jss@rochester.UUCP (Jon Stumpf) (02/23/84)
(This is a continuation of my posting "Re: Non-Sectarian prayer")
Thanks is what I see to be the main theme of prayers before (or after)
a meal (this is coming from a Catholic-raised human). I am no longer
Catholic, but constantly think about religion. Religion is a good medium
to present values, morals, etc. But, it is these values, morals, etc. that
are important. For me, so far, I have found that Religious rituals or
symbols are not necessary, but from the religions you can learn about
values and morals that are important to the followers of the religions and
accept or reject them as you see fit.
In Catholic high school, I had to take a religion class all four years.
One "teaching" stands out in my mind right now. It was found that:
Jesus said, law is for the man and not man for the law.
This had to do with questions of the pharisees of the time.
What I am getting at is: couldn't I say that "religion is for the man
and not man for the religion?" I am trying to learn and live the morals
and values that I believe are right. Isn't this how I become a "person",
a "human being"? Isn't this what religions try to achieve? Have the
follower become a "person"? This is what I thought my religion classes
were trying to get across. They were teaching more a religion of "self"
than say "Catholicism" because we did examine some other religions.
Well, these are my thoughts for this day about religion. Comments, I would
prefer left on the net.
Still thinking,
Jon S. Stumpf
U. of Rochester
{allegra||decvax||seismo}!rochester!jss