Believe. Beliefs.

I walked to the library today after work. I like my walks down there even on days when it's a bit too warm and I'm sweating in my jeans. Lucky for me, I changed into shorts so it wasn't all that bad.

About halfway there, I passed a new sign for a church ...the Chinese Community of the Soul (I think). The name was in English and Chinese followed by a quote from the Gospel of Mark. The name struck me. I think I'm pretty close to what it was even if I'm not a 100% right. It got me thinking about my own personal beliefs about God and religion. Deep thoughts for a walk to the library.

When people ask I usually say "I'm Catholic;" more recently it's been "I was raised Catholic" because I haven't been to church in awhile. I'll be honest and say that I have some problems with Catholicism but that doesn't change the beauty of the rituals and of the Mass. I miss that aspect some days. Mostly I think of myself as just "Religious". That's what I came to on my walk anyway. I believe in a Higher Power but I don't think there's one way to get there or to Divine Happiness or Heaven or the After Life.

I honestly don't care what religion someone else follows. I don't think people who don't believe in God or who don't think Jesus is the Savior are destined for Hell. God can't be that mean (as in miserly not angry). When it comes down to it, most religions are about doing what is right as a human being and growing. Any way you put how can that be wrong. I don't think Heaven is exclusionary, just for certain people. We're too beautifully different for that. If God had wanted that, we'd all be the same with the same thoughts and goals and just be flat.

Me, I think I'll focus more on being a good person and worrying less about what others are doing. People are human first... before anything else... religious (priests, sisters, nuns, rabbis, reverends, what-have-yous) and good second. I think we forget that. I know I do. Someone isn't just good or bad. They're human.