The grief I got in Catholic elementary school for asking the wrong kinds of questions was my first unknowing step on my path to non-belief. Punishing curious little kids for innocently asking questions is abhorrent to me. It was no different when I was in my teens and asked some of the same questions in Evangelical churches. Those reactions convinced me that they didn't know the answers either. They were desperately afraid because they didn't know and that shook them to their cores. So they took their fear out on the questioner. I trace my suspicion of authority figures to those experiences.
Belief and prayer works for some people, but it doesn't for me. If a deity created me, then he/she/? knows what it would take to convince me. Sooner or later (likely sooner in my case as I'm in my 60s), I'll find out one way or another. At least, I tried. Maybe that will count for something in my afterlife(?).
Thank you for letting me see that others feel something like I do. My 6 year old grandson asked me if Jesus was God. I honestly don't know. We have taught him Jesus is a good person who wanted to help other people, and Christmas is the celebration of Jesus' birthday. I told him many people believe God created everything. He thought about that a bit and then said, "Wait a minute. If God made everything, who made God?"
I would have expected no less from this wise child. The thing is, if children can question why shouldn't they be allowed to, and why shouldn't adults be allowed to?
Anyway, I told him I had no idea but I did know Christmas is coming and then we made cookies. For now, that is good enough for him.
Oh. Also to your question about the doctors. Yes, the doctors saved the child. Were their skilled hands a gift from God? I don't know, but I think Jesus' Mother would have helped if she could.
Fear is a necessary physiological response - it warns us to avoid danger, to run from danger. It is when fear is ignored that we become reckless. Conversely, when the fear response has a hair trigger due to previous dangers, it becomes paralyzing.
Doubt and skepticism can be healthy, lest we become lemmings and blindly follow the others off of the cliff. It is when our doubts are used against us, when our doubts are minimized (or inflamed) by conniving individuals that we find "comfort" amongst the lemmings.
If we could turn fear into respect (I'm afraid of stinging insects, and most insects in general; I respect their place in ecology and ability to defend themselves and their colonies against creatures 1000x their size), turn doubt into learning and teaching, perhaps we could be more comfortable in our own skins and more comfortable with everyone on their journies on this planet.
Father Nathan, I love your writing and your trips down memory lane as you explore how you are who you are. You encourage me to think back where I've come from, but not to dwell there too long, because there are important things to do today. Thank you for this heartfelt post.
As a young girl in Catholic school and an alcoholic home, I prayed to Mary a lot. I could connect with her in a way that I couldn't with the Trinity. I always felt lucky that I wasn't cut off from her the way that Protestants and Bible Christians were.
But when we left the Church the weekend after the Gonzaga scandals (not sure why that did it)...I left Marian prayer as well.
I miss it. But I am so conflicted about praying to a deity. All of it is pretty confusing.
Great piece as always, very inspirational. Clearest explanation of Marian devotion I've ever heard - the subservience of Mary as depicted in the bible (and her blind obedience revered by the right wingers) always turned me off, and I missed the unwavering loyalty.
I would respectfully recommend you get a proofreader. queue > cue; idol > idle; cloves > gloves.
He specifically does not use one and asks that people not correct his writing, because he's dyslexic and was basically told as a kid that he'd be illiterate, which clearly he is not. His writing communicates his meaning effectively and that's all that really matters.
Didn't know that. Nathan is an excellent writer. It's not hard to figure out his meaning, I didn't mean to be "that guy". Never noticed these kinds of issues in his writing before, but I will not nitpick in the future.
There are minor errors now and then (and he does have an editor for his actual books), but things like mood and stress can affect people's writing, even without dyslexia. I have high English skills but sometimes I make bizarre mistakes because my brain is just in the wrong place at the time.
The grief I got in Catholic elementary school for asking the wrong kinds of questions was my first unknowing step on my path to non-belief. Punishing curious little kids for innocently asking questions is abhorrent to me. It was no different when I was in my teens and asked some of the same questions in Evangelical churches. Those reactions convinced me that they didn't know the answers either. They were desperately afraid because they didn't know and that shook them to their cores. So they took their fear out on the questioner. I trace my suspicion of authority figures to those experiences.
Belief and prayer works for some people, but it doesn't for me. If a deity created me, then he/she/? knows what it would take to convince me. Sooner or later (likely sooner in my case as I'm in my 60s), I'll find out one way or another. At least, I tried. Maybe that will count for something in my afterlife(?).
I love the Beatle’s song Let it Be about Mother Mary speaking words of wisdom.
Thank you for letting me see that others feel something like I do. My 6 year old grandson asked me if Jesus was God. I honestly don't know. We have taught him Jesus is a good person who wanted to help other people, and Christmas is the celebration of Jesus' birthday. I told him many people believe God created everything. He thought about that a bit and then said, "Wait a minute. If God made everything, who made God?"
I would have expected no less from this wise child. The thing is, if children can question why shouldn't they be allowed to, and why shouldn't adults be allowed to?
Anyway, I told him I had no idea but I did know Christmas is coming and then we made cookies. For now, that is good enough for him.
Oh. Also to your question about the doctors. Yes, the doctors saved the child. Were their skilled hands a gift from God? I don't know, but I think Jesus' Mother would have helped if she could.
Let it be.
Fear is a necessary physiological response - it warns us to avoid danger, to run from danger. It is when fear is ignored that we become reckless. Conversely, when the fear response has a hair trigger due to previous dangers, it becomes paralyzing.
Doubt and skepticism can be healthy, lest we become lemmings and blindly follow the others off of the cliff. It is when our doubts are used against us, when our doubts are minimized (or inflamed) by conniving individuals that we find "comfort" amongst the lemmings.
If we could turn fear into respect (I'm afraid of stinging insects, and most insects in general; I respect their place in ecology and ability to defend themselves and their colonies against creatures 1000x their size), turn doubt into learning and teaching, perhaps we could be more comfortable in our own skins and more comfortable with everyone on their journies on this planet.
Father Nathan, I love your writing and your trips down memory lane as you explore how you are who you are. You encourage me to think back where I've come from, but not to dwell there too long, because there are important things to do today. Thank you for this heartfelt post.
As a young girl in Catholic school and an alcoholic home, I prayed to Mary a lot. I could connect with her in a way that I couldn't with the Trinity. I always felt lucky that I wasn't cut off from her the way that Protestants and Bible Christians were.
But when we left the Church the weekend after the Gonzaga scandals (not sure why that did it)...I left Marian prayer as well.
I miss it. But I am so conflicted about praying to a deity. All of it is pretty confusing.
Thank you.. once again the tough questions, deepest doubts and the inherent anxiety that comes with is held at bay..
IMO, this is one of your best ...
Soooo anyone know why I can't find Zaddy's FB page??
Great piece as always, very inspirational. Clearest explanation of Marian devotion I've ever heard - the subservience of Mary as depicted in the bible (and her blind obedience revered by the right wingers) always turned me off, and I missed the unwavering loyalty.
I would respectfully recommend you get a proofreader. queue > cue; idol > idle; cloves > gloves.
He specifically does not use one and asks that people not correct his writing, because he's dyslexic and was basically told as a kid that he'd be illiterate, which clearly he is not. His writing communicates his meaning effectively and that's all that really matters.
Didn't know that. Nathan is an excellent writer. It's not hard to figure out his meaning, I didn't mean to be "that guy". Never noticed these kinds of issues in his writing before, but I will not nitpick in the future.
There are minor errors now and then (and he does have an editor for his actual books), but things like mood and stress can affect people's writing, even without dyslexia. I have high English skills but sometimes I make bizarre mistakes because my brain is just in the wrong place at the time.
He does not need a proofreader. We easily know what was meant. Respectfully, you need to let it go.
Beautifully expressed. This touched me in many ways and reminded me why I pray. Happy Holidays and have a blessed new year.
❤️❤️❤️