I've been having an ongoing discussion with one of our Deacons in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. We have a respectful dialog, but it continues to amaze me how he thinks that the Church knows everything about what God says and that there is no room for revelation, the Holy Spirit or personal informed conscience. I, like you, don't believe in a God who would exclude someone from Heaven, especially for someone God created from birth.
I find it amusing that most churches believe that God is bigger than anything we can imagine, but then they turn around and build a box that God should fit in. They define God as only male when there many feminine references in scripture to God. There are many places where God demonstrates miracles and acceptance of all, but then the churches spend a huge amount of effort excluding many.
I look forward to a day when we will realize we really don't know as much as we think and accept that God is capable of so much more than we can imagine!
Aug 17, 2023·edited Aug 17, 2023Liked by Joni Miller, Ph.D.
Oh my goodness, Joni… your stories reminded me of some of my own experiences.
I remember a time when I was 16. I had gone out to visit my dad’s family in New York. (I lived in Oregon and had only met them one other time.) They were Catholic Italians…
Religion must have come up a lot (or profoundly) during that trip because I remember a moment where I was alone with my father after that—and very sternly told him that I didn’t believe what he believed… that there was no fucking way I would ever believe in a god who sent people to hell because of their “ignorance” of not believing in him.
How can you condemn someone for not knowing something? Or having doubts? Or for making mistakes in life? For sinning and not “confessing” their sins…
None of that made any sense to me, since my understanding of “God” was that he was “all loving.”
That shit ain’t “love.”
And that “God” was no God of mine.
I distinctly remember telling my dad, indignantly…
Very thoughtful piece. I agree completely. While reading this I thought I should send it to my childhood friend who is worried about my salvation, but I probably won't.
I've been having an ongoing discussion with one of our Deacons in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond. We have a respectful dialog, but it continues to amaze me how he thinks that the Church knows everything about what God says and that there is no room for revelation, the Holy Spirit or personal informed conscience. I, like you, don't believe in a God who would exclude someone from Heaven, especially for someone God created from birth.
I find it amusing that most churches believe that God is bigger than anything we can imagine, but then they turn around and build a box that God should fit in. They define God as only male when there many feminine references in scripture to God. There are many places where God demonstrates miracles and acceptance of all, but then the churches spend a huge amount of effort excluding many.
I look forward to a day when we will realize we really don't know as much as we think and accept that God is capable of so much more than we can imagine!
I look forward to that day, too, Jeff!
Oh my goodness, Joni… your stories reminded me of some of my own experiences.
I remember a time when I was 16. I had gone out to visit my dad’s family in New York. (I lived in Oregon and had only met them one other time.) They were Catholic Italians…
Religion must have come up a lot (or profoundly) during that trip because I remember a moment where I was alone with my father after that—and very sternly told him that I didn’t believe what he believed… that there was no fucking way I would ever believe in a god who sent people to hell because of their “ignorance” of not believing in him.
How can you condemn someone for not knowing something? Or having doubts? Or for making mistakes in life? For sinning and not “confessing” their sins…
None of that made any sense to me, since my understanding of “God” was that he was “all loving.”
That shit ain’t “love.”
And that “God” was no God of mine.
I distinctly remember telling my dad, indignantly…
“Well then, I guess I’m going to hell…”
I'll be there with you, Christene!
Very thoughtful piece. I agree completely. While reading this I thought I should send it to my childhood friend who is worried about my salvation, but I probably won't.
Probably a wise decision, Susan!