Sherry M. Peyton

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Dennis Heil for his very interesting and candid interview. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your answers and I thank you for being so open and sharing with us all Dennis!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Sherry M. Peyton. Sherry is a Catholic and I know you will enjoy her interview as well!

Here Is Sherry M. Peyton's Introduction: 

I'm a retired attorney from Detroit Michigan, now living in Las Cruces, New Mexico with my husband and our dog Diego. I consider myself a writer now, and I blog daily. My interests are fairly eclectic so I read widely, do a few crafty things, walk in the desert, swim, cook and garden. I try to devote time to working at our local food pantry and collecting food for them. Life is pretty darn good. My faith is an important part of my life, and I love the more meditative side of spirituality. 

My main site is www.afeatheradrift.wordpress.com but my spiritual blog is www.witshadows.wordpress.com. I have a food blog, a writing blog, and a lifestyle blog as well. They can be located by the sidebar of either of the two listed.

1) What religion do you practice?  Roman Catholicism   2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?   I was not raised in any faith. My parents were ostensibly believers but faith was not discussed. I converted to Roman Catholicism at age 42. The process is quite long. Classes are once a week starting in September, you are baptised and/or confirmed on Easter, and classes formally end at the end of Pentecost.   3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance? There are no official degrees. One is supposed to attend mass each Sunday and on all Holy days as well as observe certain eating practices during Lent. There are however informal groups--there are some ultra conservatives, but most Roman Catholics attend Mass semi-regularly I would say especially on things like Easter and Christmas. I would also say that there are liberal or progressive Catholics who work to move the Church in a more liberal stance on the issues of the day. Most Catholics are more liberal than church teachings but pretty much ignore those teachings they don't agree with.   4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance? I'm liberal/progressive. I am in dissent within my Church on issues such as marriage equality, women in the priesthood, and the need to welcome everyone to the table and let Jesus sort it out if you will.   5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept) My Church definitely teaches a heaven and a hell, and a purgatory where one "pays" off one's sins before entering heaven, but personally I don't believe in such concepts.   6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why? I believe every person regardless of faith or lack of it returns to the Oneness of the Creator at death. A loving God does not punish the ignorant for not being able to transcend this reality and "see" the other side as I see it. Perhaps it is more like the Hindus and reincarnation, and we continue to evolve with each life until we are able to pierce the veil and "see." I don't know, I only know that a God who consigns his own creation to a hell is not a God I think worthy of worship.   7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?I love the fact that the Roman Church is the oldest institution in the world that has been ongoing for over 2,000 years. I love the rituals of the mass, and to the degree that they are still around, the beautiful old cathedrals that make at least my heart soar to my God.   8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?  Easter is the highest of holy days followed by the birth of Jesus (a not-accurate date I might note) on Christmas. Beyond that there are several holidays of lesser importance such as Marian observances, Ash Wednesday, Pentacost. All are celebrated by special masses.   9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?  Indeed I do. One learns that in the end most faiths teach essentially the same things, just in different ways. I think God works with the habits and customs of individual areas of the world, and religions arise around what speaks best to the people.   10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why? Yes certainly I would, especially Muslim or Jewish. In fact it is common in the Catholic church to have Seder meals at Eastertime to commemorate the Last Supper which Jesus celebrated right before his death.   11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?  I am not in favor of requiring women to wear specific attire because men require it. If women wish to attire themselves that way, it is surely their right, as many Catholic religious used to and some still do. As to Shariah law, I am very opposed to theocracy. It doesn't work. It got us into much trouble in Europe and hopefully we can stave off those in this country who wish it, which seems to be the desire of some on the far right evangelicals.   12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it? Women cannot be priests or deacons in the Roman Church. It is almost certain that there were women deacons in the early church, and many believe that people like Mary Magdalen were essentially apostles like Paul and Peter. Since God makes no distinctions between sexes, I find it hard to understand why some men do. I suspect it has to do with power rather than anything defined in scripture. In fact the latest Papal pronouncement on the subject from John Paul II suggested that it was purely tradition and not scripture that forbids women from the priesthood. I find it appalling since I know wonderful women who would make amazing priests. In many parishes, women do all the work except the consecration of the bread and wine anyway.   13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel? No. I would find it unacceptable.   14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc? I am forced at major junctures in my life, especially as they pertain to moral matters, to really sit and ponder for long periods these issues. One is required in my tradition to follow one's own beliefs in the end, but one is required to learn on a very deep level what the church teaches and why. One must then research the issue as best one can before attempting to form an opinion that differs from the Church. It is laborious and painful since I for one dislike finding myself on the other side from my church. However, I take the rule seriously that I must decide what my heart tells me is truth, and follow it no matter what the Church says.     15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion? No problem whatsoever. Some of my very best friends are agnostic at best if not deliberate atheists.         16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell? No. That is the height of arrogance and usurps the position of God who I assume can make that determination all by Herself. :)         17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not? The Pope speaks for me, as well as the USCCB--the bishops. I rather like this new Pope, but certainly he is still not there on some issues that are important to me. I am mostly not on the same page with the Bishops except when they speak to issues of poverty and immigration where they do seem to adhere to what I think of as Catholic principles. 18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.   No 19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you? Yes, I think that to the degree that women are prevented from certain jobs, and even certain groups within the church (knights of Columbus), they demean women and make us seem less valuable. I'm really tired of being told how important our Blessed Mother is, and that she makes us "equal" to men somehow by her being venerated. It's a palliative statement at best.   20) Does your religion give you peace of mind? Yes, frankly it does. I always feel I'm home when I arrive in the pew, and kneel. That is my first thanks--to God for bringing me home to Mother Church. It is my church, where I express my faith, with all it's scars and wounds from it's own sins. It's still mine and I love her and hope she continues to evolve. Perhaps Pope Francis is the Holy Spirit coming forth in renewal, a renewal we badly need.       21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?   I don't disbelieve in it. I think it would be kind of cool actually. I like the idea of coming back until one gets it right. I find a lot of logic and symmetry in that system, and I would not be unhappy if it were true. The fact is that NO earthly religion gets it all right. We all have parts, some overlapping, and some very wrong I suspect. We see but through a glass darkly as Paul said.

Mike Landry

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Jeremy Keong for his wonderful interview. I enjoyed reading your answers and learning more about your faith. Thank you for sharing with us Jeremy!

Today we have a new participant so please welcome Mike Landry. Mike is a Catholic and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is Mike Landry's Introduction:


For his entire adult life, Mike Landry has dedicated himself to some kind of ministry: six summers on staff at a Catholic camp, three years coordinating and leading retreats across Western Canada, many roles in music ministry, ten years as a parish youth minister, and now as the full-time Chaplain for Evergreen Catholic Schools (serving schools in Devon, Hinton, Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, and Westlock, Alberta). Mike is firmly convinced that each of us is a product of the love of God, and that it is in knowing God and responding to that love that we discover our purpose in life. Through Scripture, stories, and music, all infused with the beauty and truth of the Catholic faith, he hopes to to inspire young people to live the fullness of life which God has created them for.

www.iamthird.ca



1) What religion do you practice?
Roman Catholic.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
Was born and raised Catholic, although it wasn't until I was in grade 9 and a member of the youth group at my Church that my faith really became important to me. It was at this time that God really became real and not just a character in a story.

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Certainly. Within the Church there are many who would identify themselves in all of these degrees. There are those who think the Church should be more democratic, and are constantly trying to reform doctrine and practice. You might call these 'liberals,' and they often loosely associate themselves with the Church. There are those who will only do things if they've read it in a Papal document - and often put themselves at odds with their local priest or Bishop, and you might call these conservatives. There are some who are not really a part of the Church who still refer to themselves as Catholic on both extremes; but most Catholics find themselves somewhere in the middle, trying their best to live an authentic Catholic life, but unsure as to why the Church teaches some of what she does.

It would also be worth noting here that there are various rites within the Catholic Church - Latin, Byzantine, Alexandrian, Syriac, Armenian, Maronite, and Chaldean. The largest of these, at least in North America are the Latin (Roman) rite and the Byzantine (or Ukranian) rite. The theology among the rites is the same, although the means of expression is different. I have only experienced the two I mentioned before, and you'd notice that in the Byzantine rite they use no musical instruments and have an incredible artistic heritage (music, icons, etc), where as the Latin rite is what most people identify as being Catholic.

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
If I had to identify myself with one of these degrees of observance, I'd be on the conservative side - although, I think I'd be a little closer to the middle. I am currently on my second degree studying theology and the Catholic religion, and the more I study, the more I come to believe in God and understand what the Church teaches. I have had great working relationships with my pastors and Bishops over the last fifteen years that I have worked for the Church, so I'm by no means at odds with any of them.

What I recognize is that within my Church there are many of us at various points on the same journey of faith... and for the most part, those I've encountered who even take the extreme positions do so out of a sincere desire to love God.

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I usually explain this question as a forty-five minute presentation (I've posted it on my website as well), but in brief, the understanding is that when we die, our soul goes to God to face judgment. This isn't the arbitrary judgment of some mean, cruel God, but rather is our own free choice, made by the way in which we've chosen to live our lives. In his book, The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis explained it well: There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says in the end “Thy will be done.” Those who look to God and say 'thy will be done' do so because this is how they've lived their lives, loving God and neighbor, and so they are welcomed into Heaven with God and the other saints for eternity. This experience of Heaven fulfills every human longing, and is a state of supreme, definitive happiness (see Catechism of the Catholic Church #1024). On the other hand, those who have lived a life which is selfish and self-centered are those to whom God gives exactly what they've always wanted. Lewis' lasting image for Hell in The Great Divorce is an experience of infinite and eternal loneliness, for those who are in hell are experiencing loneliness. But the key here, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is that this experience of hell is the result of our own free choice (see CCC #1033).
We also await a final judgment, a moment at which Jesus will return, set everything right, and our bodies, too, will rise from the dead. It's right in our creed ("I believe in the resurrection of the body"). But the only thing that Jesus says about when this is going to happen is that “of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone …therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” (Matthew 24:36, 42)

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
That would be up to them. God offers it to everyone, Jesus died for everyone, but it is forced upon no one. Love, by its very nature, needs to be free.

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
It's home. It makes sense, and I can trace it right back to the time of Jesus. The fact that it's still here in spite of the scandals which have sprung up over the past 2000 years tells me that there's a divine authority behind it.

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
We celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead every Sunday by attending Mass - where we hear readings from scripture, and celebrate the Lord's supper. We also have five liturgical seasons: Advent (the four Sunday's prior to Christmas) which are meant to prepare our hearts not only to celebrate Jesus' birthday, but also to remember that He is coming again; Christmas (from Christmas day to the Baptism of the Lord in early January), celebrating the gift of God become man; Lent (roughly forty days before Easter), the Church's annual retreat which is meant to encourage us to turn from sin and delve deeper into the treasures of our faith; Easter, the fifty days from Easter until Pentecost, when we celebrate Jesus' resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit; and then what's called ordinary time - the rest of the year that doesn't fit into those four other seasons. Each comes with it's own set of practices things like Advent Calendars/Wreaths (Advent), Christmas carols/trees (Christmas), a renewed dedication to prayer, fasting, and giving to others (Lent), and great celebrating (Easter.)

We also have particular feast days for specific heroes of our faith - from people like St. John the Baptism or St. Stephen (the earliest of martyrs) to St. Kateri Tekakwitha (a native American saint recognized just a few months ago) throughout the year, people whose faith, hope, and love we are encouraged to imitate.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Definitely. We have a particular kinship with Judaism & Islam, whose lineage we share, as well as a connection to other Christian denominations, who also believe in Jesus.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Our local Church has an office for Ecumenism (relations with other Christian denominations) and Inter-religious affairs who often arrange shared prayer experience, mutual dialogue, and who will send greetings to some on their holy days. I have never been invited to one of these, but I would likely go provided it was a friendly invitation and would be based on a mutual respect for one another.

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
I don't know enough about either to really make a comment.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yes and no. While women are not ordained priests in Catholicism, they play an indispensable role in our Church. While the priesthood is certainly a visible role, every baptized person has a call and a part to play in building up and sharing our faith - men, women, young, old. Some of our greatest heroes (saints) are women: Mary, Jesus' mother; St. Theresa of Avila, St. Theresa of Lisieux, and St. Maria Goretti to name a few throughout then history of the Church.

How do I feel about it? I've studied it at length, and I have no problem with it. As a married man, I am also ineligible to be ordained a priest. There are many good reasons, though the one that has always made the most sense to me that the way in which we celebrate our sacraments represents what we believe. We baptize with water because this sacrament is all about cleansing sin. The priest needs to be a man because the priest stands for Christ (we call this in persona Christi) and the whole Church as His bride... you don't get the same reality if that role in the Church is a woman.

That being said, this is a short answer to a deep question; and this distinction of roles is in no way intended as a slight to women. Where it is properly understood and lived, that is the reality.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
We don't segregate.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
My faith is at the center of all that I do. I spent three days on retreat discerning whether to propose to the (amazing) woman who is now my wife. I have worked in some way, shape, or form to build up my faith ever since I finished high school - nearly fifteen years now. I've spent the better part of the last 7 years doing some form of study about my faith, and I do my best to have a daily routine of prayer - always being aware of the guidance and influence of God in my life.

It certainly does affect my views on controversial issues. It gives me a treasury of resources, beginning with the Catechism, spiritual writings, Biblical commentaries, etc, spanning nearly two thousand years which help me to understand why marriage should be one man/one woman (and indissoluble), why we don't agree with contraception, and how life begins at the moment of conception (and should be defended.) Each of these could again get a much longer answer, but in study and in prayer, it all makes sense.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I would turn to prayer, first, to make sure it wasn't just an immediate, emotional reaction. I would want to understand where my child was coming from, and honestly talk about some of the challenges that this might bring to their faith. And then I would pray again.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
That would again be up to them. God offers everyone the chance to get to Heaven... did they, to the best of their abilities, love God and neighbor? But again, God won't force Heaven on anyone.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
I don't really understand the question. But I have great confidence in the way that the popes of my lifetime - John Paul II & Benedict XVI -have made an effort to speak on behalf of our faith. I am also grateful for some of our Bishops, like Thomas Collins (Toronto), Richard Smith (Edmonton), Fred Henry (Calgary), and Timothy Dolan (New York) are often speaking publicly on behalf of Catholics. In addition to them, and many good and wonderful priests and religious I've been privilege to know and read, I also look to examples like Mother Teresa or Catherine Doherty, whose writing and influence continues long after they've died.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
I can't say that I have.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
Never. One of my favorite quotes comes from Pope Benedict's first homily as Pope "Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary." I often share this with my students, because I want them to understand the inherent value that God - and the Church - places on each one of us.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Knowing that I am a part of something much bigger than me, that there's two millenia of history behind what I believe is certainly reassuring, but there are days where living my faith is difficult, moments where what God asks of me is hard or that it might be easier just to go along with what society wants. On those days, I don't always have peace, but what I do have is a relationship with a God who sticks with me through it all- when I succeed and when I fail, and especially when I feel that I don't deserve it. I know in my faith that I am loved - even when I don't feel it.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
No. There is a uniqueness in each soul and each life, and this life is a gift we get on a pilgrimage to get to Heaven, where we were always intended to be.

Jeremy Keong

.

Hello and Happy Saturday!

 

First up I wish to thank William Wright for his informative and very interesting interview. I very much enjoyed reading and learning more of your faith. Thank you so much William!

 

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Jeremy Keong. Jeremy is a Roman Catholic and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

 

Here Is Jeremy Keong's Introduction:

 

 

I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. I went to Catholic elementary school for grades 5-7, and went to a Catholic high school. I've been involved in a lot of Catholic youth ministry, including coordinating the ministries at two different parishes. I graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia in 2012 with a major in English Literature and a minor in Psychology. In August 2012 I moved to Washington, DC to study at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, working towards my Masters of Theological Studies (MTS) degree.

I love movies and travelling, and have a passion for music and improv theatre! You can find me on Twitter at @jeremykeong, and you can read my blog too: www.theroad2emmaus.blogspot.com




 

1) What religion do you practice?

Roman Catholicism

 

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?

Although all of my extended family in my home city were Catholic, I only converted to the Catholic faith, along with the majority of my immediate family, when I was 11 years old. In the Catholic faith, it is most appropriate to enter into communion with the Church at the Easter vigil (celebrating Jesus’ Resurrection), and I underwent a general process of instruction in the months leading up to the vigil, in order to learn about the faith. This was called RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation for Children).

At the vigil, I received two out of the three sacraments of initiation – Baptism and the Eucharist. It would not be until the following year that I received the third sacrament of initiation, Confirmation.

 

3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?

 To be a faithful Catholic, one must believe in all the dogmas and doctrines that the Catholic Church holds to be true. Now everyone, being different, can faithfully follow these teachings while still coming to understand them and express them in a very personal way – it’s one of the reasons why the Church has so many lay movements, orders of Priests, and orders of sisters and of brothers. There are degrees of observance however, in that some Catholics have come to have a deep understanding of the faith and a very personal relationship with Christ through the Church, while others only practice their faith with an attitude of simply following a bunch of rules.

When people describe themselves with the term “Liberal Catholic” they usually mean that they do not believe all the teachings of the Church (which, by the way, is guided infallibly by the Holy Spirit in matters of faith and morals). Strictly speaking however, there are no degrees of observance in this sense. You either believe all that the Church has proclaimed to be Truth, and thus you are Catholic, or you think the Church is a liar, and thus you are not.

 

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?

 If I had to choose one, I would say that I am conservative or Orthodox. But as described in question #3, these terms do not really fit if we are speaking of Catholicism in its truest sense.

 

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)

 There exist “the Four Last Things;” four possibilities for every person (of which everyone will experience 3): Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell. Everybody dies, and at this point, spirit is separated from body. Catholicism teaches that the human person is a unity of spirit and body; we are embodied spirits or spiritualized bodies. However, because of Adam and Eve’s Original Sin, the unity between spirit and body is imperfect (the reasons and theology for which is too lengthy to get into for this question!).

After death, everyone gets judged, for either Heaven or Hell. To all those people who die in communion with Christ and who have totally accepted him as his or her Redeemer – Baptism is necessary– will go to heaven, which is where souls will be in participation in the very divine life of God (who is Himself a divine community of persons: Father, Son, Holy Spirit). The people who, when they die, are in an imperfect communion with God go to Purgatory, where they will then be completely purified from the punishment for their sins in order to enter the Trinitarian life. But to be clear: this is a kind of “transitional” period; those persons who “make it” to Purgatory will definitely come to share in the divine life.

Those persons who wholly reject God by their own free will, will at the end of their lives, die, be judged, and go to hell, which is a person’s free choice to reject God’s mercy and forgiveness.

At the Second Coming of Christ, body will again be reunited with soul, whether that soul be in heaven or in hell.

 

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?

 See question #5

 

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?

 It’s the Truth.

 

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?

 ALL of our Holy Days? Well, every Sunday is a holy day of obligation, and the biggest most important way to honour these days are to attend mass (actually, the best way to celebrate ANY of our Holy Days is to attend mass). Not all of the feasts are days of obligation. Some of the bigger feasts include:

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1^st)

Feast of the Annunciation (March 25^th)

Easter Sunday

Trinity Sunday

Pentecost (50 days after Easter Sunday)

The Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary (August 15^th)

All Saints Day (Nov. 1^st)

The Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8^th)

Christmas Day (Dec. 25^th)

In addition to these days, every canonized saint has a day to honour them. And there are a lot of canonized saints.

9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?

Absolutely!


10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?

As long as nothing in the religious celebration directly contradicts the Truth of the Church, then I would not have any problems attending. I would participate out of respect, and not out of belief.

 

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?

(I don’t know enough about these things to accurately comment on them.)

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?

 Women are called by God to marry, to remain a lay single person, or to consecrate themselves to Him through a particular religious order and become sisters. But no, women are not allowed to become priests, since priests are meant to stand in persona Christi: in the person of Christ. And Christ was a man. Hence, he appointed his 12 apostles to be the first priests, and their successors continue to follow this Tradition (again, there is too much to get into for this question). Those people who fight for women ordination say they are fighting for equality between the sexes. In truth however, they are not fighting for equality as much as they are fighting for sameness. Women are not men. Men are not women. Each has been ordained by God to have certain roles within the Body of Christ, the Church.
 

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?

Is there segregation during the Catholic mass? Nope, except perhaps for those families with very young children who need to sit in the crying room!

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?

 Although I still need to pray daily in order to more readily and willingly receive Grace from God in order to listen to Him, my faith in God’s truth as revealed through the Church affects everything I do. And besides all this, there is the fact that my existence is not necessary. God needn’t have made me. So to the extent to which I believe the Catholic faith to be true (ie. 100%), my religion affects my life because my religion is my life.

And yes, it affects my decisions on things such as abortion and gay “marriage.” The Church has said that both of these things are intrinsic evils that do harm to the dignity of the human person, made in the image and likeness of God, predestined in Jesus Christ, in order to participate in the divine life.

 

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?

I wouldn’t feel so much upset as I would feel saddened. Knowing that the Catholic Church has the fullness of Truth, I would be sad that my child would be leaving that fullness.

 

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?

Not necessarily. While the Catholic Church is the fullness of Truth, and while God works through his Church and her Sacraments, God himself is not bound by them. Those outside the Church are still willed by God to be saved by the Church, by the merits of Christ’s death and Resurrection (which is what birthed the Church in the first place). The Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium(Light of the Nations) states that there are those who can attain salvation “…who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His Will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience” (16). “The Church is the universal sacrament of salvation” (48).

Furthermore, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s declaration Dominus Iesus (Lord Jesus) states that while “for those who are not formally and visibly members of the Church, salvation in Christ is accessible by virtue of a grace which…enlightens them in a way which is accommodated to their spiritual and material situation” (20), it is also false to say that the way of salvation through the Church is only one way of many. No other religion can claim to have a divine origin, and thus a divine authority. Even though those formally outside Church can still receive God’s grace, they are in a gravely deficient situation, deprived of the fullness of grace that the Church can give.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?

(I prefer to not answer this question).
 

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.

No, I have never been the target of a hate crime, but I have been persecuted for my faith everywhere, from the university campus, to the government (Barack Obama is president).

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?

Of course not. Catholicism does nothing to devalue me, or anybody else for that matter. Catholicism doesn’t devalue a person, it invalues them. Catholicism has shown me how much every human person is truly worth. The Church constantly reminds people of how beautiful and precious each person is, telling them that they are worth more than what society is willing to give.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?

Absolutely.

 

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?

No, I do not. Reincarnation, the way I understand it, is the spirit of a person being given a new body in next life on earth, perhaps either with full knowledge of a previous life, or with no knowledge of the previous life. Either way, this undermines what the Church has always taught about the intrinsic goodness of the human person, a being that is a unity of spirit and body. This includes things such as personality, temperament, etc. In short, human beings are good, and our core identity does not change. Reincarnation, in whatever form it takes, says that either the body or the soul is not good enough, and instead of sharing in divine life at the end of earthly existence, a person must repeat an earthly life. The definitive proof of this goodness is Christ Himself and His Resurrection. He died, He resurrected, and He ascended to the Father in heaven.

William Wright

Hello and Happy Saturday!

First up I wish to thank Serenity Raven for her wonderful interview. I very much enjoyed reading your answers and thank you for sharing with us Serenity!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome William Wright. William is a Christian and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is William Wright's Introduction:

I was born in Iowa and raised on a farm. My father worked in a factory in Des Moines, so we didn't do very much actual farming. Still, all our neighbors were farmers and we helped many of our friends with their farm chores, so I relate to the "farm kid" label like anyone who grew up on a working farm. I was raised Methodist, following long traditions on both sides of the family. More specifically, both Mom's and Dad's families were full of German and English pietists who fled religious persecution in Europe, mingled together in the Blue Ridge Mountain areas of western Virginia and eastern Tennessee, and eventually ripened in Iowa as very congregational-oriented Methodist. Today, I consider myself a "radical methodist", small-case "m" intentional, as I tend to take many of the values I was taught to logical points that even the rest of my family aren't comfortable with. For example, we were raised with the old-time Methodist belief that a person should avoid alcohol (which I've done my whole life), but I'm the only one in my family who has extended that idea to avoiding unhealthy foods. I studied sociology at the University of Iowa and consider myself a sociologist even though I only ever achieved a bachelor's degree. Presently I'm a freelance writer, having self-published several articles and essays and three novels. I also write songs.
 

I'm currently updating my website/blog presence, but jesusismygrandpappy.com will be up for a little while longer, if folks are interested in looking at it. Oh... and this facebook page reflects better where my web presence is going. 

 

1) What religion do you practice?
 

 I don't think you could say I'm practicing any religion at the moment. I'm a spiritual person and my beliefs could broadly be called "Christian". I was a Seventh-day Adventist for a while and I still hold to many of those beliefs. I still keep the seventh-day Sabbath, for example. But I'm not a member of any church, nor do I attend services, and I don't practice any particular ritual or study any particular text. I sometimes call myself an "optimistic" gnostic, a radical methodist (small "m"), and a trinitarian universalist.

2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
 

 I was raised with the fundamentals of my present faith. If I do anything different now compared to how I was raised, it's only because I apply those fundamentals more broadly than my parents did. But in my thinking, it's the same faith.


3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
 

 Well, I guess you could say there are degrees, since many would say (including my family) that I take the pietist beliefs I was raised with to a whole other degree compared to the rest of my family. I'm not sure what labels apply --"orthodox" and "liberal" and "conservative" -- none of those seem to fit. But what defines the difference is lifestyle. I think it's safe to say that I'm much more strict about what I put into my body, for example. However, I'm much less strict in my approach to other issues, like the question of whether or not Jesus was married.


 

4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
 

 Again, I'm not sure what kind of label would work here, except that I do think I'm just taking the beliefs of my family and pushing them to a logical conclusion (they'd perhaps say a logical extreme). So I often think the word "radical" fits. I choose to be radical because... well, why not? If your body is a temple of God and so you shouldn't pour a poison like liquor into it, then shouldn't you also avoid eating foods that will give you heart disease and diabetes? So I guess I accept the radical label, but the ideas actually don't seem that radical to me. They just make logical sense.

 

5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
 

 When you die, you die. That's all. The only way you'll experience anything after is if a divine being "re-makes" you. My belief is that God will, in fact, do this, but not until the end of all things. And however God does it, it won't involve anyone suffering for eternity in some kind of hell. It'll just be Paradise for anyone who wants it. Perhaps even for everyone. But until that distant end, everyone who has died has simply ceased to exist.

 

6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
 

 I don't know if everyone will, but I think everyone who wants to will. It might be that some people just won't want to be there, and that choice will be honored. However, it also makes sense to me that God would be able to find all the paths that would help everyone to get there eventually. It just makes sense to me that this is what God would want, for everyone to be there, and God would be able to figure out a way to make it happen.

 

7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
 

 It makes logical sense to me. Which isn't to say it's scientific or based on proof. It's neither of those things. But given certain basic assumptions, it follows a logic that seems very elegant to me.

 

8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
 

 Just the seventh-day Sabbath. I first celebrated it because it seemed to me that if it was in the Ten Commandments, it must be important. And then, of course, once I'd celebrated it for a while, I understood why it's important. To have one day, set aside not by me, but by God, where I don't have to think about work or money -- it's like a once-a-week miracle. I might give money to a charity or do work helping a friend who needs it, but that kind of thinking about work and money is different. And it is important that it's a day God picked and not one I picked. I've tried to just make it "one day in seven", but when I pick the day, it doesn't have the kind of weight that inspires commitment. When I tell people about how I observe the Sabbath, they often respond by saying it sounds like a hassle. But let me tell you, out of all the Ten Commandments, it's the easiest one to keep.

All of that said, I do enjoy holidays and I celebrate as many of them as I can... Halloween, Christmas, etc. But I don't really regard them as "holy" days.

9) Do you consider
people of other faiths to be your friends?
Yep.

10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?

 Sure, if it was OK with them, and if they were OK with me not drinking alcohol or eating meat. If either of those activities are a necessary part of the ritual, then I'll have to pass. (For health reasons, not moral ones.)

 

11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
 

 Such questions are far too complicated to answer in a format such as this.

12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?

 Well, if there was a church that believed precisely as I do, yes, women would be able to hold religious office and I'd feel just fine with that.

13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
 

 If it existed, no it wouldn't.

14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
 

 My faith impacts every aspect of my daily life and it informs all of my decisions. It does affect how I approach those issues, because every consideration in my life comes down to just one rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". So far in my life, this rule has aptly applied to every situation.

15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
 

 OK. It would pretty-much be a non-issue.

16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
 

 Hell, Michigan, maybe. Which is a fun place to visit. They have mini-golf there now. I'll have to go back and try that.

17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
 

If my beliefs comprised a religion, there'd be no lines drawn between who practices it and who doesn't. Nor would anyone speak for the religion, and if someone tried, it wouldn't matter if I agreed or not. If the religion can't speak for itself, it isn't much of a religion.

18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
 

No.

19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
 

 No.

20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
 

 Again, not sure if it could be called a religion, but yes.

21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?

No. It's just not an idea that makes sense to me. The idea that we have one shot at this life... that makes sense to me. I realize many people would argue that one life can't possibly be enough to get it right. I doubt that's true, but either way it misses the point. I can't think of any reason to care if I've lived before or if I'll live after. My life is right here and right now. Plus... I tend to think the physical realm is important. It's not an illusion or a lie or some evil that holds us back spiritually. It's beautiful and edifying and if we allow ourselves to see it as it really is, we won't fell tortured or constrained by it. We'll glory in it. And as we savor every moment of it, life won't seem so brief, and our opportunities for growth won't seem so fleeting and inadequate. At least, that's how life has seemed to me so far.

Cheryl Petersen

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Deborah Lipp for her very interesting interview of two weeks ago!
I loved reading your answers and learning more about your faith. Thank you so much for sharing with us Deborah!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome Cheryl Petersen. Cheryl is Christian Science and I know you'll enjoy her interview as well!

Here Is Cheryl Petersen's Introduction:


Cheryl Petersen is a freelance writer living in upstate New York with her husband of almost 30 years. They have 2 grown children and fostered children for 15 years while living on their farm in Washington State. Cheryl's books are 21st Century Science and Health, and Marriage: Sink or Swim.

www.healingsciencetoday.com










1) What religion do you practice?
 Christian Science, a religion established by Mary Baker Eddy in the 19th century, based on a religion of love that has existed forever.



2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
 I was raised attending a Christian Science Sunday School however I’ve attended many other religious services and studied many other religions for comparison and out of general interest.


3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
Definitely, there are degrees of observance and perspectives within my religion. I would meet some practicing Christian Scientists who are obsessed with the goal of not going to a doctor, while more of us focused on understanding better the spiritual principles behind the religion. As typical to all religions where the conservatives rule the organization, exclusion results therefore many students of Christian Science do not attend church.


4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
Maybe a mix between moderate and liberal. Every day, and with great seriousness, my thought observes God, and I use the lens of Christian Science to view a God of divine Spirit, Mind. But, as for the tools used to study Christian Science, I liberally believe the language needs to be practical today. Therefore I revised and updated Mary Baker Eddy’s textbook on Christian Science, and titled it 21st Century Science and Health.


5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
Through my study of Christian Science, I figure, the ceremony of death has about as much influence as the wedding ceremony. They are both human inventions. Our bodies may die but our consciousness is still ours and it develops according to our pursuits and beliefs. I’ve felt hell on earth, so my mind has adapted to an idea attributed to Christ Jesus, that heaven on earth is a real possibility. And, sure enough, heaven as a state of mind has been felt.


6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
 I’ve learned to view people not as mortal bodies, but as thoughts. The materialist temporary human thoughts come and go. But our spiritual thoughts stay and bring heaven to us.


7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
 The religion of divine Science is one I can practice no matter where I am in the world. I don’t hang around like-minded churchy people. I am a wife, mother, I volunteer in the public, I was a foster-mother for 15 years, I travel, I am invited to give sermons at a Unitarian Universalist Church, I am a newspaper correspondent who reports on various religions, all activities I can do while still being grounded on Christian Science defined as a Principle interpreting wellbeing and love to me at all times.


8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
Typical Christian holy days, Easter, Christmas and even Thanksgiving is valued.


9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
 I know people of other faiths are my friends because they keep me honest. They are the ones who tell me when I start getting narrow-minded and selfish about God. They make me think. They make me preach practical ideas and then practice them.


10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Yes, I’d attend celebrations of other faiths if I have a better reason than “to just try it.” I had a roommate who practiced Buddhism, and I supported her when she celebrated holy days. We discussed our beliefs but with a respect toward one another rather than the thought that one celebration was greater than another. Also, when I was a foster mother, I took a teenager to the church of his dysfunctional family’s faith. He had attached his terrible family experience to the faith and therefore turned away from it. I told him there is no perfect religion and we can see past the imperfection to the real reason for celebration, and feel God. He got the courage to participate in a holy activity and came away healed of many hurts.


11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
 I would trip constantly in a burka and laws like Shariah Law don’t make any more sense to me than the unwritten “laws” I hear in my church such as I should marry a Christian Scientist to stay pure or read the King James Version of the Bible to be healed. These demands are human and only prove silly however I have empathy. I know I can’t tell a woman to throw off the burka and be free because she truly could be very afraid without her burka just like I’ve seen Christian Scientists truly afraid to be without their Mary Baker Eddy literature and Christian Science clique.


12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, imanetc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
Yes, women are equal to men in Christian Science. But as a woman, I also know society, and our church, still needs to develop this idea.


13) Does your place of worship segregate? If yes, how does this make you feel?
There is no segregation of women and men in Christian Science.


14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
My study of divine Science affects my daily life greatly. The opinions within the church do not affect my decisions nearly as much. There is a fine line between religious convictions and everyday human life experiences and I find that open-minded decisions are valid. A cut-and-dry creed has never been executed, even if someone would like to believe so.


15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
 I married outside my religion and discovered my husband naturally practices the harmony of God, what I call Christian Science, better than the “devoted” members of the church. One day, I even remember listening to him talk poignantly about God and life and love, and I thought with a smile, “Holy smokes, he is going to understand heaven before me!”



16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No way. God speaks to everyone in a way they understand and God loves everyone with heavenly love.


17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
Most of us are trying our best to speak correctly. Ironically, HOW the spoken or written word is interpreted, is also an issue. I know people who read the Bible or even Eddy’s writings on Christian Science and interpret them fitfully different from myself.


18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
Sure, I call them my “hate fans” but they are sadly very afraid people who dedicatedly believe they have to uphold spirit in matter or a human authority in the religion.


19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
 No


20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
 God gives me a peace of mind. Religion helps me see and feel God.


21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
I have no desire to keep coming back to this human experience, although it is intriguing and beautiful most of the time. I’ve had too many experiences where spiritual consciousness was realized and the mortal faded so much so that I understand a mortal identity is not necessary or mandatory.

E. Perren Hayes

Hello and Happy Saturday!

I wish to thank Aine O'Brien for her very interesting interview of last week. I really enjoyed reading your answers and I thank you for sharing your faith journey with us!

Today we have a new interview so please welcome E. Perren Hayes. Perren is a Christian and I know you'll enjoy his interview as well!

Here Is E. Perren Hayes's Introduction:


 I am a retired priest of the Diocese of New York, living in the Diocese of Delaware. I was born and raised in Albany, NY, ordained Deacon and Priest in Albany in 1955. I have written extensively on matters theological. I earned my own living from 1971 until 1995. Fund Raiser for the Chamber of Commerce of the US; Securities Principal (NASD). A historian in church and state; using language principles to determine original meanings. Biblical scholar and critic. Raised and showed 6 generations of AKC Champion St. Bernard dogs, 3 of Irish Water Spaniels, and now have a Standard Poodle, black. Love to cook and to preach.


 I am preparing a Paper for the local parish Summer Series on Spirituality -- my topic is "Science and Religion Intersect." To be presented in St. Peter's Church in Lewes, Delaware, on Thursday, June 29.

thefaithfulsceptic.wordpress.com



1) What religion do you practice?
I am a Christian, Catholic within The Episcopal Church



2) Are you a convert/revert or were you raised within this religion? If you converted, what did you need to do to convert? And what did you practice prior to converting?
 I was born free (to quote St. Paul! I was baptized within two weeks of birth.


3)Within your religion are there degrees of observance (ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal)? What are the defining differences between the degrees of observance?
 Yes to the first question; books are written (and wars have been waged) about the second question


4)Within your religion what degree of observance are you ((ie. Orthodox,conservative, moderate, liberal) ? Why did you choose this degree of observance?
 I am what is called an "Anglocatholic." I chose it for mystical, spiritual and historical reasons


5)What is the Afterlife within your religion? For example: what happens when a person dies? Are there places for reward/punishment? (such as a Heaven/Hell concept)
I was brought up with the statement "No one has ever returned from the dead to tell us anything at all about what happens when one dies. There is no reason for reward or punishment -- God loves us because God made us, and there is nothing we can do that will ever make God stop loving us. (see the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 4 etc.)


6) In your opinion, does everyone make it into heaven/paradise? If they do not, why?
See the answers to the previous question


7) What makes your religion a good fit for you?
Within the parameters of the historic faith, it allows great freedom of and for interpretation.


8) What are your holy days and what do you do to celebrate them?
 In order of importance (highest first) Easter, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, Christmass and a number of individual saints days; see the Book of Common Prayer -- the "source book" for the Episcopal Church.


9) Do you consider people of other faiths to be your friends?
Sure -- all God creatures are friends, because were are siblings of the same God who loves everyone God created.


10) Would you ever join people of another faith to celebrate one of their holy days? Please explain why?
Except for my niece, the vast majority of my friends are christian; with some of them a celebration of their holy days is interesting; if any ask me to join their celebration, I am interested to join -- but I am not interested to be talked to about "converting." I tend not to do this, because I often become an observer, and not a participant -- to me, this is a kind of making fun of others. I don't want to do that.


11) What are your thoughts on the burka, and Shariah Law?
My thoughts are being raised by this question. In general it is not my business to question the practices of religions which are not my own -- I have no idea why these are part of their religion, and so I cannot condemn -- which is what I seem to think you would like me to do. There is nothing in christianity that directs any such thing under general practice. Although monastic communities -like the Convent where I was briefly a chaplain -- often use and even require similar practices.


12) Are women allowed to hold religious office (priest, minister, rabbi, iman etc) in your religion and how do you feel about it?
 Yes. When it first happened, back in the early 1970s, I was very opposed: contrary to historic practice; violation of Canon Law; full participation of the laity (non-ordained persons) was omitted; irregularly done. I joined an internet discussion, became a leader in it, and over a time of some length, The Episcopal Church regularized the first ordinations, and amended the Canon Law and regularized the procedures. Today women are fully and completely part of the ordained ministry, and our Presiding Bishop (Highest official) is a woman Bishop


13) Does your place of worship segregate?
No, but the number of non-whites in Delaware where I live is small, so they are few. If yes, how does this make you feel? However, since I was raised in a parish where -- as a kid --- a black man whose job it was to clean toilets in the public buildings of the city in which I was raised often was the partner of the white Mayor in bringing the money to the altar. They walked together, side by side, and knew each other well.


14) How much does your religion affect your daily life and how much thought do you give it when making a decision? Does it affect in any way your decision on abortion, gay marriage, etc?
My religion IS my daily life, and I like to believe that every decision I make is influenced by it. It greatly affects my opinion on abortion (I and the official position of the Episcopal Church) are "pro-choice." The Episcopal church consecrated an openly gay man, l.iving in partnership, as bishop of New Hampshire. I spoke before the Special Committee of the Senate of the State of Delaware urging them to permit "FULL Civil Unions" in this state. (They did; the governor signed it, and we are now trying to make Civil Union just plain Marriage.)


15) How would you react/feel if your child wished to marry outside your religion?
I have no children, but I suspect that I would support such a decision.


16) In your opinion, if someone is not of your faith, will they go to hell?
No. See previous answers about the extent of God's love.


17) Who do you think is not a practicing ----- in your religion and why? ie who in the public domain claims to speak for your religion? Do you agree with them or not?
If by "religion" you mean "Christianity" I believe right wing politicians, fundamentalists and clergy seeking to make Christianity the National Religion do NOT speak for me. In fact, they make me wonder if they in fact deserve to be called christians.


18) Have you ever been the target of a hate crime? Please explain.
 Yes, but nothing really serious. My desire and work  for "Peace" in Vietnam got me passed over for some positions; and my support for Gay Rights have shortened the list of my friends.


19) Do you ever feel like your religion devalues you?
No, but with all the c--p coming from the mouths of some of those in the answer to 17 above would sure give you that impression. Remember: There is nothing -- absolutely nothing - that you can ever do that will make God stop loving you for even an instant.


20) Does your religion give you peace of mind?
Absolutely -- that is part of the purpose of spirituality, mysticism and christianity.


21) Do you believe in reincarnation? Why or why not?
 No. There is no reliable evidence