Religion / Spirituality

Separation of Church and State:  When I was coming up in school, it was explained to me the same way that many others before and after me were told -- that this clause was in The Constitution of the U.S.  I was later told that the actual meaning of this concept was to keep the govt. out of the business affairs of the church.  Of course, it continues to exist.  There are govt'l regulations about how much a religious body or charitable organization may accept (via fundraising or donations), before the govt. tells the entity how to spend the funds, or what may be used for what.  Not fair!  I think it's because the city/state/fed. govt. wants the funds to go to them and their causes without individual donors having a say as to where the funds are spent.  Once the taxes are taken from my monthly income (before I even see it), I should be able to choose where I spend the remainder.  My labor - my choice!

Class Discussion:  In the discussion on Wed., someone mentioned about "slavery" being in The Bible.  No, the concept of slavery isn't right for anyone, but I've been told that we must consider the context in which things occur.  This was as much of a way of life for people in biblical days as it was in later years with the Native Americans, Africans, Mexicans, etc.  I'm not saying that it was good, but it had to do with hierarchy, and how people of power (kings, emperors, pharaohs) had servants to do their menial work.  This so-called order has been present since the fall of man in the Book of Genesis.  There are many parables in The Bible which speak to different issues in people's lives, depending on their experiences.  And, there are many life lessons to be learned, which mean different things at different phases/stages of our lives.  For example:  Psalm 23 may not mean a whole lot to a child who's never been deprived of basic necessities.  But, certain passages of this scripture may mean the world to an adult who's suffered the loss of a spouse (due to death, divorce, etc.).  "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want ... He restores my soul ... Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.  For you are with me ... You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies ..."  All of these things mean provision, comfort, safety, etc. to one who may have known it before.  But, if you've never felt like you've depended on The Lord for your provision, then you wouldn't know the relief and comfort it brings to know that He is there for you, no matter what you may go through in life.

My thoughts/experience:  When I was a child, the terms "religion" and "spirituality" were interchangeable, so I didn't know that they were actually defined differently until I was an adult.  I don't know for sure, but I think I first learned of the differences in a college course.  Later, the differences in the definitions were mentioned in a church service setting.  I was raised in a Church of God in Christ (pentecostal), and one thing that I don't totally agree with is the "dress code".  It's a little more laxed now, but all of the "rules" still apply for the older, devout Christians in the church.  I feel that a woman's way of thinking, and how she treats others is way more important than whether she wears makeup, and dresses OR pants.  She may follow all the rules of attire and order on the outside, but may not have a pure/clean soul on the inside.  A further note is that since God knows what you look like with or without clothing, it shouldn't matter what you wear.  As long as the spiritual part of you is acceptable to Him, the actual clothing shouldn't hold that much focus by others.

Adams article:  In the article "Oral History of Adam Fattah", it was upsetting to me how Adam's high school teachers were so insensitive to his freedom of religious expression.  No one should be singled out and made to feel badly (or, inferior) because what they need to do personally interferes with the routine of the day for everyone else.  Adam's request to change his course schedule should've been honored by his counselor in order to fulfill his desires and duties regarding his religious acts.  I'm sure that many students' schedules have been changed for far less important (or, honorable) reasons, such as having the same classes or lunch periods as their friends have.  Excuse me?!  Talk to your friends after school, or take the opportunity to meet new classmates.  Being true to oneself and ones beliefs is of more depth than engaging in frivolous chatter with friends (which can be done later).  The other part that I didn't like was how his brother's teacher looked down on their mother during the partent-teacher conference.  And, did the mom bust her bubble or what - when she spoke with perfect English, in a very intellectual way?  A bachelor's and two master's degrees?  What?!  The mom probably has more degrees than her son's math teacher does.  Hmmm ..........