Okay, everybody on the planet who has known me for at least five minutes knows that I’m not religious.
If asked (which I rarely am), I alternate my answer between “I’m a recovering Catholic” and “I believe in a divine entity and angels”.
I have no use for organized religion. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt, ain’t goin’ back.
I’ve been proselytized and prayed over. I’ve been told that I have to embrace Jesus Christ as my personal savior or go to Hell. I’ve gone to Episcopal Church, I’ve gone to Methodist Church, I’ve gone to Roman Catholic Church. I’ve sat in on the Unitarians, the Presbyterians, a few random Christian sects and countless nonsectarian congregation services, if they can be called services. I’ve even gone to “The Oasis”, which is a non-church church in the most pure sense of the phrase.
I’ve been to black churches, white churches, integrated churches, and once I went to a church that had its lights off so nobody could tell who was who (or who did what, as it turned out).
I’ve never been to a synagogue but I’ve been to a Mosque, and I even wore a veil covering my head for the privilege of standing witness to a marriage there.
The only part of the Bible that has ever spoken to me is the Book of Ruth, and for two reasons: One, because it was my mother’s favorite book and I read it to her over and over again in her last weeks; and the other, because I tried to be a good daughter-in-law to Jay and Joanna.
But lately, this Psalm has played in my head:
Psalm 100, King James Version (KJV)
100 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
I don’t anticipate that a religious conversion will flow from the repeated echoing of this Psalm in my mind and my heart. But one part of it that really resonates with me is the notion of making joyful noises.
I like that. I think I shall make joyful noises whenever I can. So much better than complaining!
I don’t look much like this photo of me; and Miss Penny has lost a bunch of weight since we took this selfie. But it’s one of the most joyful photos of myself that I could find that would not also have some bittersweet tinge so I’m sharing it to illustrate the making of joyful noises. We laughed so hard that day!
This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness.
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
~The Big DL~ 🙂
Love your post!