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Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Owning It All

Is anybody keeping score which religion has made the most serious blunders over its history? How about just looking at the monotheistic trilogy, i.e., Christianity, Islam, Judaism? Which of the big three would you say has fouled up most consistently?

Over and over, my reading journey has reinforced the wisdom of my young adult decision to abandon Catholicism. Small Things Like These (2021) never raises its voice. But the misguided, secretive machinations of the Catholic church scream hypocrisy in Claire Keegan's spare masterpiece. My previous exposure to the infamous Magdalene Laundries, where the Catholic church of Ireland enslaved thousands of young women until 1996, did not adequately prepare me for the quiet horror of Keegan's concise gem. In Bill Furlong, this talented author has created a memorable everyman, an unassuming but mythic hero. I'm reasonably sure Furlong's final act in this novella will remain with me for many years.  

For me, temptation to re-join the fold has been out of the question for a long time. Stories like the one told in Small Things Like These fortify that resolve. Now to be fair, over its long history, the Catholic church has had its bright moments. I submit that the right to celebrate those moments must go hand-in-hand with a full acknowledgment of those pieces of the Catholic legacy - like the Magdalene Laundries - that have been unquestionably toxic. Until that message resounds loud and clear, I'm keeping score.  


4 comments:

  1. My father always said he wanted no part of organized religion because there have been too many wars fought over religion. One of the main reasons I live in the USA (and not Germany) is because of the treatment my father's family got during WWII because of his mother's Jewish parents despite the fact that she married a Lutheran and wasn't a practicing Jew. I recently returned from Morocco and while there learned that there are very few Christians there - only Jews and Muslims. This dates back to the Crusades when the Muslims had to flee from Spain and many ended up in Morocco. Sadly, I am not hopeful that these conflicts will ever stop.

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    1. Ines; Your Father was a wise man. And sorry to say, I share your opinion that religious conflict is with us to stay. Thanks for the comment, however sad it is.

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  2. Good morning, Pat. Ahhh .. Religion. Along with Sex and Politics, it is sure to result in interesting conversations, debates, arguments, and, lest we forget the main point of todays Blog post, war and conflict.
    To say that I have little interest in organized religion doesn't properly capture my feelings on the subject. Confusion about the many wars, etc, that have been fought in the name of region only adds to my feelings on this. But, for me at least, it usually comes down to a simple question. There are so many regions in the world. So many beliefs. Which is right? If, and it can be a very large 'IF', there is truly one God, which religion is the right one? And, again for me, the list of questions go on and on and only add to my lack of interest in organized regions. I was raised by a Jewish father and Catholic mother and they instilled in us an understanding of both religions and were smart enough to allow each of their 4 children to live as we choose. And although my fathers parents were not happy that my dad was marrying outside of their religion, thy accepted my mother openly and with much love. My mothers parents also were not happy, but not about the different religions. They were more concerned that my dad wasn't Italian. I always loved the stories that my parents told us about that. Difficult at the time, but all worked out in the end.
    As for your question - after my usual going off on a tangent - as to which religion fouled up more - I don't see a clear cut answer to that. And I don't think that surprises you. It would depend on what you mean by fouling up - who was impacted, for how long, how badly, etc, and how seriously. Some of the atrocities that have been committed over time were/are so tragic you wonder how anyone ever believed they were being done in the name of religion, or God, at all.
    Be well,
    Bob

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    1. Bob; Thanks for the comprehensive and honest comment. Bigger thanks for sharing still more of your story with me.

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