easter...

I was raised roman catholic...although I don't know if I really believe it anymore. I believe in Christ in a lot of ways, but organized religion has been plagued by lies, deception, murder...for so long...who knows what the truth of the matter is. The RC church is one of the richest and influential organizations in the world...as if they'd ever admit to anything that would even for a second just remotely jeopardized a sliver of their power and influence? I believe strongly that if nothing else, Christ was a prime example of how to be compassionate, loving, and sacrificing...to think of others...and to want to help and save as many people along the way. I don't believe in the church the way it stands now...I don't believe I need a priest...or a church (nothing more than a 'sacred' building) to communicate with God...just me and God...whether you study Christianity, Judaism, Muslim, Buddhist...or what not...compassion and love is the ultimate lesson...who cares who's right...

just love...and help how you can...


edit: addendum -
Perhaps I should have thought about the responses before I posted this last night. Forgive me if I have offended anyone.

Just to clarify slightly. I'm not dismissing faith, just promoting facts of the situation. I'm not here to blow smoke up your skirt, by any means. I've been to a papal audience in Rome, and have stood less than seven feet from the pope, my brother in a wheel chair in front of me, where we were blessed by him. I was blessed by a cardinal at that ceremony as well. I was heavily active w/ faith at the beginning of college. I was part of IVCF. I've held first and second hand relics of a saint, and watched them perform a healing session with them. I still to this day pray the rosary, and to my guardian angel. I pray for my friends. I believe strongly in faith, but I can accept history for face value in some cases. I'm a scientist and have to...there are far to many unanswered questions.

I cannot ignore things like the recent addition of seven deadly sins to the list, bringing it up to 14. Social sins...rubbish. They've gone as far as to condemn Harry Potter as encouraging witchcraft and it's heresy. It's nothing more than fiction, all in good fun...This is not even brushing upon the topic of new gospels that are discovered and often instantly condemned, despite their accuracy, simply due to the fact that it does not fit into the new perception of the church. Faith and Religion are combined in most ways, but can be isolated as separate. You cannot have religion without faith, but you can have faith without religion.

I believe that everyone should believe in something. It's important, it's universal. I wish praying would solve the worlds problems, but there is far too much suffering in it.

Young and Idealistic is one way to place it, but I am far from young with what I have seen, and experienced. Faith is the only reason I managed to pull through some of it. But I cannot dismiss the questions that can so easily be raised.

Once again, best to you all.