimes believe that in the future, I may become one of those little ladies wearing a black dress putting flowers on the altar somewhere. That is, until I hear a quote from the Pope or a line of St. Paul’s that sends me into a fury of bitter invective. Catholic Girl within, cynical agnostic- engaged in a life-long battle.