“Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is a little like expecting the bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian.” -Dennis Wholey
I suppose I’m a little naïve when it comes to the workings of the world.
Deep down there’s a part of me that believes if you stand up for injustices you feel passionately about, while making a strong and factual argument, that you have the power to change things for the better. To abolish or at least contain the unfairness that seems to plague every facet of our society.
But as I said, I’m a little naïve and life simply doesn’t resolve itself neat and tidy like an episode of Little House on the Prairie. Still, that doesn’t stop me from trying.
In my blog of March 19th, I wrote about my disappointment in religion, and recently the Methodist faith, which I thought was far better than the Catholic Church and their “big business” ways. But I was wrong it seems. https://craigruvere.com/the-loss-of-methodist-parishioners-is-due-to-not-practicing-what-they-preach/
The pastor of my wife’s church, which I’ve been attending now for years after denouncing the Catholic faith, was fired after almost a decade in an attempt to bring in new parishioners to a dying organization. I won’t bore you with all the specifics, but the subject of money was brought up more than once at a meeting with the church council.
When I reached out to the Bishop of New Jersey’s Methodist faith, I expected a response filled with compassion and perhaps even an attempt to try and explain some of what I was expressing concern over. Instead I got this…
“Thank you for sharing your concerns. I had a conversation with Rev. Kwak and your facts are not correct.”
Apparently parishioners of the Methodist faith don’t deserve an explanation, we’re just supposed to abide by what the powers-that-be have to say without question. The “facts” they claim are “not correct” are realities they simply don’t want to accept for that would undermine their “plans” for the church – plans the congregation is still not being told even after numerous requests.
This will be the second religious denomination I’ve put my faith in only to be utterly disappointed. I’ve come to the understanding that organized religions have nothing to do with prayer and worship; faith and believing. That can be done in your heart and your mind; in your actions and your words; in your homes and environments. I don’t need a building always looking for my financial handout and a bureaucracy shrouded in secrecy to do that.
I might not have won this battle, but that won’t stop me from continuing to fight the inequities this world faces. For as C.J. Redwine once remarked: “It’s probably my job to tell you life isn’t fair, but I figure you already know that. So instead, I’ll tell you that hope is precious, and you’re right not to give up.”
